New-York tribune., 1920-11-07
Baseball Pools
Held Cro0ked:
Six Indicted
Chicago Grand Jury Finds
the Bettor Has Only One
Chance i'm 3.OO3 in Two
League Gambling Plan
Game Generally Honest
Managers and Bulk of Play
ers Are Commended for
Efforts to Keep 1t So
- - -aleA = ~ Tl1bAne

CHICAGO Nov. 6. - Indictments
aeaius5 s.s neu alleged to be involved
in Chica., baseball pool operations were
retur0e. Quay by the special grand
Jury rves.ie@tinr "hNing" of the 1919
woy,o's ,les This brings the total Of
tnoso to facc charges as 4 result of the
inquiry to nineteen. Thirteen bali play
ers, including cigh. White SoX, were IN
dicted several weefs ago
The jurors submitted their final report
to Chief Justice Charles a. Mcdonald
with the last indictments. Those in
dcted this morning were Peter and
Rudolph Hansen, brothers, indicted in
connection with the Chicago Heights
pool; Martin j. Carlin. Universal pool;
Charles Haas. Blue Island pool, and
Fred c. Walters. American National
pool
The grand jury's report deplored the
facts that caused them to return indict-
nents in connection with charges that
games were "thrown.' but went ON rec
ord as stating that general demoraliza-
ton does not exist in organized baseball
and the American public may have con-
tidencc in the honesty ard integrity OF
a ma jority OF professional baseball
players
Judge Mcdonald, according to the re-
port. was "amply warranted IN ordering
his investigation. and VIII have rendered
the American public great service if
tne INQUIRY has the effect of preventing
baseball players of the future from be-
ing contaminated and corrupted by un-
scrupulous gamblers
Pools Distinct Enterprise
Concerning baseball pool operations
that resulted in the indictments returned
to-day, the report SAID.
"W have examined large number
Of witnesses in connection with pool
selling on baseball games and. while
we find chat this pernici?us business
has no connection whatever or alliance
with organized baseball the fact re-
mains that these operations besmirch
The good name Of baseball. and we are
amazed at the extent Of the so-called
business.
"Unsusp specting people Of Chicago and
other cities are neeced out of hundreds
Of thousands Of dollars weekly during
the baseball season; the pools are al
most without exception, conducted by
irresponsible persons, who operate
without definite system and without
any regularity Of practice.
From evidence submitted we learn
that on season throe-league pool
there can be 13l.5T2 chances, which
chances sell at S each. and out Of the
$l3A,572 collected the pool pays to the
buyers of the tickets only $2S,000 in
prizes. Even at this enormous profit 1t
appears from the evidence that pool
owners refuse even 20 pay all the prizes
won by individuals.
In league pools there can be
S,008 chances or combinations made.
which chances sell at 80 and 60 cents
each. The unsuspecting public has only
one chance out Of s S.0O6 TO win, even if
the pool is conducted honestly, which is
seldom the ease
Honesty of Game Upheld
The grand jurors paid tribute to hon
est baseball players and other identified
In one way or another with the game.
On this the report said:
"Considering the magnitude of the
enterprise ana the great number of ball
players engaged, We believe only com
parativeiy small number OF the players
have been dishonest We were gratifjed
to find players who Immediately re
portd TO theicr managers the sugges-
tiou Of fixing, and, likewise, managers
VINO Immediately discontinued player IS
who were implicated in any way in at
tempts to corrupt the game. The adop
ton of this practice as a fixed policy.
no matter at what cost, vii! make i'm
possible q repetition OF the present
trouble.
evidence was given the jury OF an
instance during a game pl>yed in Chi.
cago where a certain ylayer on the New
York National League Baseball Club
offered another player q bribc If he
would throw that particular game
The player to whom the brbe was
offered immcdi lately walked off the dia-
mond, refusing to continue pitching the
game.
1--WE earnestly commend tho action
Of this player, and we likewise com
mend the manager of the New Ncr>
club for his action on the following
day in suspending the player who offer
ed the bribe. In this particular case,
however. and Notwithstanding the rep
rehensible conduct of the player who
offered the bribe, no CRIME WAS com
mitted under the present il.inois Law;
therefore, no Indictment could be rem
dered by this grand jury. we having
been particular to indict only such men
as the law and the evidence war
ranted.