Shrewd

Rogers Hornsby, slugging second-baseman, had been manager of the world champion St. Louis baseball Cardinals; had demanded a three-year contract, calling for $50,000 per year. Owner Sam Breadon had refused this demand; had traded Hornsby to the New York Giants. Negotiations concluded, it became known that Player Hornsby's earthly possessions were made up of incompatible elements. He owned a contract to play baseball for the Giants, also 1,167 shares of the capital stock of a rival team, the Cardinals. League heads, fearing scandal, said that he must dispose of one or the other.

St. Louis Owner Breadon, logical purchaser for the stock, offered $60 a share. Player Hornsby scorned this offer, set his price at $105. Continued negotiations accomplished nothing except valuable publicity for Hornsby and intense exasperation among the magnates. With the opening of the season a few days away, National League president John A. Heydler issued a ukase that Hornsby could not play ball for the Giants while owning stock in the Cardinals. Hornsby replied that he would collect his salary from the Giants, play or no play; would sell his St. Louis stock for $105 a share. The situation was described as an impasse.

Last week long meetings were held, black cigars chewed. Finally announcement was made that Hornsby's stock had been purchased by Mr. Breadon for $112,000, substantially the asking price; that all interested parties were happy once more; that the shrewd Mr. Hornsby would function at second base for the Giants on the opening day.