Those damn baseball millionaires

[buymycards]

I came across this cover for a July 1939 Baseball Magazine that contained an article about Baseball Millionaires. I didn't realize that the star players made that much money back in 1939. I would like to see the article. Unfortunately, I only have the front cover, which has a photo of Babe Ruth on the inside cover.

Rick

[mckinneyj]

First million dollar (per year) contract was Nolan Ryan in 1980 - Joe D was the first $100K in '49. So, wasn't their salaries that made any players millionaires in '39.

[gopherfan]

You can buy the complete run on eBay from 1939 for the low, low price of $700.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1939-BASEBALL-MAGAZINE-COMPLETE-12-VOLUME-RUN-W-BINDER/290603182945?hash=item43a94cab61:g:HTsAAMXQ-BZQ~s5S:sc:USPSPriorityMailLargeFlatRateBox!55107! US!-1

Or just the Magazine you posted for $293.45.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Baseball-Magazine-7-1939-Babe-Ruth-Lou-Gehrig-HOF-MLB-pix-info-FN/232797672184?hash=item3633d292f8:g:~KoAAOSw7UJbGVX w:sc:USPSPriority!55107!US!-1

Found it for cheaper on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Magazine-Publication-Deans-Cards/dp/B00O5DXIVQ/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=1939+Baseball+Magazine&qid=1552495033&s=gateway&sr=8-10

[Paul S]

I'm guessing the article my be like some modern day "clickbait": Cobb - early investor in Coca Cola; Connie Mack... etc.

[seanofjapan]

Possibly about the owners rather than the players.

Or as noted above it could be about players who through investing wisely became millionaires like Cobb. Thogh nobody earned a million dollars per year back then the top stars did earn enough that they could become millionaires over the course of their careers (though not many actually did).

[Steve D]

Or as noted above it could be about players who through investing wisely became millionaires like Cobb. Thogh nobody earned a million dollars per year back then the top stars did earn enough that they could become millionaires over the course of their careers (though not many actually did).



Keep in mind that the income tax rates back in 1939 were astronomical!

If you made $20K a year, you paid 19% income tax. This rose to 28% in 1940

If you made $50K a year, you paid 35% in income tax (rose to 48% in 1940). In 1941, it rose again to 61%, and to 72% in 1942!

$74K per year, you paid 51% income tax! (in 1940, this rose, to where you paid 54% if you made $70K a year)

And, for those who made $500K a year, they paid a whopping 74% income tax!

Steve