The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-24
THEHASKINLETTER
A GAMBLERS PARADISE
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

lily in favor of the winning side and
the betting falls off, until finally the
outcome is clear and betting ceases al.
together. The game is now watched
for its own sake with a sad and dis
gruntled air by the losers, while those
who have put their money on the win
ming side are exuberant and noisy.
The pelotari is a hard fighter and a
man who knows his business thor
oughly. Seldom indeed does he miss
ball which 1t Is at all possible for
him to get He also disabuses one OF
the notion that the Latin American is
a man of inferior physique. The play
muscle and wind, and of astonishing
endurance. The games seem longer
than anything played in this country,
and as hard as anything except foot
ball while the heat is considerable.
The players wear ordinary shirts and
trousers, the sides being distinguished
by the oolors of the shirts. Long be-
drenched with sweat, but apparently
unfagged. At each end of the court is
table where cold tea and rum are
served, Now and then one of them
takes a mouthful of rum and spts II
out again,
The most noticeable difference be-
tween the Cuban athlete and Ameri-
ton to hide his feelings With us Il
is more or less a tradition in all sport
that one should be a good loser, This
means smiling when you feel like
cursing, at least keeping your mouth
shut when you lose. The pelotar
never heard of this tradition. When
he misses a ball, he fairly jumps with
rage, he throws himself against the
wall, he crashes his teeth and curses
He makes it Individually clear that il
is not only painful but incredible that
he should have lost. He blames the
ball, the bat, the gods-everything but
himself, The spectators, however
blame him exclusively; A player Is
spoken of as defending his money
him. When he defends it well, he is
national hero, but when he let's ii
get away from its owners, he and his
family for seven generations are the
progeny Of dogs.
Gambling with the Cuban is more
than a diversion, or even passion
1t is an expression of his attitude
toward life, Mr.. Maeterlinck says thai
gambling is an artificial adventure
craved by those who are not strong
enough or bold enough to find the rea
adventures of life. This seems pref.
ty good analysis of gambling as it /:
practiced by the weary business man
VINO seeks TO forget MS worries Ill
Saturday night poker game, or thu
society woman who seeks to escap,
enhui in bridge at a cent a point.
But the Cuban does not merely gam
BILE thus for diversion, setting aside
| conservative part of his means for tn,
| purpose. He CANDLES all the time
with everything he has. He is just a!
ready to stake his life in a revolution
or a duel as he is to stake dollal
on the lottery,
The instinct of the Yankee is t,
take as much Of the hazard out of lif,
as possible. His great desire is t
play safe. He insures everything h
| owns from his tlivver to his life H,
saves for a rainy day. He is lookinl
| for a permanent job. He believes il
| preventive medicine. He plans ahead
The Cuban, more sensitive and mag
| NATIVE, above all more intuitive, in
! stinctively grasps the fact that life 1
| essentially hazardous and precarious
He does not reason, but he feels tina
! there is really no such thing as play
| ing safe. Take every preceutioi
| imaginable. and still it IS only by goot
| luck that you live and thrive, and bat
luck may XIII you or ruin you an
miDute. This rather obvious fact
which we seek earnestly to forget, |
the Cuban's real religion. He recog
nizes and welcomes The haaaFsl of life
He CANDLES, not for n moments di
version, bat because life is to him
gamble anyway, The safe lavin
Yankee regards him as a fool, and h
! returns tho compliment