Evening star., 1950-12-27
|6-Year Contract Gives
GiIIette World Series
And An-Star Rights
BY the Associated Press

SA4NS4<1tA44 IL DCC. St.-kolS11IllS
of a six-year. Sc million contract
for television rights to World
Series and All-Star games has
brought cheers from some major
league clubowners, non-commital
grunts from others and some sharp
criticism. ..y
The contract with the Gillette
Safety Razor Co. was announced
yesterday by Baseball Commits
sioner A. B. Chandler.
Baseball officials such as Warren
c. Giles of the Reds, Charles
Comiskey of the White Sox, Hor-
ace Stoneham of the Giants, Clark
Griffith of Washington and
Roy Mack of the Athletics praised
the transaction. All other owners
except Fred Saigh of the Cardinals
either were unreachable or non
commital.
Saigh, repeatedly the ring leader
of the recent, successful attempt
to deny Chandler a renewal of his
contract in 1852, bitingly termed
the signing Gin poor taste" !
Says Value May Rise.
The owner of the Cards insisted,
"television is in it's infancy. Tele-
vision rights worth ST. million to-
day may be worth several million
two or three years from now.
Furthermore. signing such a con-
tract so soon after his (Chandler's)
Irepudiation by the owners seems
IN poor taste"
Saigh's comment came in sharp
contrast with that by Giles. who
generally has agreed with Chand-
ler's administration in the past.
The Redleg president remarked
upon the neWness of video adver-
tising, as did Saigh, but with the
angle that only time will tell
whether the price is too much.'
The Mats Griffith said. IT think
Chandler did great job"
Stoneham, boss of the Giants,
called it good DEAL" as did Roy
Mack, the AS vice president.
Radio Rights Separate.
The $6 million doesn't take in
radio rights for the All-Star and
series contests. Gillette agreed
earlier to kick in another $1,37O,-
900 for broadcasting the games
for the next six years.
Most of the TV income will go
to the baseball players annuity
and insurance plan, Chandler re-
ported yesterday.
That's the money baseball uses
to pay participating players $50
to 500 monthly in pensions and
Iannuities after they reach the age
of so.
Gillette paid total of $975,000
for the combined television-radio
rights to the last World Series
100000 for TV and SITS 900 for
1adio. The club owners voted
here in November to throw all that
money into the central fund, from
which premium payments ON the
pension plan are made. Central
fund payments now cost from
s500,00o to 100000 yearly.
Comiskey Praises Deal.
Charles Comiskey remarked par
ticularly on the contracts affect
on the pension plan. The Chisox
vice president commented, "the
pension plan is a little unsteady
at this time and with the money
being assured now, it certainly
looks a lot brighter. I think Com
missioner Chandler did pretty
good job in working this deal out"
Billy Evans, general manager
of the Tigers, made no comment
on the deal, nor did Ellis Ryan,
owner of the Indians. Del Webb,
co-oWner of the Yankees, said at
his Phoenix (Ariz) home that he
had been expecting the television
contract but didn't commit him
self otherwise.
Among the owners who could
not be reached for comment was
Bob Carpenter of the Phillies.
The announcement said the
television hookup Gillette will use
has not yet been determined, but
added, "it is understood that it
will include the Mutual television
stations in New York, Chicago and
BOSTON "