Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-04
GAMBLING DECLINES
Ball Players Paying More At
tention to Books.
NO POKER AMONG TIGERS
Almost Impossible to Get Enough
Men in Jennings Squad to
Start a Game.
NO POKER AMONG TIGERS

GULFPORT, Miss, March 4.-The ar
rival of the second detachment of Tigers
mas been awaited eagerly by Pitcher
Mark Hall because of his belief that
when the other boys got in it would be
possible to organize a little friendly
game of poker.
Mark sat around the hotel every even
ing for week ''all dressed UP and no
place to go" because there were no poker
players on the squad. Several times he
attempted to instisate a little battle with
the pasteboards but some of the men had
heard of his skill and others We're
broke SO he didn't get any action.
With the arrival of the full squad he
realized that there would be chance
for some entertainment, so he sat around
and watched the clock.
Manager Jennings. by the way does
not object to a poker game conducted in
the proper manner. but puts his foot
down hard when the players begin to
make gam bling a business and base ball
a side line. He wants the limit kept
small and insists that the game be broken
up no later than II o'clock each evening
BY following out this plan he believes
that there will be no danger of anybody
getting badly stung and at the same time
there will be time enough for good
nights sleep.
Not Popular Now.
Poker. by the way. does not seem
TO be the popular game with the Tigers
it once was. In the old days there was 4
game in progress most of the time the
men were not in uniform. but now it is
hard to scare up enough players to sit
in This probably is due to the large
I ,tnat- rnf &c Nh
Youngsters either do not like the game,
1t seems, or are little bit afraid that
| Jennings will regard them as frivolous
If they indulge in it.
Coming down on the train from De-
! troit were only two athletes who could
be induced TO play at all. even as an ac-
commodation to the newspaper men
Who were the mcinstay of the game.
Curiously enough, there was not one
man in the whole base ball party who
ever had played auction bridge. Man
ager Jennings plays little and several
of the newspaper men make a stab at
this game. but among the ball players
themselves il is unknown. Perhaps when
all hands are assembled it win be posi-
, BILE TO get four. but right now three is
the limit and Jennings has to be counted
| in as one of these.
! Crap-shootirig, which used to be one
{ of the stand-bys of base bali clubs, has
vanished off the Detroit squad entirely:
this spring. and there is little likelihood
of any being produced. This Is one game
which Jennings absolutely bars. The
! players have INDUCED in 1t behind his
J back at times, but in the last couple
; of seasons it has practically disappeared.
Don't Roll EN- Any More.
/ Time was when i man could get
| faded for almost any amount oil
money around payday, but now he
| would be lonesome if he wanted to roll
| 'em. All of this shows that the trend
| of the times in base ball is toward strict
attention to business and away from
gambling. One possible explanation Is
that a better educated class of men Is
coming into the big leagues now thar
ever before. and reading is growing II
popularity The average ball player nov
finds pleasure in books. while In the Ole
days there were many who thought thai
spelling out the words on the menu caro-
was literary exercise enough for all day