Evening star., 1955-02-15

a fabulous contract from Branch
Rickey when he signed with the
Brooklyn Dodgers in the old All
America Conference. One OF
those long-term, iron-Llad con-
tracts it was, even though most
of us thought Hickey had tongue
in cheek when he announced it.
Evidently it was a valuable
document, because on Kuha-
rich's recent trip to South Bend
he heard that Chappius had just
received the last payment. Joe
heard the contract called for
over $100, 900. all told, but a
more conservative member of
yesterdays group thought IS
G's would be closer.
Hickey. smart as he is sup
posed to be. pulled a skull on the
Chappius deal, although-as
another gent pointed out
it wasn't his money. Dan Top
ping had to cough it up, which
may have been one reason for
Dams anxiety to dump the foot
ball team when he did.
But Chappius didn't get the
biggest hunk of loot out of foot
ball. That honor went to Red
Grange, although the redhead
worked hard and earned every
penny of it. They say Grange
and promoter Ernie Pyle cut
up 100000 from some 40 games,
which. if not exhibitions, were
the next thing to them. But
there was another dissenting
opinion and this objector thought
$150,000 would be closer to the
correct figure for Red. Well,
what's wrong with $150,000-
especially in Oranges time?
The lad who came out on the
short end of one of the most
widely publicized deals of pro-
footballs civil war probably was
Jarrin' Jawn Kimbrough. After
being promised the moon, with
a big, blue ribbon around it, he
repeatedly got something less
than $1,000 for a season. Not all
of the college football stars
cashed in during the two-league
era when owners went broke like
So bettors at a racetrack.
Graham. advertised as the
higheH paid pro football player
the last two seasons with the
Cleveland Browns, probably was
one of the more fortunate ones
The word is that Cleveland paid
Otto a small salary while he
was still in the Navy and
started him off at a good scale
when he joined the club. But
there is suspicion that Gra-
hams wages were grossly exag-
gerated in the minds of some
well-wishers. He probably didn't
get into the real big money until
the Browns came into the Ma
tional Football League.
George Marshal says Baugh
received the highest basic salary
of them all during his 16 years
with the Redskins, and Sam
started at about $500. Sans
earnings never have been dis
closed, but at his peak, the tall
Texans income would have made
a shady politician envious,
Then, too, the side lines Marshall
steered him into-motion pic
lures. television appearances,
autographs, Sammy Baugh''
footballs and other merchandise,
etc.-paid handsome dividends,
But Sans income was insig-
niflcant. if you can call his total
of a couple hundred thousand
that, compared to the 80 grand
per year Babe Ruth pulled down
in his hey-day with the New
York Yankees. That, mind you,
was in a day of comparatively
low income taxes and the Babe
kept most of it. The home-run
king must have been one of the
highest paid of modern times.
He had to be.
Gene Tunney is the only man
who could have topped Ruth's
earnings, and Genes million
dollar fight with Jack Dempsey
put him in a class all by him
self. If Ruth collected his
checks in a period of low taxes
Tunney got his big payday in
even more favorable times. Best
fof all, the retired, undefeated
heavyweight champion had
enough sense to take care of it
Tunney appeared at an affair
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