Clipping:The rise in salaries
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
 |
| Add a Clipping |
| Date | Wednesday, July 8, 1885 |
|---|---|
| Text | [from a column by “Veteran”] When the American Association was organized in 1882 salaries were at a low ebb and player were glad to get employment at any salary at all, but to what enormous proportions have they now grown? For instance, Comisky, of St. Louis, played for $450 in 1882; in 1885 he gets $3,000, or thereabouts. Wolf, the splendid right fielder of Lousiville, played in 1882 for $36 per month and Browing for $50; each now receives in the neighborhood of $1,800 per season. Tony Mullane signed for $540 in 1882 and $5,000 in 1885. Jack O'Brien, of the Athletics, played for $450 in 1882; in 1885 he gets about $2,200. Jim Keenan got $750 in 1882, and he now receives as much as that per month, if reports speak truly. Swartwood got $600 in 1882 and $1,800 in 1885. I might go on for a long time with similar comparison.s I give these American Association figures, as I am most familiar with them. I expect the League could furnish many similar examples. Even in the League, which until the last two years contained the best palyers and paid the heaviest salaries from $1,200 to $1,500 were considered good salaries to first-class players, pitchers and catchers and the best of batsmen and fielders. Not is is not an uncommon thing for outfielders to get $2,000, and pitchers and catchers from $2,500 to $3,000. Indeed the list of players getting $2,000 to and upward in the League and American Association would be quite a long one. The day when $15,000 per season was considered an exorbitant salary list is not long past, while now a club that cannot show up a salary list of $25,000 is considered a second-class institution. And this extravagance in salaries is not confined to the League and American Association. All the smaller organizations are affected in like manner. |
| Source | Sporting Life |
| Tags | |
| Warning | |
| Comment | Edit with form to add a comment |
| Query | Edit with form to add a query |
| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
Comments
<comments voting="Plus" />