Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-03-01
BASE BALL BETTING SYNDICATE
Kentucky Organization Will Accept
Wagers Of All Kinds.
LEAGUE OFFICIALS UP IN ARMS
New scheme Attributed TO BoOkmak-
ers whose Revenue t. Cut OFF by
Anti-Race Track Betting
Laws.

NEW YORK, Feb. 2s-Circulars were re-
ceived here today from Kentucky Oh a bet
ting syndicate which offers to accept bets
on the outcome OF the approaching pennant
races In the National and American Base
baIi leagues and the American association
ana also on any club-against- series
The circular caused some uneasiness amohs
base ball men here, who we're quick 10 ue
hounce the scheme. and Il is unoerstOou
that immediate steps will be taken py OF
hcials OF the leagues to check II posslple
what they consider a menace to the ma
uonal game. Gambling has long peeh
tabooed In professional base ball and the
Keeling seems general that II 1t Is brought
into the game it will be to the detriment
OF sport that is now clean and healthy.
Some persons attribute the new scheme
to bookmakers whose revenue has been cut
off by the passage OF anti-race track bet
ting laws. The syndicate announces in It's
circular that it is willing to accept bets
OF s. or over. which may be sent by ex-
press, telegraph or telephone.
BOOK as Planned,
According to the book" it has planned,
to is offered that New York will not finish
first in the National league race. That
the team will not finish second, to Is
offered and for third place to is quoted.
In the American league Philadelphia Is
the favorite at to to win, to Tor
second place and I to 8 for third.
In addition to bets on the pennant races
the offer is made to lay odds on the stand
ing Of the clubs in midseason. In fact
every sort of imaginable combination for
wagering Is offered base ball enthusiasts.
Years ago base ball came near breaking
up because Of open gambling. The layers
of odds followed the teams about the cir
cult and openly made books in the spec
tators stands. Players fell in with the
gamblers and games were thrown
This brought the situation 10 climax
and seeing rulnaton Of the game facing
them, the club owners acted hastily and
formulated stringent rules against betting
in their parks. They even went so far as
to refuse admittance to known gamblers.
Almost Immediately the situation returned
to normal and since then base ball has
flourished and is now known the world over
as one of the cleanest Of the professional
sports.
LOUISVILLE, Ky, Feb. 27.-several hun
dreds Of the circulars announcing that
books would be made on the results in
the National and American leagues and
the American association were received
here today, the packages being addressed
to sporting men, who will be asked to
distribute them.
None of the officials of the local clubs
are in the city and 1t could not be au-
thoritatively stated they would combat
proposition 10 bet on base ball games.
Hermann Not Alarmed.
CINCINNATI, o.. Feb. 2S-August
Hermann Of the National Base Ball COM
mission when apprised of the betting
syndicate, organized to operate on the
games of the National and American base
ball leagues in the coming season, said:
while it is news to me, yet there is
no danger that they can ruin the national
game. While do not care to divulge the
course the commission will take, you can
say positively that this syndicate will do
no business whatever. We can and will
stop II Immediately.
There is no question but what betting
and gambling would ruin base ball. We
cannot and will not stand for it. / be-
lieve that after twenty-four hours have
elapsed you will hear very little more Of
any betting syndicate"
1t was learned tonight, through persons
given as reference. that the syndicate is
located in Newport, KY, and is headed by
a Louisville, KY, man well known on the
race tracks throughout the country