The Washington herald., 1908-08-07

The baseball handbook" which has 4
become prevalent in Chicago. is attract l
ing the attention Of the Washington po- I
lice authorities. for the purpose Of keep /
ing it out OF this city. It is reported TO [
be more troublesome 10 suppress than
any other form Of gambling II Is more
dangerous. too. from q moral standpoint,
because boys are as free 10 play as grown
men.
The game IS q --cInchr for the ~bookie-"
for the player has less chance Of winning
than in any other form Of gambling Tie
new --bOokie~ has two sets Of baseball
games-the National and the American
leagues-to take bets on, and each club
schedule gives him sixty-four combina-
ticns for the sucker" The "bookie"
lays a stated price. usually TO 5, against
the players ability to pick a set Of win
ners. perhaps two or more, the odds de-
pending on the number played. Old
gamesters who have delved into the de-
tails Of the game declare the "boolie'
has a sure thing 50 per cent profit,
even if luck is against him.
Have TOuts in Game.
The -'bookies'' have touts. cappers, and
other hangers-on that infest race tracks
and these men become an important ad-
/ junct 70 the business when the players
seem 20 be wise" on selection. or too
many OF them are getting a line" on
! the probable winners. The tout" goes
/ about circulating the report that this
/ pitcher is lame" that the other was out
late the night before. as happened with
. Z
II trounced them at the rate Of Z 70 J. and
n other sorts Of bunk that may sway the
tinlid player
The game IS regared as something OF q
combination Of horse racing and policy
but evidently derives most Of its strength
from policy because the percentage L
prearranged-
In baseball 'bookmalling'' the banke
takes no chances whatever. which IS thi
principal reason for old-time gambler
; having taken il UP in other cities Again
IL is the. only form Of gambling that ma!
be openly conducted with apparen
. safety
: Little Chance for Players
The .sharpshooters" cannot get any
; thing over on the banker. because ther
IS no possibility OF fixing any OF II
/. men participating in the games OF base
! ball waCered on. Baseball being hOnest
. conducted. makes the chances even a
: around. but in the making OF handbook
J. On the game the banker gets his b
!. LAYING against both ends at 10 O.
!. There are boys and young men WI
{ sneak away from their desks and cOun
ers lust long enough TO lay a bet an
= then not only lose their money but the
! employer is made to suffer through Z
1 players Sinking work They are u
HI sort OF people the gamblers cperatlr
/ the handbOOks want. because their o'
/ lection 70 any dishonest play would orir
| about an expose that would show L
PLAYER OF duty and result IN his losir
/ his position
Special Game FOR BIenehers-
In some places the old do" or -donr
game Of twenty years ago has been 2
vived, but this particular brand IS pla
} ed principally on the bleachers and
: the grand stand Of the ball parks, b
. cause there is too much publicity al
noise for its operation IN a well-regulat
saloon In the "oId days" the pool sell
OF auctioueer would shout They do
they don't in the ninth at New York
| Some bet they would score and some
that they wouldn't. and the house
1 WAYS got its rake-off- AT the ball par
the players themselves are the only on
/ n concerned, and there is no ''rake-oif-
Owners and managers Of the big has
ball teams are as much opposed 70 gal
! bling on the games as are the poli'
= They realize how the spread OF han
. books IS bound 10 bring the game u
| disrepUts-