Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 76, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1909 — SAYS LEAGUE CONTRIBUTES TO HANS WAGNER'S SALARY [ARTICLE]

SAYS LEAGUE CONTRIBUTES TO HANS WAGNER'S SALARY

Old Baseball Magnate Tells How Btar Player Was Kept from Jumping Old Organizstion. “Hans Wagner’s salary is not all paid for by Dreyfuss,” said an old baseball magnate the other day in discussing the national game, “and most persons will think there Is something ‘queer’ when they know how it is paid.” He then went on to explain that Wagner receives SIO,OOO a year, $6,000 of which is paid by the Pittsburg club, $2,000 by the National league and $2,000 by contribution from the other seven league clubs. “When the American league was started six years ago,” he continued, ’ “an offer was made to Wagner to pay him $50,000 if he would join that organization. This sum was to be guaranteed by depositing the $50,000 in some bank, and Wagner was to be to draw SIO,OOO a year from the fund. Wagner went with this offer to Dreyfuss, who demurred at meeting it, but agreed to pay Wagner a smaller salary and guaranteed to pay him the difference in five years from the amount he drew from the Pittsburg club and the $50,000 guaranteed by the American leaguers, should the American league be In existence. When this agreement was made there was present besides Wagner" and Dreyfuss, Harry C. Pulliam, now president of the National league, but then secretary of the Pittsburg dlub. At the,expiration of five years, in the spring of 1908, Wagner went to Dreyfuss and demanded the difference. The matter was taken to Pulliam, who at once remembered the agreement and declared Wagner entitled to the money. It was on the payment of the balance due Wagner, according to the magnate, that the present deal involving Honus’ salary was made. Dreyfuss is said to have represented to his National league colleagues that he was entitled to some Consideration for keeping Wagner in the National league and that it was not fair to make him pay the balance due Wagner. Then they all “chipped in,” made up the deficit, and later came to the salary agreement which makes Wagner not the property of the Pittsburg club, but the property of the whole National league.