Omaha daily bee., 1921-03-27
Scandals Show
Ball Folk Share
Human Frailties
Barring From National Came
Better Sentence Than Jail
-''Base Ball is On Trial
This Year"

Speaking of the honesty of base
ball, as nearly everybody is doing
just now. where did the idea origi-
nate that base ball players and pro-
moters were any different from the
rest of the human race?
For years there was a tendency
among rooters to put the ball player
on high pedestal and idolize him as
super forty-two or forty-six, ac-
cording to his chest expansion, i'm
maculate, impersonal and irreproach-
able.
All that the worlds series scandal
of 1919 (and the lesser scandals that
have followed it) did to the base ball
fan was to wise him up to the fact
that ball players average up just like
those engaged in any other business
or profession.
Happens in Evedy Profession.
Every depositor in the Unite States
does not start run on his bank
every time some trusted employe of
such an institution is discovered to
be an embezzler. All the newspaper
readers in the world do not brand
every newspaperman crook because
few of them have written stories
which they knew to be untrue. Why
make base ball players any exception
to the average run of humanity?
Base ball has an advantage over
every other business or profession in
that the individual crook is powerless
to do any cheating. He must have
assistance. as was proven when one
of the White Sox players confessed
that the whole eight of them, who
were in the conspiracy to throw the
worlds series of 1919, could not
deliver the goods in one of the games.
Five of theeight culprits took part
in that game, but the other four par
ticipants were on the level and won
a contest which was supposed to go
to Cincinnati.
Kidding Game Of Suspects.
The problem that confronts the men
who are interested In professional base
ball now is to rid the sport of all players
against whom there is a reasonable doubt
of their honesty Even II that does not
eliminate every man who would accept a
bribe for throwing game or series, II
will make 1t practically impossible for
him to cheat, Just as the precautions
taken by banks and bank examiners make
the national anks OF this nation the next
thing to Gibraltar in the matter OF safety.
1t is OF secondary Importance whether
or not the ball players who have been
caught with the goods" are sent to the
penitentiary. II they are kept out Of base
ball 1t will be greater punishment and
equally satisfactory to the general public.
Must Eliminate Gambling.
And the elimination of dishonest play
ers is secondary in Importance to divorce
ing the gambler from the game. The
promoters are looking optimisticaily for
ward to prosperous season. They may
be merely whistlns to keep up their
A few more weeks will tell. but the best
way to insure q retention OF the con-
fdence of the public in the honesty OF
professional base ball is for all the pro-
moters players and others vitality inter-
ested In the vitality Of the sport to oom-
bine in an enAeavor to squelch the gam
bier, to discourage even the average fan.
who cannot get a thrill out Of the game
unless he has bet on its result. and to
work for laws to suppress the base ball
pools.
II there be any club owner in major
or minor leagues who will not 5oin hands
with his associates In the game to ac-
complish that end, that club owner should
be eliminated, too.
Game on Trial This Year.
Base ball is on trial this year. and
1921 will reward fighters" 1t is up to
the promoters of the nations pastime to
earn that reward by fighting the gambler.