Subject for Customers

A rule of organized baseball dictates that club owners must submit contracts to unsigned players before Feb. 15 in order to retain their services. So last week the New York American League management forwarded a contract to George H. ("Babe") Ruth, basking temporarily in the Klieg-light of Hollywood. Mr. Ruth examined the document, laughed. These club owners will have their jokes. They had sent him a contract which offered a mere $52,000 in return for his 192.7 efforts. Controlling his mirth, Mr. Ruth expressed a desire to be absolutely fair in the matter. He would compromise for a small fraction of his actual worth-- whatever that might be. In short he would accept a contract calling for $100,000 a year.

Baseball fans and sporting writers from coast to coast agreed that Mr. Ruth's attitude was graceful and justified. Tyrus R. Cobb, one-time Detroit manager and star, had just signed with the Philadelphia Athletics for a consideration reported as $60,000. Tristram Speaker, onetime Cleveland manager and star, had just signed with the Washington Senators for a consideration reported as $50,000. Since these two players, admittedly in the late twilight of their careers, had been adjudged of such value, Mr. Ruth was considered cheap at various salaries up to $1,000,000 per year. It was predicted that the New York owners would revise the bid.

No winter in the history of professional baseball has seen such change in personnel of major league rosters. Aside from the Cobb and Speaker hegiras: Rogers Hornsby, premier infielder and slugger, has left the St. Louis Cardinals to enter the costume of the New York Giants; Frankie Frisch, Fordham flash, will be a Cardinal instead of a Giant; veteran Eddie Collins will again strive for the Philadelphia Athletics after a lengthy interlude with the Chicago White Sox; Zack Wheat, another oldster, has joined the Athletics after years of service with the Brooklyn Robins; Eddie Roush has been traded by Cincinnati for George Kelley, former Giant; Burleigh Grimes, old Brooklyn pitcher, will throw for the Giants.

Whether these changes will attract or repel the paying customer, whose enthusiasm may have been slightly dampened by recent exposition and interment of "scandals," is subject for heated discussion in circles where subjects are scarce. They are sure, however, to stimulate sale of scorecards "giving names of players and c'reck batting order."