The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-09-19


so second:" and the race is over. Dur.
ing this description there has been a
dead silence in the room, which is only
broken by the announcement of the
first and second horse in the race.
Those who have been fortunate enough
to hit the Wlnnrr proceed to the
cashiers window and are paid the
money to which they are entitled. The
effect produced upon a person as the
race is being desc ribed is very peculiar.
He almost imagines heis standing upon
the race course looking at the actual
race itself.
The irequenters of the pool room are
to all appearances respectable
class of people-that is. they are well
dressed, orderly, aud seem to be follow
ing speculation on hOrge-racing as q
profession. Thee are many business
men who dabble in the sport because
tney like it. Congressman, lawyers and
doctors can often be seen in the crowd
One Congressman from the State of New
York is an InVeterate "backer,' and il
is said that he wins considerable money.
The evils of these pool rooms is, it opens
an avenue of speculation for those who
cannot afford to speculate at all. The
department clerks, store clerks, cabmen,
walters, and hundreds of others who
are simply earning enough to keep
themselves and families, are induced 10
gamble away their money IN the hope
not that they Will make fortune, but
that they may percnance make few
hundred dollars without very much
trouble. Many a department clerk is
kept poor by such a propensity. Many
sore CLERK Is tempted to steal to
n 50, hot I,
fact the evil effects of this kind OF
speculation is to be seen on every
hand. In many of the States pool
selling is forbidden by law, and. as
have said. an attempt Is being made
to legislate against 1t in the District
of CoIumuIa. Whether coeICiYe Iegisla.
ton of this kind viii have the desired
effect remains to be seen. At all events,
speculation 50 pernlciouS In its effects
as the backing" of horses should be re-
gulated by every community that has
the power, and In this way reduce the
evil to the very smallest degree with a
view 10 It's ultimate eradication.
Pool rooms, however, are notthe only
places in Washington where the spirit
of gambling caA be gratitied to the
fullest extent. In addition to horse
racing, the great national game, base
ball, is an immense medium of specula =
ton, and the business has certainly
been got down to fine point. a person
who desires to speculate upon an indivi-
dual game of baseball does not require
to put IN an appearance at the grounds.
He can repair TO rooms in the city
where an exact prototype OF the game
is carried ON in miniature. From the
ground upon which the game is being
played, the room Is in telephone com
munication. In the room there is
board upon which the diamond is
drawn. As soon as the game is COM
menced it is telephOned which side
goes to the bat, the name of the
opposing battery, and the name of the
first man to bat. The be ting is generally
two to one that the side to bat do not
make run. If the man at the bat
makes a hit, the result is immediately
telephoned to the room. If the player
is put out, it is announced. If be reaches
first base it is indicated on the board
and another man goes to bat, etc. In
this way the exact status of the game
IS kept before the eyes of the people in
the room, among whom there is ap-
parently as much excitement as among
the people upon the ground.
The amount of money that changes
hands upon the result of the various
league base ball games that are PLAYED
every day is enormous, and every year
this medium of speculation appears to
gain popularity with the public. The
conviction that each club is playing to
win-as against the conviction that
every race horse is not allowed to win
tends to elevate the game in the es-
timation of the sporting fraternity, and
as a result they bet their money with
out fear or trembling. Base ball is
certainly the most popular game
in this country at the present
time. Within the last few years
it has been reduced to a science. The
nine clubs, comprising the Eastern
league are made up of the very best
players that can be found in the
country. Each man is a crack in his
line, and each command very high
salaries, all the way from 81, 500 to Sc, 600
for the season, watch lasts about six
months. The respective managers
have absolute command. The slightest
infraction of the rigid league rules is
punishable by a fine. There must be
no talking back" Every man must
be at his post at the proper time pre-
pared to play his part like professional
Dali player. VI COURSE absolute per-
lection in every PLAYER is not looked
for; but when q man "muffS" an easy
ball, or otherwise shows disposition
to be careless, he will in all likelihood,
at the end of innings, be informed by
the manager, who keeps a cose watch
on his men during the whole of the
game, that he is fined $25 or $50. An
instance of this strie ness came under
my own observation in Washington
not long ago. The Chicago team were
playing the Washington nine that
week. On the second day two open
carriages, as per usual, drew up In
front of the Willard Hotel to take the
Chicago team to the ball ground. Eight
men got into the carriages, but where
was the ninth? After considerable de-
lay he was discovered asleep in his
ON. When he did put in an appear
ance he was informed by the manager
that for that little nap he would be
fined SIS; that he ought not to be asleep
when he ought to be on the road 10
play ball. JOHN IRVINE.