The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-11-13
GAMBLING EVIL IN BASEBALL DANCER TO LIFE OF CAME
PIungers and Pool Promot- CTS Threaten Existence of
 Clean Baseball
By GEORGE CHADWICK special Correspondent of The Age Herald tCopyrfght, 1921, by The Age-Hersid.)

New York, November 12.-Base pail magnates and others who are inter ested in the success of the great na- tional game simply for the games sake, are concerning themselves with measures to stamp out the betting evil which has grown to far greater proportions than most fans realize. There is no specific reason for 1t. and only whole hearted co-operation in resisting the sinister influences that are threatening the future of the game will avail to keep baseball on the high plane on which its popu larity is based.
 Large sums of money are being bet each season, not only on certain teams to win the pennant, but also on them to defeat other teams in important series. One gambler. well known for his dealings in Wall street, once wagered s20, GOO on the New York Giants in each game of q cruciaDse series with the Chicago Cubs. In the summer of 1917 another wealthy New York gambler had more than sl00.000 bet on the Giants to win the championship. Two or three other men are known to have backed the Giants to win the pennant in different seasons to the extent of s5o,ooo.
 A Gigantic Bet
 In certain New York billiard room there was once held more than S200,000 In bets which had been placed by welI-known characters on the Giants to defeat Chicago for the pennant. Part of this sum was COW cred by funds sent from Chicago. During one worlds series the man ager of Broadway hotel held more than s100,000 in bets on the outcome nf aa ot,3o of aria arx,. body is familiar with the story of the 1919 world series. but few know that money was bet by the handful in both New York and Chicago and yet never was bet publicly. One of the most daring and interruptions operators in New York city wagered thousands of dollars on the games and then had certain men watched so fearful was he that he would not get 8 run for his money.
 It Is such bets as these, represent ing the operations of men who let nothing stand in their way to win that are more dangerous to baseball than casual wagers placed now and then by men who get no zest out of any sport unless they have bet down.
 The Dangerous Guy
 The plunger who has from 350,000 uDWdIQ Oi d Ddll CiuD VIII He6lldt0 at nothing to save his moneyIif he thinks he is in danger of losing it. One layer of odds considered an at tempt to place half of the players of certain team on his pay roll In order to insure his winning. but was dissuaded by his friends from trying anything of the kind Only the fear of exposure would deter such a man from tempting players with his gold to throw ball games.
 Baseball pools are second only to the large gamblers as a menace. to baseball. Companies in Pennsylvania which have been operating pools for years have made huge profits for their promoters. No outsider knows actually how much money is paid into them nor what the honest divi- dends should be. As in the game of policy, packers of the pools make payments to suit themselves and give no receipts showing the amount of money collected. A customer might be entitled to $100 and yet re- ceive only slO. the remainder being pocketed by the promoters.
 The Private Pools
 Then there are the private pools operated among employees Tn big firms, usually by one of their num- ber. If 1t is a mutual pool to which there are certain regular subscribers. the members know the amount paid in. but if the pool is open to every body the operator gets all he can and then pays out only what he wishes to. si -5s..a =5.
 Newspapers which make a practice of printing total runs made during the week by the various teams are playing right into the hands of the baseball pool sharks who have fleeced the public in some seasons almost as badly as policemen ever did. Those who are giving their best thoughts to means to eradicate the betting eviigfrom baseball appeal to all lovers of clean sport to dis courage betting on baseball games in every form. They feel that only In this way can the menace be curAed.