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

tnen was an excuse
for betting Crooked
play followed gambling as the night
the day. Women did not flock to ball
games then. Even the wives and
daughters of the players preferred
not to be seen at the ball grounds.
When they did attend game they
applauded in whispers from behind
the clubhouse door. The bar at a
bali park used to be the center OF
interest. Bets were LACED on its
slippery surface, and there the odds,
together with various degrees OF IL
lup.ination, were collected
Pitchers, shortstops, even the cap
tains OF teams were not too exclusive
to patronize the betting facilities of
the bar. On their way to the field
before the game players used to de-
post with the bartender such wagers
on the outcome as they felt they had
moral right to risk in view OF their
duty to their families. 1t is now his
tory that sometimes these players
would bet on the invulnerability of
the opposite side. The opposite side
often won A classic illustration of
the unlovely possibilities OF such a
system is the case of pitcher who
was seen to divide $500 with two OF
his able supporters. The money was
counted out before the game on a
hotel bed. If the players had been
less able, perhaps, they could have
been secured for smaller amount,
h,,t Laix uni. ,cr
deciding game.
To buy ball player sometimes
cost more than this. A pitcher OF the
first rank of that day-so rank that
in these times of sober purity in the
pastime such man would not be al
lowed to carry bats to the railroad
station-went to the mound with
his trousers pocket. 1t would have
been less embarrassing to the pitcher.
as events turned out. If he had bur-
led the money in his garden, at least
slipped it under the front doormat
When the pitcher began to show signs
OF caving In or doing what is now de-
scribed by the sporting writer's as an
the facts OF the case In the managers
care. The manager called the game
for minute and, not stopping to pick
any grass or do any sidestepping on
the way. visited the pitcher In his
box. Il just want to say" said the
manager to the pitcher, merely loud
enough for the pitcher alone to hear,
"if you lose this game I'll have you
undressed in the dressing room and
take that money off you before the
whole team" Everyone noticed how
much good few kind words from the
manager had done for his star pitcher
at a critical point in the game. The
pitcher won the game.
1t was a reckless sport in those
days to bet without first getting wind
of the way the players, especially the
stars, were placing their money. This
was in the early 70s. The game was'
travelling the pace that kills. Why
did it not go the way that racing has
gone? What saved it from the punch
that put professional boxing in the
sporting bread line?
Along about 1875 ministers spent
almost as much time preaching
against baseball as against dancing
and the liquor evil. Reformers made
regulations and adherents to their
cause because of the bitterness with
which they assailed baseball. They
had no great difficulty in proving that
the game as conducted was crooked.
In 1875 revolt, led by w. A. Hull
bert, owner of the Chicago club, was
organized 1t had one object,-to
make the game a clean, honorable
sport, free from gambling. The strong
rule against gambling was disregard
ed by the New York and Philadelphia
members of the National League OF
Professional Baseball Clubs. They
went out of the organization and for
seven years New York and Philadel-
phsa were without league baseball.
The championship was in Louis,
villes grasp about this time~ Four
players were found to bS taking