Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-19
CENSURE FOR CHICAGO CLUB
National Base Ball Commission Re-
ports on Ticket SOalping Scandal.
PUBLIC NOT TREATED FAIRLY
People Kept Standing In Line for
Hours and tickets Not sold
Commission 60 Take Charge
I'm Future.

sale OF tickets during the WOrids cham-
pionship series in Chicago:
The recent worlds series played between
the Chicago National league club and the
Detroit American league club was the
fourth OF this kind that was played under
Heretofore during the series there was al
ways more or less criticism with respect
to the manner in which the tickets were
handled. but the last one was the first
time that any written complaint was ever
filed with tie commission with respect
attention by petitions presented to the com
mission signed by a number OF the most
prominent citizens and patrons Of the game
The complaint. as made, taken in con-
necton with the personal knowledge that
the commission held, that the tickets in
the hands OF so-called s~caipers and were
sold by them at exorhitant prices, justified
investigation. principally for two reasons:
A. To prevent recurrence thereof in the
B. To fix the responsibility for the I'M
public, II possible.
In Justice to Mr.. Murphy. president of the
Chicago club, II should be stated that he
was not in the city on either Of the days
en- which the tickets about complaint has
beer at home a great deal OF the trouble
would have been averted.
No Direct Charge of Collision.
1t should aslo be stated that there was
NO OlTeCL GnATKe maze nor any DfOOI SUD-
mitted that the Chicago club nor any of
its employees were in collision with the
so-called ticket scalpers."
The commission has examined into this
matter very carefully. our work has been
somewhat delayed, principally on account
Of our desire to fix the responsibility with
reference to certain matters in connection
with this whole affair II possible.
Tn commission feels IL would be lax in
the performance Of its duties IL It DID not
present to the Chicago public a finding OF
facts In this case as established by the evil
dence submitted.
Pending an investigation, the Chicago
club has asserted in communications to the
commission and the public press that the
sale Of tickets for the worlds series should
In the future be handled by the commission
exclusively. yet. at the last moment in an
official communication to the commission
1t questions the right OF the commission to
pass on the matter by asking whether a
club participating in post season games for
the worlds championship loses its consti-
%tutional rights, one OF which is the print
ing, supervision and sale Of tickets. In reply
to this query the commission announces
in this finding and has already so notified
Mr.. Murphy, through its chairman, that we
rights, one Of which Is the printing, super
vision and sale Of tickets, II after a COM
plant having been officially filed with
his case) that the sale OF tickets had
been unsatisfactory and an examination Of
that complaint showed that a change was
necessary. In this connection II should be
remembered that rule 10 of the commission
pertaining &c. the playing of those games
provides as follows:
The commission reserved the right to
adopt such additional rules from time to
time to govern the event, as in their judg-
ment may be found necessary"
Facts Developed by Inquiry.
From the evidence submit a and the
personal KIN wi d e ha tn IN mbers .
the commission nave in this m ter We flnd
as follow.
First-That the force employed to hanole
the sale OF these tickets during the period
allotted was wholly Inadequate. This is
admitted by the employees OF the Chicago
~second-The tickets were received by the
Chicago club on Friday morning. October
Tbird-It is admitted by the Chicago
] club. and It was so published in the press.
that It was their intention to have placed
friday morning. This was not done. al
though the club had the tickets in it's
possession.
granted that tickets should be placed on
sale at Spalding's store on Friday morn
ing, began to assemble there In the early
hours of the morning and remained in line
until about 100 p. m. Then they were in
formed that no tickets would be on sale
there. but that the box office at the ball
park would be open at 9 o'clock the next
morning and that tickets could be secured
there.
SpaldinE's waiting for the sale OF tickets
to ommence.t the CHICAGO club opened the
sale thereof at their own office and with
out notification to those standing in line.
S~ixth-Before the announcement came at
Spalding's on FRIDAY that no tickets would
be placed on sale there (about 1870 p. m,)
reached the hands of "scalpers" and were
being sold to the public at exorbitant
public kent Standing in Line.
7. Following the announcement made at
SpaIding's that tickets would be placed
on sale at the box office at the ball park
on saturday mining at oei.Gk' sne pup Son &c
Saturday morning and remained In h7a
until about ! p m, when the announcement
was made that only those who had ar ange-
ments made for reserved seats could be
accommodated
g. AS on the day previous. while TIE pub
lie was standing In line at the ball park,
the sale Of tickets continued at TIE offices
OF the Chicago club and without notification
to those standing in line.
O.. As on the previous day and before the
announcements came at the ball park, as
indicated In finding No. g. the sale OF
tickets by scalpers at exorbitant prices con-
10 No public sale Of tickets was made at
any time previous to the opening OF the
gates at the park OF Sunday. excepting In
! the offices Of the Chicago club. II follows.
therefore,. that whatever tickets came into
the hands Of scalpers' no matter throukh
what source. had their origin insofar as the
original purchase was concerned, IN the
office OF the Chicago club
ii. The employees OF the Chicago club con-
tend that there could not have been q
much more Inadequate place for work per-
tanning to the sale OF tickets for an event
OF this kind than the offices OF the Chicago
club.
IL follows, therefore. IN our Judgment,
that 1t would have been much better 20
have followed out the original intention ard
have placed the tickets on sale AZ spald-
ing's and the box office at the ball PARK
as contemplated
Hundreds sold 10 one Person
Il. 1t Is admitted by the Chicago club
that $50 tickets were sold by II 10 one
IA A large number OF reserved and box
seat tickets held out by the chicago eiuo
for divers persons were returned unsold
/ about one hour before the game started on
Sunday. These tickets should and could
have been sold had proper attention been
given 20 the matter
From this finding Of facts as shown
above we are OF the opinion that the Chi
cago club Is deserving OF the seVerest crtu-
eism and censure for the manner In which
ID handled the sale OF tickets during the
last worlds series and that they must be
held responsible for the great a~nnoyance
they caused many patrons Of the game In
Chicago, and that the complaints filed with
the commission by the Chicago public were
justified and warranted
AS we have already stated. there WA no
direct charge made or proof that ANYONE
connected with the Chicago club as an en-
ploye was in collision with the "sealpers,