The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-09-06
BY HUGH EUIECroN

Poor Phil Douglass disgrace and
downfall Is another stain on tn" r"puta-
ton OF IA sehaN. 5Ul th- prompt and
drastic action o: the New York club *
encouraging The fact that NcGraw.
the man who mas bee racUsed Of buying
championships. The man who cook ilni
Chase or his team after T. was certain
ne was crooked. fr-d Douglas Instantly
AID announced the cause WI ha,d a
great deal toward restoring the faith
OF the puhlic-whlch $ none TOO strong.
Douglass o'te7se. - Offering - h"-
tray his club for money. ought 70 :" 4
warning 20 'hs powers ~ baseball 'ha,
tho danger which hovers over baseball
still IA present. Ever S'ncN The White
Soc scandal they have been dAmd,nS
themselves With - bsltnt' ha- players
. would not dare .rv a-v crooked work to-
n long time As matter II fact. that
theory vas rot sound - The PLAYER
was crooked ard nervy enough re could
have figured that 70 ono would suspect
I'm and that this was the ess: tine 20
try II.
Could Not Boss Self
Douglass case . sad one. Here Is a
man who should have ba~0 the greatest
pitcher in The history ot baseball lie
rad more mechanical ability and more
stuff on the hail when N proper con-
ditlcn than any right handed pitcher n
the history Of he sport. Re vas no, A
smart fellow. Fie allowed hts weakness
Is 20 rule him. InverSely. his weakness
eS kept him from attaining a tl9lnc'C!
position that would enable him - de-
rrand higher salaries he vas paid moro
in New York than he over received
hut never hair vha, he could hare earn
ed had ne hNs0 whiting q work and be-
have himself.
II Is not quite clear why N exposing
tbs fellow ;ha name oc the hoEes' pay
- who finally showed him up and 70
vcaled his attempt al crooked work vas
concealed. This player deserves great
deal OF prais" In fact. about 'he only
manner IN which crookedness IN base
ball can ever be stamped ouc IS ~ the
honest players protecting themselves
and their game By exposing the minority
who might ny % throw games.
Booze Hurts Ball Players
: There IS another po.nt Ca!sed-oUe u
which I am personally extremely sen
sit!ve Years ago. when John Camel
was managing Cincinnati oas os mis-
plavers got drunk a, The critical stag"
OF the season. had f,"w os words from
the mouth. and mad" reckless state
mencs about wha. he would 10 Years
nfterward me- Camel. ard after a time
ne spoke ot he incident and revealed
The fact that he had been Informed that
7 had taken MS player our got him
drunk. and had done T. purPosely % AID
another team. He hal believed that for
years-al,hough sco=,"ty knew the
player and never had Iv"n out with
him.
In another casa OF which I know the
details. TWO men deliberately took a
star pitcher OF n worlds championship
team out go, him drunk and boosted OF
the fact THAI he won game IN the
series and won the series himself was
due TO other circumstances. HIS own
p!,chlnx was bad enough 20 deserve de-
feat.
I, stNl another case Two men. both
close friends OF the manager oc team.
went 70 another city. met members ~
a rival team. took them out on
marty" and the result Of that drinking
marty was that - probably cost cham
ptonship. AZ least. . made K certain
FOR the team for which the two consptr-
Rtors were roofing
Should Keep Habits Good
rs>>answer 20 all this - that players
rot drink or keep bad company
|, about the ones who Gel!ber-
lite them 70 break rraiD'ng, and
hsse bootleg DAYS carry them
The acts ara done under the
friendship. of course. but play
! Scccp, such Invitations might
20 study The motives behind
Invitations.
THAT, fool friends ard adTtTers Of
10 more harm 20 players than con-
q rators ever can DO.
PHere Is another situation which rather
omplicates The stand taken by organ
red ball IN declaring outlaws" ,hos"
5pIayers who could not come 20 terms
with their own teams ard who Joined
independent teams. According 20 the
ruling, players who Jump contracts are