Fans Warn Rickey To Retain Hornsby - 美國職棒

100年前的今天 (1917/12/20) 紐約時報的新聞

連結:
http://goo.gl/PyNmAu
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E02E1DE1E3BE03ABC4851DFB467838C609EDE

The methods of frenzied finance which are being adoped by club owners in the
major leagues are already causing much unrest among baseball fans which will
have a serious effect on the game next Summer. The latest blast from the fans
comes from St. Louis, where they will present a petition to President Branch
Rickey warning him that if he sells Rogers Hornsby to the Cubs they will not
go near the National League park. It is expected that the petition will have
more than 50,000 names when presented to Rickey. In Philadelphia the fans are
preparing to show their disapproval of the methods of both clubs by
withdrawing their patronage.

球隊老闆因為財務問題而作出的事已經讓球迷很不爽，並且會大幅影響明年夏天的比賽。
最新的狀況來自聖路易(Browns)，球迷們要連署來阻止 Branch Rickey ，跟他說如果你
把 Rogers Hornsby 交易到小熊，則他們不會進場看球。預計將有五萬名球迷連署。而在
費城，球迷們已經打算不進場來表示對小熊和費城人交易的抗議。

The big offers which are made to ball players excite dissatisfaction among
the clubs and create a lot of bad feeling, which often breaks up the harmony
of a team. This happened a few years ago when Manager McGraw of the Giants
made a big offer for Sherwood Magee of the Phillies. When the Phillies
refused to let Magee come to New York he was dissatisfied and he has never
played as well since. Now he has been unconditionally released by the
Cincinnati Reds.

大型交易讓大家都很不開心，也影響球隊氣氛。數年前紐約巨人隊想和費城人要Sherwood
Magee。當費城人拒絕以後，Magee成績一落千丈，而現在他被辛辛那提紅人隊無條件釋出
了。

The frequent offers which were made for Alexander of the Phillies caused
friction among the players on the Philadelphia Club and it was partly because
of this that Baker decided to sell him. The fans in Cincinnati now fear that
the big offers Weeghman has made for Groh will cause Heinie to become
restless and want to be shifted where he can get more money. It is the same
in St. Louis. So many big offers have been made for Hornsby that this player
is beginning to believe that there are several teams which cannot get along
without him and he will be more persistent than ever about forcing his claim
for a three-year contract at $10,000 a year.

很多人向費城人打探 Grover Alexander而使球員不太開心，原因是老闆想要賣掉他。紅
人隊球迷現在很怕小熊隊老闆 Weeghman 向 Heinie Groh 開出的交易條件會讓 Groh 想
簽一張大約。在聖路易也是一樣。因為很多人打探 Hornsby，這名球員現在相信他是當
紅炸子雞，也會更強硬的要求一張三年，每年價值$10,000美金的合約。

The action of the Philadephia and Chicago clubs in carrying out their big
deals is in direct violation of the advice of President Tener, who pointed
out to the club ownders at the meeting here last week the folly of making
sales of star players in such unsettled times, and although both Baker and
Weeghman apparently approved of President Tener's suggestions while they were
at the meeting, they changed their minds immediately after leaving the secret
chamber, for they agreed on the terms of the Alexander-Killifer sale a short
time after leaving the National League meeting.

費城和芝加哥的動作直接違反了聯盟主席 Jack Tener 的建議。Tener 表示在現在社會
動蕩的情形下，大家不應該隨便交易明星球員。費城老闆Baker和小熊Weeghman表面贊同
，但出了冬季會議的會議室後馬上就成交，把 Grover Alexander 和他的捕手 Bill
Killifer送到小熊去。



***
歷史附錄

當時是一次世界大戰正打得火熱，美國開始徵兵，社會處於動蕩不安的情況。費城人老闆
缺錢，所以就想到把明星球員 Grover Alexander (後來進名人堂) 用一筆現金賣掉，不
然隔年他被徵召後前途未卜。Alexander 隔年被徵召去法國砲兵旅待了一年。

22歲的Rogers Hornsby本來也要被抓去打一戰，結果因為家庭因素待在美國。聖路易布朗
原本也想把他賣掉，但後來沒有。


個人認為1917年能找到五萬人連署來抗議地方球隊的交易動作還滿屌的



--
我愛跳針，我是猴子王。
ˍˍ
▉猴跳▏
▉王針▏
▇▇

--