New York Yankees to Red Ruffing: Take the Money or Take a "Vacation"

Today's baseball players deserve as much money as they can get for as long as they can get it.

Many fans—no, make that most fans—think that ball players are overpaid. Fans point out that many players earn more in one season than they will earn during their entire lives.

Yes, it is patently unfair and unjust, but it isn't wrong. It is extreme. 

How many fans can hit a 98 mph fast ball? How many fans can throw a 98 mph fast ball?  I thought so.

Society values money. Those who generate revenues receive some of those revenues.

Before the advent of free agency, players had two choices. Sign for what the owner offers or take a vacation. The power the owners possessed makes the Transportation Security Administration's authority seem almost minuscule.

During the 1930s, the New York Yankees had a great right-handed pitcher named Charles "Red" Ruffing. He won 231 games as a Yankee, which is second only to Whitey Ford's 236 Yankees wins. He is in the Hall of Fame.

In 1935 Ruffing was 16-11 with a 3.12 ERA and a 130 ERA+.

The 1930s were an offensive era similar to the era that seemingly has just ended. Imagine what a pitcher with Ruffing's 1935 numbers would command in today's market.

Ruffing wanted $15,000, which is equivalent to about $236,000 today. Think the Yankees could convince A. J. Burnett or even Phil Hughes to accept a one-year contract for $236,000?

Yankees owner Colonel Jacob Ruppert rejected Ruffing's request outright, offering him $12,000. Ruffing attempted a compromise, asking for two years at $13,500 a year. Ruppert said no.

Ruffing was officially a hold out.

Ruppert, Ruffing and manager Joe McCarthy met for about 15 minutes in the Colonel's suite at the Nokomis Hotel in St. Petersburg. The concept of an agent representing a player was decades away.

Ruffing argued that he deserved $15,000 because he was the Yankees biggest winner and had helped the team as a pinch hitter. Ruffing batted .339/.363/.486 with two home runs and 18 RBI. The anathema of the designated hitter was decades away.

After meeting with Ruffing, Colonel Ruppert spoke to reporters.

"Ruffing told me he wanted an increase in salary to $15,000. I told him the club thought his salary of $12,000 was ample. He left the meeting with the understanding that he can accept or reject the $12,000 contract. If he wants to pitch for $12,000, he is welcome. If he doesn't he can remain idle. We have plenty of pitchers."

McCarthy added his two cents.

"Two-year contracts are a thing of past on the Yankee team. There is no such thing anymore."

Red Ruffing, like any player before free agency, had to accept what was offered or not play baseball. He could not sign with any team but the Yankees.

Of course, the Yankees could decide that they would rather have someone other than Ruffing play for them and send him to another team in exchange for other players. Neither Ruffing nor the other players had any say in the matter.

Baseball is a monopoly. Actually, a more accurate term would be that baseball is a cartel. It is exempt from the Sherman Anti Trust Act of 1890, which has been and still is a travesty of justice.

In 1922, the Supreme Court ruled that even though there was scheduling of games across state lines, those games were intrastate events since the travel from one state to another was "not the essential thing."

As is often the case, the Supreme Court was wrong and inconsistent.

You want proof? I'll give you proof.

Try not purchasing health insurance when the law takes full effect. The government's justification? It falls under interstate commerce. 

Free agency finally allowed the players to earn whatever the market allows. That used to be the American way.

References:

"Ruppert Rebuffs Ruffing On Rise: Says $12,000 is Final Offer and Refuses to Compromise." New York Times. 22 March 1936. p. S8.

Baseball's Anti-Trust Exemption