Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-14
BALL PLAYERS
LIKE THE PONIES
DIAMOND ARTISTS TOSS AWAY
THOUSANDS
Willie keeIer Objects to Having Horse
Named After Hnn-Ed Dele
hanty Is the kingpin
Plunger

LAS class 1 think the gamest and
most prodigal race horse gamblers in
the world are the big league ball play
ers,' declared Tom DAILY, the old
time second baseman of the Brooklyn
National league team in conversation
not long since.
1T is no idle assertion to say that
thousands of dollars are tossed Off
by ball players on horse racing every
season. Arklirta is owned by Frank
Farrell, chief magnate of the New York
club of the American league. AS two
year-old and before being named, Gam
zell and Clarkson suggested to Farrell
the propriety of calling the young race
horse Willie keeler,' in honor of the
famous batsman. Not on your life.
Cut it out. 1 wouldn't bet on a horse
race nor bear an identity with the busi-
ness for anything. I've seen too many
of the fellows go on the rocks hitting
up the ponies,' was the manner OF
Keeler's remonstrance, and Farrell
needed, for the colt was later registered
with the Jockey club as Arklirta, after
an Iroquois upstate settlement.
ASK any ball player and he will tell
you keeler told the truth when he said
many fellow worker on the diamond
had suffered the worst of a trysting of
luck with the bookmakers. 1t may not
for the professional ball players good
money does not reach the betting ring
unless he is playing in some city where
racing is the vogue and rainy day
afternoon is at his disposal.
Then he goes to the track himself
and bets it. That indulgence comes his
way probably half dozen times a year.
However, most of the ball players who
are in either the American or National
league and are thrown into this city
several times through the summer bet
almost daily. The head w9iter at the
big hotels or the proprietor of the cor
rdor cigar stand, l. who do a little
commission business incidentally to
their regular duties, take the wagers
of the ball players.
Ball Players Case
so well understood is the inability
of the general run of ball players to
pick more winners than losers that Mr.
Commissioner simply puts the money
in his pocket. OF course If the ball
player happens to win his bet the cigar
counter man or the head waiter pays
off, but you may depend upon it when
the commissioner sneaks the bet down
in his pocket he is not required to bring
it out again very many times. 1t is
sure and easy graft. However, there IS
an exception to every rule, and it is
said that George S. Davis of the, Chi
cago White SoX is q decided winner to
the turf.
He employs a commissioner right on
the racing scene here and gets the best
of information. Moreover he has a
cracking good two-year-old colt, bear
ing his own name-George S. Davis.
Another useful horse is Davis Wrenne.
For several years Davis has made rs
much out of racing as off the diamond,
but he is away head of the average ball
player in his methods of playing the
game.
with Davis it is a business, and
We're he to quit Comiskey tomorrow he
would become an active and successful
factor in turf affairs. Manager John
j. McGraw of the New York Giants is
a big player, but a loser. The news
papers used to reports 'Mugsy' Win
ming and losing fortunes at Hot
Springs, Ark, two winters ago, but
that was all talk McGraw bets a
$1,000 on something he likes real well,
but that is his limit. Clark Griffith, the
manager of the Yankees, has good
colt racing under his name, but sell
dom bets.
Perhaps the kingpin plunger among
all ball players was Ed Delehanty of
the Philadelphia Athletics. / have seen
him put down $4,000 to win like sum
and at one time he was $4,000 winner
on the turf. He lost it all back at New
Orleans during the winter of 1904,
circumstance which may have had lot
to do with his untimely DEATH