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Show me the money! Do pro athletes make too much money? - includes related information on sports heroes of the past, Babe Ruth and Wild Chamberlain - Brief Article
0 Comments | Current Events, May 5, 1997
MIAMI, Fla. -- Hit a ball with a bat. How much is that worth?
If your name is Gary Sheffield, it's worth a fortune. On April 2, Sheffield, a right fielder with the Florida Marlins, agreed to a $61 million, six-year contract. It's the richest contract in baseball history, paying Sheffield, age 28, more than $10 million per year.
Albert Belle, an outfielder for the Chicago White Sox, however, remains the highest-paid player this year (see graph below); Sheffield's contract will not go into effect until next year.
Millionaires at Play
Sheffield's contract is only the latest in sky-high salary contracts for athletes. Stars in other sports are also raking in the big bucks.
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Every time running back Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys scores a touchdown, he receives $45,000. Seattle Mariners slugger Ken Griffey Jr. takes home more than $100,000 for each home run he hits. Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan receives about $200,000 for every basket.
* The average salary in the NBA is $2.2 million per year; the minimum starting salary is $220,000.
* The average salary in major-league baseball is now $1.37 million per year; the minimum starting salary is $109,000.
* The average salary in the NHL is $892,000; the minimum starting salary is $125,000.
* The average salary in the NFL is $795,000; the minimum starting salary is $131,000.
In contrast:
* The average pay for classroom teachers in the United States is $38,000 per year.
At that rate, a teacher would need a little more than 27 years to make $1 million -- less than half what an NBA player makes, on average, in just one year.
* The average pay for firefighters in the United States is around $40,000.
