Omaha daily bee., 1915-05-30

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- base ball games, ana began
FHRH with the arrest Of a number
SzaS Of Chicago gamblers, accused
OF making pools on the outcome Of the
contests from day to day. THIS is an
undertaking that is worthy Of the most
serious attention. 1t is vitality essential
to base ball that IL be separated as far
as possible from gambling, because the
ive.y life of the game depends on the
1iaith OF the public in it's integrity Once
let 1t get suspected that the "suro thing
men have q hold on base ball, and It win
be good night for the game. Almost forty
years ago scandal was raised in ocnnec-
ton with base bell, and by drastic action
the National league thon purgvd itself of
suspicion. and the memory of that pro-
ceeding has kept the game sweet and
clean ever since. Developments in recent
years, Innocent enough. and easily ex-
planned, have been susceptible of dis
tortion into support of the charge that
the owners are in with the gamblers. The
effect this has had on the game has not
been for good. II the magnates seriously
pursue the crusade they have started on,
il win very likely go a long way to re-
hebilitate the game in popular favor.
As matter of fact. base ball is about
the poorest proposition that could be
picked cut for the professional gambler,
unless he does. handle Il in the form of
pools To start with, IL is ali but out
Of the question to FIX game. let alone
series Of games. Laying aside any
question OF the honesty OF the players,
and Tor tho matter Of that the base bali
player ii quite as honest in his life as
Is any other man. too many would have
TO be dealt with in order to make the
outcome Of fixed" games certain. The
operation would have to bo repeated too
often and after II was all done, the ele-
ment OF chance that enters into this sport
TO larger degree, perhaps. than any
other' is Beyond control, and would de-
feat nine times out Of ten any effort to
predetermire the outcome OF a bali game
For this reason IL has remained the only
professional sport TO which the public has
held with faith in its honesty. ana IL ,s
up to the maghates to see that IL is kept
on that plane. No gambling faint can be
permitted II base ball is to be kept at its
pinnacle.
'old 'Chiek" Aubrey has hit the slide ar
last, ST. Paul turning him loose in favor
OF younger player. This is too bad.
but II is the fate OF the ball player.
When Aubrey was with Omaha he
seemed the ideal first baseman, by many
critics being called the equal of Hal
Chase. his one weak point being his hit
/. ing He simply could not hit but his
wonderful fielding ability and his judg-
{ ment on bases when he did get on held
him in the game for years. His one trip
TO the big show was failure because of
his batting. but I'm the American associa-
ton he ranked high. and his passing Will
3 bring many regrets from lot of faithful
fans who have enjoyed to the utmost
:, the maneuvers of this first-eIass man
around first base.
The Rourke family is away on it's first
swing around the western half of tho
CIRCUIT, and much OF it's future will de-
pend on the outcome of this trip. The
team has proved good on the road so far
as it has had experience, getting a little
better than half its games with St Joe,
Sioux City and Des Moines, and II It can
do as we'll against Denver. Topeka and
Wichita, II win be pretty likely to keen
its place I'm the running. Rain STONED
proceedings against Lincoln during the
week and activity was renewed at Sioux
. City after the deluge Omaha viii get its
next home game on June Is.
What an umpire can do to mar the
course Of ball game was shown in the
last Topeka game here. II turned out
the decision didn't have any especial ef-
I feet on the outcome Of the game, but IL
might have been different. The umpire
wants to get his thinking apparatus into
better running order.
So Jim Coffey Is anxious to get at Jess
3 Willard. is he? Well, no may get his
chance sooner than he thinks, and in the
meantime he might as we'll keep In mind
that Jess IL not the easy picking he
was reckoned earlier in the year.
Thomason says he thinks he has killed
the link" that was holding back his
batting; let us hope this is so. for no one
knew better than Artie just where to To-
cate the trouble.
You'd have a pretty hard time con-
Vincing the Western league owners that
week Of steady rainfall is a good thing
at this time OF year