The Washington herald., 1908-01-05
BASEBALL is SAFE
Adjustment of Racing Not
to Affect Game.
SAFEGUARDS AGAINST BETTING
No Open Gambling Is Allowed in
Any City on the Big League Circuit
and the Few Who Risk Their Coin
DO So Quietly for Fear of Arrest.
Baseball "BOOks" Scarce.

Since Gov. Hughes tossed his New
Years bombshen into the ranks of
those who play the ponies, baseball
fans have been specializing on the eff
feet the elimination of race-track bet
ting would have on baseball in New
York.
Some alarmists profess 10 believe
that New York's great army of sport
ing enthusiasts would turn to baseball
If the race tracks were closed. and
that betting operations would soon
bring the game into disrepute because
of efforts to Elk" games by tampering
with players. says sid Mercer, in the New
York Globe.
If the time ever comes when ii is no
longer possible TO lay wagers on the
equine thoroughbreds, league baseball
will be a big gamer in New York, for
there are thousands Of persons on Man
haitian Isle who are masters of their
own time, and possessed Of riches. A
majority of them get action for their
bank rolls at the track. and with that
avenue Of amusement closed to them
many would, undoubtedly, become base
ball enthusiasts There is always a
large floating population of visitors
New York which patronize the track
and baseball parks
But the possibility OF baseball fall
ting into disrepute because of the abol-
ishment of racing is remote. The game
is safeguarded as it never was before,
and those who Drophesy crookedness
on the field are more than answered by
conditions in St. Louis and Chicago,
where racing once flourished. While it
is true that there is more or less bet
ting on baseball games in cities where
there is no racing, still this wagering
IS not done on a big scale. No open
betting Is allowed in any big league
park, and those who risk the coin do so
quietly.
In Chicago ard st. Louis.
When the race tracks closed in Chicago
and ST. Louis the owners Of league base
ball clubs in those cities assumed that
the games would be better patronized and
We're pleased to note the passing of the
rival amusement Nothing Of the sort
happened.
Followers of the races simply went
East or dropped out OF sight altogether
There was no increase in gate receipts
except that which could be accounted for
by "a winning brand of baseball. Losing
teams were no more popular than before.
While the American fan likes the game
as a spectacle, he does not relish the idea
Of supporting losing team.
From a racing center Chicago has de-
wolf frf Hl no. no ri in
country. when it comes 10 measuring gem
uine enthusiasm for the game. Two
championship teams did H. not the clos
ing up of the race tracks. ST. Louis, long
the home Of second division clubs, has
not pTohted by the adjustment Of racing,
There is scarcely any betting on the
games in either city.
Bet in Two Cities.
More big wagers are laid on ball games
in Boston and Pittsburg-cities where
running races are unknown-than in any
other big league towns. There is a ring
of betting men in Pittshurg which OPP
crates systematically. but the money thus
employed is broken up into small wagers. |
The odds are governed by the probable"
pitchers. Naturally a smaller price would /
bee laid against MathewsOn than against /
a younger pitcher. The Pittsburg club |
does not allow betting, but in certain sec
tons of the grand stand one can place as /
much as 500 in a short time.
A few years ago betting in the stands /
of the Boston American League club was 1
carried on so openly that strict rules /
We're adopted. and it is no longer possible /
Tor a man TO stand up in the bleachers /
and call for bets without risking arrest /
Baseball Books" Scarce.
The only wel-organized baseball book" |
in the big league circuit is operated in 4
Cleveland. The pitchers for each of the
eight games in both big leagues are fig /
ured out in advance. the bOOkmaker /
closely noting the order in which the
twirlers are worked. The odds are laid /
accordingly. but oftentimes a switch in /
pitchers makes the prices ridiculous.
However. the bOOkmaker just about /
breaks even on these unexpected selec-
tions of tWrlers. The man who runs
this book finds 1t profitable. His Gus
toners seldom bet on any one game, but
risk their money On combinations For
instance. a bettOr viii wager that Chicago
beats ST. Louis, that New York loses TO
Pittsburg; that Cincinnati wins from
Philadelphia, and that Brooklyn beats
Boston. He gets his odds and if he can
call the turn, he pulls down a good sum.
Like the 'parlay," however, the com
pination" is wrecked as soon as one game
goes against the bettor. In this place
the writer has seen men betting on a tie
game, adding to the stake in each sue
ceeding inning and trusting the book
maker TO take no more bets after the
game ends This could easily be done by
holding up the returns.
The situation in New York would not
be exactly the same as in St. Louis or
Chicago if racing were abolished here be-
cause New York is practically the Jump h
ing or place. Race track followers left
the Western cities and came East. but /
they will remain here racing or no II
racing, and undoubtedly there would be !
a tendency to bet on ball games. How
ever. there would be no chance to run
baseball books openly