Over at the Dodgers Blue Blog today, Chuck tells the one of the great stories in Dodgers history, “When Zack Wheat held out”
In 1917 Zack Wheat returned his unsigned contract to owner Charlie Ebbets saying he wanted more money. Ebbets decided he would go to Polo, MO to talk to his star player to talk him into the contract. When Ebbets arrived he found that Wheat wanted more than he was willing to offer and would not budge. Ebbets didn’t like giving raises unless he felt forced too so he offered a small increase and Zack Wheat smiled and refused. Ebbets tried smooth talking and then anger to get Wheat to sign, but he refused saying he wouldn’t mind sitting home in the summer and with his farm he wouldn’t starve.
I’ll bet that trip from NYC to Missouri wasn’t trivial back in 1917. Zack Wheat was worth it.
And I wonder what the trip cost compared to the raise Wheat was asking for.
Good question.