Art (the Great) Shires Guarantees Baseball Pays Three Times Lawyer's Salary During First Ten Years of Endeavor

"Baseball is a swell way to make a living," said Art (The Great) Shires, in an interview while putting on his clothes in the locker-room after a recent Braves victory, "but I intend to go to Law School as soon as I've had my fling at the game. I guarantee that I can make three times as much money and meet twice as many people by playing baseball for ten years than a man who goes to school immediately and begins to practice law for ten years.

"Since two-thirds of the players in the leagues now come up from college baseball teams, that branch of the sport can't be ignored," he said, "I don't know of any player, though, who has come right from college baseball and begun to play big-league ball immediately. A lot depends on experience, in addition to latent ability. There is a fellow named Kane on the Pirates who will be a great player some day but just now he is throwing games away occasionally and then again winning some for the team."

When asked further about college baseball, he continued, "There is much more enthusiasm over college ball in the South than in the northern institutions because football is not so important down there. They have always considered baseball as the national game and have specialized in it, whereas here in the north, it is subsidized by football. I don't blame colleges for emphasizing the sport that makes the most money for them because otherwise there would be no teams possible at all."

Appearing very mild-mannered and quiet, not at all like the "Whataman" of popular belief, Shires, asked about the Braves' chances of staying in the lead of the National League commented, "The Braves have never had a spurt like this nor have they won so many games in early season, and I believe that they will stick up in the first division at least."