Variety (December 1920)

AS V A RIETY Friday, December 31, 1920 • •» Vfc SEMI-PRO BASEBALL. to pay a visit to any specific lot 40 per cent of the entire receipts had to be agreed upon. The Cuban Stars from Havana ran the Royals a close second, but did not have the mound talent the colored boys possessed, a very scrl- oua handicap In the endeavor to be at tha top of the traveling teams. Other traveling organizations were Invariably made up of different play- ers every week- Leading Money Parka The Bronx Giants stand forth as the best money makers of the sea- ion In Greater New York. The officials ran big chances in their en- deavors but made good. Th co-operation of Dick Jess, manager of the Giants, and Connie Savage, manager of Tesreau's club, proved opposition does not pay, es- pecially when two lots are close to- gether. Each one was given an equal chance and through that re- sults materialized more favorably for both. Each lot charged the same admission. 65 and 80 cents, except- ing when extra attractions were booked, causing prices to Jump to 75 cents and $1. In one game at the Bronx lot, a itralght $1.50 was charged to witness a double header. That was when Babe Ruth was the extra attraction, combined with the presence of Carl Mays, Yankee twirler, and Fred Hoffman, his bat- tery mate. At the expiration of the major league season, Savage and Jess made a deal with "Babe" and Mays •<o make, a foot t,f New York. Roth was to receive $22,000 for 16 games and Mays planted his signature on an agr^ment calling for $3,200 for 21 days, regardless of weather con- ditions. Play or pay contract. The Home Run King's first ap- pearance outside of the big show was at the Bronx Field, against the home team. The admission was $1.60 and every seat was filled long before playing time. Camp chairs were temporarily placed on the out- skirts of the field. That even proved inadequate. The gates were finally closed and in order to keep tin- spectators off the playing territory. the outfielders wert ordered to play at least 25 yards la from their reg- ular positions so m camp chair arena could be Installed in the out- field. The official count of the at- tendeney, clocked, showed 16,200 paid admissions. From the fore- going official figures one ran easily figure the profit for the Bronx bunch. Next in the' Money. The next best money-making proposition at the Bronx Field was ihe 'ilOuAO: or David" nitration.. This team was made up of members from the religious sect of Benton Harbor, Mich. According to west- ern records, the nine ranked high, losing only two games out of 68, and having defeated the Chicago Cubs. The Davids were booked for a New York appearance by the Bronx Giants for eight games, at $2,500, rain or shine. The first ga. le was against the Bronx Giants, which they lost, 3 to 2 (11 innings), while the next day (Sunday) the Davids also met defeat by the same team by 4 to 3. The attendance at both games more than p:iid the guaran- tee, and the following six games were played on a profit basis by the men who consummated tho deal to bring them east. Charge of admis- sion to witness the bearded nine Jumped from the regular price of 55-75c to $1 straight. The peculiar part of the "House of David" nine was the manner in which they dressed pr*or to the start of a ball game. The i ustomary way for a ball player to dress is t strip off entirely his civilian clothes, including underwear, and reattire with under garments before puitfrtg on the baseball uniform. This rou- tine evidently was not approved * f by the hair growers. They would only take off their outer auit, plac- ing a heavy regulation baseball shirr over their B. V. D.'s. After the game they would not even take a shower bath, but immediatoly re- placed outer garments ov< r their saturated underwear. George Walsh's Price. George Walsh, the film star, also handled a traveling teaia that packed them in wherever they played. He would not accept flat - HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU JOE I FERRY HIPPODROME, NEW YORK Direction, CHARLES DILLINGHAM *a*-^■ i guarantee, therefore it was neces- sary to grant him 25 per cent, of the gross for his personal appearance. Tesreau's Bears can also be classi- fied as big money makers with the Bronx Giants. Through co-opera- tion in booking between the man- agers of both teams, eajfi go the same attractions. Admission to the Bears' lot was regulated on the same basis as at Bronx Field, with the exception of the Ruth instance. The Bushwicks. the leading team of Brooklyn, held their own a. far njf attendance was concerned, tyit did not hold Dp as well as the load- ing Bronx and Manhattan teams financially. This was due to a lower scale of admission. The smallest Manhattan and Bronx price of 65 cents equalled the top price received in any Brooklyn lot. Charge of ad- mission to witness any Brooklyn team cost 30 to 55 cents, including war tax. It would take twice the number of people in a Brooklyn field to financially compare with their pver-the-bridge rivals. However, the Bush wick owners made money. It is the oldest established team in Greater New York. It wojld be safe to say they have been organized for the past 15 years or more, not with the same member., but the name Standing out as prominently now as ever. Industrial Teams. Industrial teams throughout New York, I cw Jersey ami Pennsylvania are rated very \ ood. particularly teams represent ing concerns in the latter State. Those teams first ca..»e into prominence during the war period. Particularly shipyards were up to th«ir neck in work. Men who had certain trades easily landed jobs, but or ball player without knowledge of any certain work re- quired to go on a s yard list signed with the ball team. In that way many made big money and re- mained out of the war, for they were exempt according to Government regulations. APer the war period the Industrial houses still continued to maintain and keep together base- ball nines for publicity, which i ro- cedure apparently was due to the Iptome tax. The industrials are well supplied wit baseball talent, - for salary appears to be no object. Many big leaguers were paid to look wise, say and do nothing. Brook: n also took the lead in the number of shipyard teams, with th« >awneys. Federals and Robim, while the Fletchers represented the brother State of Ne./ Jersey. The 1920 records easily distinguished the Fletcher aggregation as the best one of the leading white semi-pro nines assembled. Pennsylvania was well represent- ed by the Oil City team, Bethlehem Steel nine and various other minor industrial organizations. To prove that money was no object to these organizations, many of the Penn- sylvania clubs offered sufficient cash to induce big timers from the majors to Jump to their organization. Be- sides paying their ball players good money for their .dleness, many were given a business, 8 uch as poolrooms, candy shops, etc., with the entire profit for themselves. This routine- was also indulged in by concerns representing other States, none of which was afforded any player of a shipyard organization. Twilight Baseball. Baseball was going at such a tre- mendous speed that many owners* could not make enough by playing on Saturday and Sunday. They started the twilight innovation. Thii was peculiarly successful in Phila- delphia. The scheme of the 6 p. m. to 8 p. m. ball game was soon taken up by New York managers and owners, but of no avail. Connie Savage, of Tesreau's Bears, was one of the first to attempt It In New York. He booked the Royal Giant* and other high-class traveling teams, but after about half a dozen attempts returned to Saturday and Sunday games exclusively. The manager of the Bronx Giants, Dick Jeaa also endeavored in the twi- *'*iat iir-ctlon. Hie first start was with the "House of David." but the Innovation for No» York City would not draw fli- However, in Phila- delphia, also in New Jersey, It was very prosperous and continued un- til the end of the season wfth ar- rangement made to continue it next y\ ar. "Stay Home." 'Stay home," is the new way of expressing the reason for the big Show and other class "A" and "B" leagues being short of talent. When a contract was offered any playtf during IDL'O the majority assumed tho "stay home" attitude. Between the New, York loeal business con- cerns, Brooklyn shipyards and the Pennsylvania Industrial plants play- ers were paid more money to Join any of them thi» a big league con- tract would offer. Men wcto paid (Continued on page 116.)