Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-31
Public Rallies
To Support OF
Pursed Majors
Fans Turn to Sox Despite
Second Division Rating
Gandil Octet Cannot
Kill Game.

1t is rather significant that, while
the cheap, sordid details of the
worlds series scandal of 1919 were
being aired in the courts of Cook
county, the clean members of the
aggregation involved in those pro-
ceedings have been going along about
their business and drawing unusual
ly large crowds for a second division
outfit. And, in passing, it may be
mentioned that the Cubs, one of
whose games really brought the
present scandal into court, have been
patronized better than they would
have been in any other city, in a
similar position in the race.
Much has been spoken and con-
siderable written about the i'll effects
on the national pastime from the
turning up of the crooks of 1917.
Results have shown that the base
ball public still is confident of the
honesty of the diamond sport. and
the great majority of the players.
Nations Safety Valve.
The nations outdoor safety valve
will continue to operate and thrive
as long as the fans are of the opinion
that the doubtful characters have
been eliminated from the game. There
must be no hesitation on the part
of club owners to hand out the
same punishment to any of their
men that was given the eight sus-
pected White Sox, if there is a rea-
sonable doubt of their honesty.
Fear of lese majesty prevents
commenting on the possible outcome
Of the trial in progress in Chicago
when this is typeritwten. Perhaps
it would be better to say that respect
for the law curbs comment. The
idea, however, is that the result OF
the trial will have no marked effect
on the future of the game itself.
There is no punishment jury OF
L. men can give to defendant
greater than that which the Ameri-
can public already has handed out
to the players implicated in the 1919
scandal
No Time for Cheap Cheating.
The panhandler and the dip, who
go out after small change, are not
greatly respected by even the crooks
of America. But the guy who can
get away with million dollar steal
is looked up to by certain percent
age of the population. There was
some sentiment favorable to the BAN
ished White Sox among a certain
class of Chicagoans until the details
of the trial brought out the report
that they were willing to cheat for
small change. If they had gone
wrong for something like 100000
apiece they might stand chance of
being forgiven, but not for 100000
split eight ways, when they didn't
even get that.
Where base ball will profit most
from the exposures before the Cook
county court fans, and by pitiless
publicity throughout the
country, is the realization that must
be forced on the patrons that it re-
quires a lot of crooks to pull any,
hing crooked in base ball.
Takes Many for Frameup.
One or two men on team cam
not deliver the goods to the gamblers
il the rest are on the level, and, in
spite of the disclosures of the present
month, or perhaps because of them,
base ball patronage has not fallen off
in the spot where the spotlight is
fiercest.
The Devlin quartet could not kill
base ball in the '70s, when it was an
infant compared to its present stat
ure. The Gandil octet cannot kill
he game in this century.