The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-06-14
DANGER Of CROOkEDNE5S IN
BASEBALL HAS BEEN REDUCED
BY RUGH FULLERTON

Win lNe dIu OF the UldJOEllN OA N!Ic SAN'
owners OF both major and minor leagues
seems TO have Strengthened out the at
fairs of the clubs OF organized baseball
in fairly satisfactory manner. Trur.
conditions are not yet perfect. nor are
they liable To Re for some time. But
they are better and the peril OF crooked.
ness in baseball. so FAR as organized
baseball Is concerned. has been mini
mixed
But there is a condition rising up
and slapping US In the face which draws
attention to the necessity either for an
extension OF the powers of crganize1
baseball Gust now in he best condl-
ton to handle The situation because or
The decision 81 the supreme court in tn"
Baltimore Fed case) or for active eNec-
ton OF the police pow crS OF several
cities in suppressinE evil In baseball
Conditions in the semi-pro field IN
BOSTON are very fair in Chicago better
than fair, around Philadelphia excellent
ir Cleveland better than they are even
IN the major leagues. But condition.
m the tremendous semi-pro field around
New York are rotten anu getting WORSE
Gambling Wide Open.
Open gambling. exhibitions Of players
thrust!ng money through the screens
and making bets with spectators during
games mobbing Of umpires and gener-
ally rotten conditions exist in many
places. There are swarms OF ptker
gamblers following the strong semi
pro clubs wagering large sums on IN"
results. and the evil IS made worse BY
the fact that most OF it happens on
Sunday
At n recent game hetw cen two colored
teams on park which seemed perfectly
safeguarded. members Of one team went
around the grounds. sticking money
through the screen. betting and taking
all the money In sight. The opposing
'"rm was best hut the umpire was
rushed. abused. thrca sened and he final.
Is weakened and the bets were saved
The thing was one % the most dis
graceful in the history Of base ball. but
they got away with IL.
Similar scenes are reported To me al
most every Monday at the semt-pr"
season. and the evidence Of huge gam
bling on scmi-pro games cannot no.
overlooked. The semi-pro marks. or
some Of them. are inviting police inter
ference or raids-and few raids on
gangs OF gamblers that infeSt the semi
pro marks would mean in all probability
y deathhlow To sunday baseball In New
York
The government % Sen-pro ball I'm
New York IL incompetent: at least the
fcld Is too big and the power Of the
organizers too small To control the sit
uaIion There are two big groups
aid the control - IN the hands prac-
;Icallv ~ tn" park-"wn!ug clubs. which
ear dictate.
There must no some system devised
Ey which piayprs can he controlled
u is a sad fact that some Of the col
D-ed teams are the wn-S' offenders IL
lbs matte. and conditions among The
rrio~ed teams are bad. Foster. in the
west and = few Of the eastern cnlored
managers are hgh,ing the evil hard.
Huf hey can do little until baseball
=" milling is suppressed
P1ctng Free OF CrcoSedness
There has been much criticism Of
rTrirE. Nr race track owners and
many charges "f CrookedneSS made. that
~" have come to think The greater part
~ racing IL crooked. II is n welcome
relief to he able honestly ~ tell the
"'hcr sd" of the story aS shown in New
York racing this spring
Last year there were COMPLAINTS
kicks. open charges OF crooked work
ONE meeting at Jamaica and one n En-
piyc city were notorious.
This S"ring the racing has been so
remarkably free from any crooked work
- Of any scandal that il has excited
comment Poth a, Jamaica and NJ Bel
mont Park the horses have been running
tfue 70 !bTfl. running almost theS
figured 20 DO. and it has been evident
even 70 the most suspicious minded and
he ones who always expect crooked
worA-especial'y when they lose-,hat
he owners and jockeys have been try
ing and thar the Few ursets have been
due 70 tn" horses. rot TO the men who
ha"A them IN charge.
Behind all this Is p condition which
explains everything. Last year a bunch
Of cheating crooks. armed with millions
~ dollars. were manipulating racing
Tho entire game was upset by the
money. There was no necessity for
them 70 fix" a race or 10 bribe a jockey.
MI thew had 20 do was TO decide which
horse they wanted 20 wager upon Lot
the owners. trainers and Jockeys know
which way the big money was bet. and
then rely upon them 10 make the bet go
over
This year the big money has been
missing from the tracks The big In
auences have kent oT-or have been
barred or-and the ten thousand. nifty
thOusand or Tuarter-milljon dollar bets
have been rema bic for their absence
Two 81 the notorious big hetters have
disappeared. and their hangers-on who
have PLAYED their money. are betting ten
whore they once het thousands
The big crooks 81 the Fortv-seco.S
and broadway ring. who robbed Havana
and who ruined New Orleans. have re-
Inalned uuiesccn'. and the betting has
hcen normal. The hookmakers. having
heer properly burned during tho winter
evidently decided that they had To de
lend themselves. and the prices offered
have rot conduCed 70 big wagering or
70 encourage gambling In fact. the
0rces on the tracks this season have
been moro % discoura cement 10 gam
bling than anything that could have
been done
Yet in spite Of tho argument that
gambling IS the necessary ingredient,
Me attendance on New York racing this
spring has been better than in years
and. further. racing has drawn better
class rather than = hetter class ~ race
roers Perhaps Il VIII work out we'll in
the end.