The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-09-22
FAMOUS UMPIR
CALLS GAMBLING
SPORT MENACE
Billy Evans, Noted Arbiter of
Baseball, DepIores Gain
In Scandal.
PRAISES BAN JOHNSON
Commends American League
President for Unusual
Foresight.
PRAISES BAN JOHNSON


Gambling is basebalIs greatest men
ace. Gambling has, disgraced many
other sports. Baseball already has suf'
fered. Even the high-brow game OF
golf is getting a play.
As 1 followed the amateur golfers
around the Brookline (Mass0 course
during the recent amateur champion
ship. many Of the gamblers who have
infested baseball were In evidence.
I called attention to the fact. Sew
eraI weIl-known golfers who were in
the gallery said that these fellows
were making the books on the golf
tourney.
It is a matter of record that betting
seems a part of any sporting event.
A wager seems to make the affair all
the more interesting to the average
American. In all probability betting
will continue as long as sport compe-
titlon is fostered.
Recalls Scandal
Perhaps it would be well to draw a
line Of distinction between the friendly
wager made between two friends and
gambling on e. big scale.
The sporting world in 1919 received
a shock from which It has not yet re-
covered. when it became known that
the world series OF that year, the base
hall classic, had been thrown"
Baseball had been the one sport that
had been kept clean. 1t was not
thought possible to corrupt the play
ers. In order to pull such deal, 1t
was apparent that a large number of
PLAYERS would have to be bribed. The
impression was that such thing was
impossible. But II. happened.
I recall vividly a conversation I
had with President johnson Of the
American League on this point dur
ing the summer of 1910.
The present status Of baseball. its
high plane. is due largely to the eff
forts Of the American League ex-
ecutive- IN all things he has been
able 70 look into the future. Usually
he has been about ten years in ad-
vance OF the game as a thinker.
Back a dozen years ago horse racing
having been tabooed in many States,
the betting fraternity turned 70 base
ball. Rather open gambling became
prevalent in many of the major league
parks. President Johnson was Quick
TO see the danger in the situation.
The mere gambling on the Part OF
the fans isn't the real danger, said
President Johnson in discussing the
situation, ''it is in the possibilities
that is opened by the big gamblers
getting q hold on the game.
Excuses Wager
THE friendly wager has no direct
contact with the game. It is simply
a method friends have OF settling {
difference Of opinion. Sooner or later
unless open gambling is suppressed
some of the bigger gamblers, who dc
not deal in scruples, will reach some
of the weaker players. The result
will be a scandal that will shock tht
sporting world. baseball devotees II
particular"
President Johnson had the situation
sized up perfectly. The scandal thai
shocked the baseball world came JUS
ten years later.
At that time President johnson
began a campaign against Oper
gambling. It received only half
hearted support from majority o.
the major league club owners. They
seemed to feel that the situation didn'
call for the drastic measures that TIT
American League head insisted were
necessary.
The suggested reform was allowed
to drift along. despite the fact thai
President Johnson from time to tim'
urged that strenuous measures b.
used n cirh the fast growing evil
Proper action at that time would un
doubtedIy have averted the scandal o
1919 involving the Chicago White Sox
Despite the black mark baseball
suffered by that expose which in
volved eight famous players. gambling
openly continues at many majo
league parks.
Umpiring Difficult
Gambling has made playing anC
umpiring much more difficult. TIL
actual work IS no harder. but it i
far more difficult to please. Tn,
wagers that are made cause many IL
the crowd TO be of varied opinion.
mistake by player or umpire cause
much abuse to be directed at him. b.
those who may suffer financially be
cause OF the error.
Ths fair-minded fan never for
minute lost his faith in the game be
cause Of the crooked methods of
few players. The confidence of tn
fan showed the game was far create
than the individual. The very fac