Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-26
HOTELS, RESTAURANTS & CAFES.

tory every day and for the season, there
was a man the ball field who rose su-
preme In his honesty above all the thieves
and crooks. This man was Joe Start. who
was nesting with a bunch of crooks down
at Providence. There were other honest
men on the team. but the crooks were la
control, and they ran that club 10 suit
themselves. Start. although refusing TO
touch a penny of their dishonest money,
knew that they were throwing games. aaid
strove to stop them. He never would go
in with them-eyen when they were divid-
ing thousands.
One day In Providence a syndicate OF
gamblers fixed a game for Boston to win
from Providence and bet 5000 for the
players in addition to what they bet for
themselves. Start knew what was coming
off and pleaded with his men to fight for
victory. Three or four players in each
team were in on the play and while trying
to keep the score close. they wanted Bos-
ton to hold the game safe all the time
and to take wide chances the s5.0eD
they were to get. In the ninth inning the
score was to in favor of Boston, with
two out. when by some mishap, a base
on balls, a hit and an error on easy
bounder filled the bases. with Start up.
Dick Hgilams. who catching. pleaded
with Start not to hit; but old Joe gathered
himself together and smote the ball ter
rifle lick. driving Ii over the left field
fence, sending home three runs ahead OF
him and winning the game
There were a lot of sore gamblers and
ball players that evening.
-.
One Of the rankest OF taking ball clubs
was a team that represented Fort Wayne,
Ind, along about 1880. Most of the play
ers were honest, but the owner of the club
was crooked gambler. who thought he
could reap harvest by having his team
lose at the proper time His club
fair one and was playing winning base ball.
when at indianapolis one day the club
owner bet big lot of money that his team
would lose Before the game started ne
told a few of his players TO throw the game.
They went on the field wild with anger
and decided to win IL 1T was possible.
Byron Clarke pitching for Fort
Wayne, and never during his major league
career did he pitch better ball. Furious at
being asked TO throw the game, he turned
loose all hts speed and held the Indians
helpless.
In the middle of the game the club owner,
frantic over the impending loss of his big
bets called Clarke over to the grand stand
and ordered him to lose. Clarke responded
by branding him as thief and crook
and went on and won his game to i.
That night Clarke and two other members
OF the team were released.
There has been some taking of games by
major league clubs when they played ex-
hibition games In small towns. but not
was to permit the amateur team 70 make
a good showing and this usually is ac-
complished by putting In weak pitcher
and playing easy at the bat
remember one time, when with the old
Cincinnati club that we played in some
jerkwater village up In Maryland. The
pitcher of the team was tail, handsome
fellow, son of local banker, and the hero
OF the village He could pitch some, too.
but the thought of pitching against
major league team unsteadied his nerves
He wanted to make a good showing, 50.
shortly after we arrived In town he came
around and introduced himself. and, after
taking the acting manager aside. he offered
him 500 to go easy and let him make
good showing.
The boy really meant no harm, bat when
the acting manager took his money and
reported the case to the players they
MANNED all sorts OF revenge. / scored that
game-and the score was so to O. They
bounded the ball fat: and then, Just as the
game closed. the acting manager handed
the pitcher his money, in the presence OF
his friends and ended his career as ball
player In that town. The boy left the town
that nieslt ashamed to remain.