Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1911-12-22


catapulted out of the league They
never came back. Nix, forever was
the decision of the directors OF the
new anti-gambling outfit when these
men made numerous appeals for re-
instatement. One man sent his wife
to Hubert. She said that the league
had reduced her and her children to
hunger. Here's hundred dollars;
take it and eat" said Hubert. Come
to me again if your husband doesn't
get work. will never reinstate
him.
1t was strong medicine, but it saved
the game. The lesson burned its
message on the minds and hearts of
the players everywhere Gambling
was taken by the hand and led to the
entrance of the ball park and accord.
ed less than fifteen seconds to go
away. From that day the league has
regarded gambling as the cancer OF
the game.
Undoubtedly the players as a class
are today the cleanest body of pro-
fessional athletes in the new world.
they threw the game" When does
one hear serious charge of that kind
now?
During the desperate pennsnt race
In the American league in 1908 sin
gle decision by Sheridan on a play at
the plate killed the hopes of ST. Louis
and day later decision in the first
hou ioh !,
insisted was strike, ended Chicago's
hopes. In that same season Fred
Clarke was called out at third base
on the last day of the Nationa, league
season at Chicago, and Pittsburg lost
the pennant by that decision But
there was not whisper of criticism
respecting the umpire. whose deci-
sions blasted the fondest hopes, per-
haps, that baseball players can know
If the honesty of the game were not
so universally and cheerfully recog-
nized. the numerous situations always
manifesting themselves where the old
fashioned crooked work could do the
trick so easily would lead to doubts
in the minds of the fans and the game
would die. Except for the spirit that
pervades the promoters and players
of the game, that they must be con-
slant as the northern star, the oppor-
tunities for weak man to be tempt
ed would be so many and might be
made financially so advantageous that
1t would not be cause for surprise II
a cog slipped now and then
AS baseball is played today it is
practically impossible for questionable
operations to creep into the maneu-
vers of the diamond. Since the great
leagues eliminated gambling the
banker and Office boy know that at
the ball park they will find a relaxa-
ton as nearly fawless from a moral
point of view as 1t is possible to OBJ
tain In an imperfect world. The lem
onade may be largely Imagination
but the virility and honor of the glad
iators in the arena below they know
are above criticism. An umpire may
not walk to suit them, but the fans,
Notwithstanding their insulting verbal
assaults during the heat of battle up
on his honesty of purpose. never feel
any deep doubt concerning his unpur-
chasable allegiance to the square deal.
If umpires were less spotless objects
the fact that they are czars from 1880
until the game is called on account OF
darkness would, of course, make their
Irregularities worth a great deal OF
money. A naughty umpire might
make thousands of dollars for render
ing wrong decision. He would have
to render a string of them over very
brief period to profit much by trick
cry, because as soon as his acts be-
came identified he would have to
spend his earnings in another eli,
mate.
For instance, it is within the power
even of one umpire to make or un-
make an entire season, to change the
results of scores OF games BY a.
word. Hank O'Day called Merkle out
en- the Polo grounds at the close OF