Evening journal., 1915-04-03
POKER DISAPPEARS,
harmony Results
Ball Players Better Friends
Since Ban is on Stiff
Games
LOSSES BIG
SHOOTING CRAPS

Poker. as a form of diversion Is
disappearing from the baseball train
ing camps. In the few camps where
the managers still permit the "old
army game the limit is limitod-us-
ually to 10 cents.
Managers have found that stiff linz
II poker games lead TO heavy losses
and resultant i'll feeling among the
players which lessons the har-
monious condition necessary for a
ball clubs success.
The ban was placed on dice games
long ago. Some players still indulge
they cannot subdue the gambling
fever But those who play do so
against the orders from club man
ayers And 'thcy do II secretly.
Pinochle for small stakes, hearts
al n penny a heart, rum at a penny
n point and casino for five cents a
game are played quite generally in
the camps where the managers have
not placed the ban on all card games.
But that's about as stiff as the games
now run.
The Browns are not permitted TO
gamble, either on training trips, or
during the regular season. George
Stovail. manager OF the Newark Fed
erals. has ruled against poker. So
has Joe Tinker of the Chicago Whales,
Clarence Rowland of the Chicago
White Sox. forbIds poker playing. The
Cubs haven't played poker openly for
couple Of years. Lee Magoe. of the
Brooklyn Feds, permits poker playing
but the limit must be very small.
A half dozen other managers have
ruled aga, lst poker playing and it Is
noticeable fact that there is a bet
ter feeling among the men on those
clubs than there is in clubs where
poker games with stiff limits are al
lowed
In the old days even up TO few
years ago, some mighty stin poker
games we're played among bali play
ors One Chicago American League
pitcher won over 800 on single
trip from Chicago TO Boston, aud dur
ing that season the same players
winnings totalled around sl.500
The heaviest loser was a pitcher who
was recruit that year-hut now q
regular lie lost $500 from the time
the training camp opened until Jun'
la sum equal to his earnings VI
10 that time.
Some years ago in the Giants train
ing camp crap games we're staged
openly But McGraw put the ban on
tho game. Despite this crap was play.
cd under cover one day last sprine
with the result that one player lost
something like $500 in a couple OF
hours The losses Of one pitcher al
craps over weeks stretch are said
to have totalied more than $500
There have been times-and not
so long ago when 81. So and table
stake poker was played and when
there was from $50 TO 5000 at stake
on the single roll of the dice. But
those times are no more.
The managers this year have start.
ed a general crusade against cigar
cite smoking They assert that cigar.
cites shorten the wind and thus short
en- an athletes career and lessen his
effectiveness. But the managers are
finding the no-smoke rule a hard
one to enforce. The players dom
mind the no-poker rule SO much. bu
it's different as to smoking. That has
become a hablt-and a hard one fol
them 70 break Publicly they observe
the rule, but in the seclusion OF theii
rooms or In places where the man
ayers eyes do not penetrate the.
make up for lost time
Clarence Rowland. OF the White So,
has put in force the most drastic rul'
\ cf.all. He bars cigars, pipe and Gig
arettes. And his players who hav
wooed Lady Nicotine for these man,
years seem TO be suffering-and SUI
ferinr muchly.