100年前的今天 (1917/12/20) 纽约时报的新闻
连结:
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.
球队老板因为财务问题而作出的事已经让球迷很不爽，并且会大幅影响明年夏天的比赛。
最新的状况来自圣路易(Browns)，球迷们要连署来阻止 Branch Rickey ，跟他说如果你
把 Rogers Hornsby 交易到小熊，则他们不会进场看球。预计将有五万名球迷连署。而在
费城，球迷们已经打算不进场来表示对小熊和费城人交易的抗议。
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.
大型交易让大家都很不开心，也影响球队气氛。数年前纽约巨人队想和费城人要Sherwood
Magee。当费城人拒绝以后，Magee成绩一落千丈，而现在他被辛辛那提红人队无条件释出
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.
很多人向费城人打探 Grover Alexander而使球员不太开心，原因是老板想要卖掉他。红
人队球迷现在很怕小熊队老板 Weeghman 向 Heinie Groh 开出的交易条件会让 Groh 想
签一张大约。在圣路易也是一样。因为很多人打探 Hornsby，这名球员现在相信他是当
红炸子鸡，也会更强硬的要求一张三年，每年价值$10,000美金的合约。
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.
费城和芝加哥的动作直接违反了联盟主席 Jack Tener 的建议。Tener 表示在现在社会
动荡的情形下，大家不应该随便交易明星球员。费城老板Baker和小熊Weeghman表面赞同
，但出了冬季会议的会议室后马上就成交，把 Grover Alexander 和他的捕手 Bill
Killifer送到小熊去。
***
历史附录
当时是一次世界大战正打得火热，美国开始征兵，社会处于动荡不安的情况。费城人老板
缺钱，所以就想到把明星球员 Grover Alexander (后来进名人堂) 用一笔现金卖掉，不
然隔年他被征召后前途未卜。Alexander 隔年被征召去法国砲兵旅待了一年。
22岁的Rogers Hornsby本来也要被抓去打一战，结果因为家庭因素待在美国。圣路易布朗
原本也想把他卖掉，但后来没有。
个人认为1917年能找到五万人连署来抗议地方球队的交易动作还满屌的