Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-16
BLACK S0X' STILL
STRIVING TO GET
BACK INTO LEAGUE
Barred Chicago Players Main
tain Innocence of
WrOngdoing.
BY |. e. SANBORN


1t would be interesting to know how
many of the compulsory inhabitants of
Joliet. ILL.,, or Sing Sing, n. Y, would
admit that they ought to be there. Just
about one in a thousand. probably.
The rest of them would urge in ex-
tenuatiOn for their punishment that an
injustice had been done them and most
of them undoubtedly believe themselves
the victims of unfortunate circum-
stances.
Just as positive of their innocence.
of wrongdoing are the former White
Sox who were implicated in the worlds
series scandal of 1919. There may be
an exception or two. But most of
them cannot understand why they
should have been punished by Danish
ment from baseball. Instead of trying
to make their living by some other
means they presist in believing the
easier way still is open to them through
the exercise of their ability as base
ball players.
Seek FoothoId Near N. Y.
Finding their efforts to exploit them
selves in and around Chicago consider
ably less of a success than they ex-
pected some of the permanently in
eligible players are testing out the
field in the vicinity Of New York. hav-
ing found hackers there who believe
money can be made in exploiting them.
Temporary success may crown this
effort, just as happened for a brief
spell in Chicago. There is a certain
quantity of folks impelled by curiosity
that can always be attracted by the ur-
usual-but only once, just to satisfy
curiosity. Friends the discarded play
ers had in large numbers when they
yTnra a ~ ~ m ~ hnrAa- I-A sIN.
lost most of them. Those who stuck
were not the kind who would donate
much coin to see them play ball. They
would be more ready to subscribe 10
n farewell benefit.
Silence Is Best Weapon
The policy of The Thunders of ST.
%lence.' adopted in Chicago. made the
exploitation of the former stars un-
profitiale after a short period. and the
same policy. if adopted in Gotham.
will have the same inevitable result.
Publicity will attract the curious and
Increase their numbers. Too much on
position to any person or project. ex-
pressed in the public prints. impels
many to the belief that it may be per-
secution. Silence is a tremendous
weapon which no one whose welfare
depends on public favor has yet been
dple 10 ttmDh successfully.
This is not prompted by my spirit
OF amnesty toward the blacklisted
players. They were friends of mine.
some of them of long standing. and no
one regrets more than I what they did.
Perhaps this discussion of their posi-
ton will enable them to understand.
No Law Broken In Court
From their point of view they trans
crossed no law. In fact. the courts
could find none to apply TO their cases.
baseball laws they believed were made
TO be broken it it could be done without
detection. All their baseball lives they
had been schooled to break the rules if
they could get away with it. Cutting
n base was n smart trick if the umpire
was not looking. Every pitcher worked
hours and weeks TO learn how TO
transgress the balk rules without being
penaiized.
They knew the club owners always
were looking for loophoIes that would
permit them to break the laws of or
ganized baseball; that players constant
" were being farmed out in spite of
the constitutional prohibition against
farming. They existed in a bad atmos-
phere.
No Sympathy Left
They forgot the public and their pals.
The public may s%ympathize deeply
with the inmates of Joliet or Sing Sing.
but how many of that public would
give trusted positions to the graduates
of either? The baseball public is sorry |
for the former White Sox. but how
many fans would feel absolute conf
dence that they were always doing
their best in a ball game if it were
possible to bring about their reinstate-
ment: Something has been lost that
canno be replaced.
Then there is no crime. even in the
underworld. greater than that of
embarrassing a PAL. That was what
the former Sox did to their own team
mates. and that is why the whole pro-
~fession of ball players is opposed to
playing with or against men who by
the confession Of some of them. were
implicated in the famous doublecross
of 1919.
Perhaps it has done baseball more
good than harm, however.