Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-20
A REVIEW OF SPORTS
Some Arguments in Favor of
POOlSelling Oh Tracks.
HOW TO CHANGE THE LAW.
Several Evils of the Old Statutes
Pointed Out.
INTERESTING BASEBALL GOSSIP.
A Talk About Sullivan, McCaffrey and Jack
Dempsey.
HOW TO CHANGE THELAW.
BASEBALL GOSSIP.
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS OF THE DAY

Probably one of the most important ques
tions to sporting people throughout Penn
sylvania just now is the proposed amend
ment to the law relating to poolselling
Directly it is of very great Importance t.
the people just named, and indirectly it il
of the greatest interest to a large majority o.
citizens. The facts of the matter are simply
these: If the law relating to poolselling i.
not amended there will be no poolselling OF
the race tracks throughout the State; il
there is no poolselling there will be nc
horse racing worthy of the name. Nobody
will contend for a moment that Americans
do not take remarkable pride in their trot-
tiers, PAGERS and runners; and the spirit OF
pride is no less in Pennsylvania than in
other parts of the country. 1t is
therefore clear that as the law stands now one
of most cherished sports of the State, and one
of the greatest incentives to the breeding of
f1rst-class horses, is almost paralYzed. But if
the proposed amendment does become law,
some of the tracks, Homewood for instance,
will be benefited very little indeed, that is,
compared with the condition that the enforce
ment Of the present law would place them in.
1t is, therefore, reasonable to expect that,
amendment or no amendment that irrepressi-
bic spirit of government Interference will
blight the good prospects of horse racing in
and about Pittsburg. Certainly the Home
wood Park officials are of this opinion, and
only the other day one of the best informed of
them told me that the outlook is very dismal
and discoursging. He even intimated that the
park as a race track was done for entirely.
Amid the tidal wave OF grandmotherly govern
ment that is now sweeping the State, and in
fact the country, it may be interesting to con
slider this poolselling question for a few min
utes. There are some very singular features in
it, the leading ones being the amusing Incon-
sistencies of those who ever and anon are en-
deavoring to make us models of morality and
industry by law. For man to say that he can
enjoy his leisure hours with advantage to him
self, without the aid of Harrisburg's grand
motherly love, is almost sufficient to force a
certain part of the community into a fit of
spasms. To very great extent 1 am con-
WINGED that the desire on the part of many peo-
pie to restrict the social habits of others is
the result Of a petty tyranny to make every
body do as they do than of any noble motive.
1t is fact that the present poolselling law has
been in existence for generations, but il has
been living imperative in some dark pigeon
hole. In the meantime our horse racing has
been going increasing in popularity: in
creasng in quality; and the races have been
becoming more numerous every year. Parallel
with this the morality of the racing and all its
surroundings have become better, until to-day
it is safe to say that the trotting meetings of
to-day are conducted on more honest
and fair-dealing principles than they ever
were. Suddenly, however, and prompted
only by desire of obtaining notorie-
ty and something to do, two or three
obscure citizens drag that old musty law from
its obscure concealment and demand the ac-
knowledgment of its power. Few people knew
that it had an existence at all and it is safe to
say that had it not really existed 1t would have
been impossible to have secured any law to
change the order of things as hr as the tracks
of the State have been concerned for many,
many years.
OF course it is understood that efforts are to
be made at Harrisburg to amend this relic of
extreme puritanic times; but in trying to effect
an amendment why not frame law which
would legalize a state of things similar
TO what has been going on for many
years. Everything has been moving
along gloriously; our race meetings
have not thrown moral miasmas throughout
the community: but on the contrary have
played their part in making things better than
they were. One of the amusing features of
proposed amendment is that part of the revenue
for poolselling be devoted to charitable institu-
tions. Poolselling is either right or wrong. If
it is right there is certainly no more reason why
any of its revenue be legally compelled to go to
the poor than part OF The profits of any business
concern. If it is wrong, for goodness sake
don't let us keep the poor by iil-gotten gains
The truth is that if it is wrong no bill should be
offered or enacted to tolerate its existence.
In thinking over these attempts of govern
ment to prevent betting 1 am always re-
minded of passage on the Limits of State
Duty in Herbert Spencer's "Social States"
II runs thus: LET us put down usury a said
to themselves the rulers of the middle. They
tried; and did Just the reverse of what they IN
tended. Wen exterminate Professionalism
whispered the Continental Catholics to each |
other. They tried; and instead of doing this |
they planted in England the germs of |
manufacturing organization which has to a |
great extent superseded their own. We must |
suppress these brothels; decided the author |
titles in Berlin in lS45, they did suppress them
and in l84S the Registrars books and the hos |
pital returns proved matters to be consider |
ably worse than before" To these instances /
can be added recent government efforts in En- /
gland to prevent betting. The results show a /
, condition oIl- OF things worse than before In
ciety certain agencies which cannot be re-
strained with impunity: which when forcibly
damned back. will find egress somehow
either by bursting the embankment and doing
violent damage, or. what is still greater evil
by fltering through secret channels and thus |
unseen. eating away the structure from below
public pooselling is better than
clandestine systems of dishonest betting.
Whether or not the reports published relative
TO Sullivan's drunkenness are true are not.
public confidence IN him has been greatly
shaken. His friends, of course, deny that he
has been drunk or that he has violated his
pledge. Despite these denials, however, there
seems to be some truth in the published
rum0rs. / feel more convinced than ever that
Sullivan has been in a A-foot ring for the last
time. To live in strict sobriety for six months
is task beyond his power, judging from his
past efforts. Sullivan was ruined amid his
have steadily contended that he
his pugilistic laurels too easily to
prize them at their worth. Had 1t been other
wise he might to-day still have been Sullivan.
the greatest pugilist in his day. If it
way resumed his drinking habits there
is no fear of his hackers losing their
forfeit put up in behalf of Sullivan against
Kilrain. Should the former totally break down |
however, it will be a sad blow to Lumley & Co
as they will have to take back seat. This
sill be as painful to them as financial loss
and probably more so. If, however, Sullivan
can be held together in any shape his friends
will probably be able to wriggle out of the af-
fair with specious excuses if not with grace
The articles, as have before argued, are worth
less, and should circumstances demand it Kill
rain would just as readily crawl out of the en-
Zagement as anything else. The articles of
were, to use street corner colo
1uial, dead give away.
Generally speaking, pugilism has been quiet
his week Jack Dempsey's appearance in this
city has somewhat enlivened things here, but
there has not been much enthusiasm. His
sparring exhibitions have been well patroni.ed, |
and his somewhat original method of self-de-
Tense has been exceedingly admired. Without
doubt Dempsey is aremarkable boxer. although
mere Is little or no opportunity for him to
show his best traits in his present engagement.
l he usual exchange of opinions has taken
place between him and Mitchell. The only ap-
parent object, however, is to excite the public,
Ind such like bandying of words iS-unworthy of
lotice.
1t may be that Dominick McCaffrey and Jack
Dempsey will have a meeting before next
pring comes and goes-a meeting that will
'robably decide the respective pu, ilisric merits
# these two men. McCaffrey is now evidently
'ut to do some work, and in making his request