The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-05-15
POLICE DECLARE
VAR ON POOLS
Spring Crop Of Baseball
Pools to be Sprayed"
by Officers.
FIND FIFTY IN CITY
Chief Points Out that Promo
tiers Are Ones Who ''Catch
the Most Fish"

The police department today declar-
ed war on the annual spring crop
of baseball pools. Baseball pools, the
police say, are like potato bugs, there
is a new crop every spring.
A quiet investigation, which has
recently been made by the department,
shows that gambling on baseball pools
this year. has assumed proportions OF
a thriving little industry. It is es-
timated that there are about SO pools
being operated here in Kenosha, and
that about $500 changes hands every
day.
In cigar stores, pool rooms, soft
drink parlors, in offices and factories,
stores and shops, many persons are
pushing pools, it has been found.
There are pools or all the big league
circuits, which are national affairs,
and there are pools of the smaller
teams, and this year the industry"
has sprouted local branch on the
Midwest.
Names Have "4s" Flavor.
Names smacking smartly of the
"good 'ol days" of the California gold
rush in 40; Of the Klondike; and of
the days when the west was wide open
and very woody, are attached to the
various pools to lure the populace to
test their luck.
Fortune beckons via the Away, the
Bankers, the Square Deal, the Flyers,
the Lucky z, the Dime-a-Throw, the
Home Run. Babes Baby, the Gallop-
ing Horse-hide, The Winner, the Fair
Ball. Innings, and others too numerous
to mention.
Thad Logan, chief of police, declar-
ed that those pushing the pools are not
pushing them merely for exercise. The
promoters find it pays better dividends
than the "daily Dozen" But instead of
reducing the salesman" it tends to
reduce" the patron, who is perforce
bucking the other mans game.
Hurts the Sport.
The chief stated that too much
gambling on any. sport tends to hurt
the game. He stated that he realizes
that small wagers will always be made
by those sportatiyely inclined, and that
it would be unreasonable to attempt
to stamp out all betting, but he added
that the spring crop this year is much
too much.
Baseball is one of the cleanest of
SPORTS" chief Logan stated. at should
be kept as free from gambling as pos
sible. / realize that there will. always
be small bets made on all sorts of
sports, but when flood of complaints
come in, that gambling is being whole
- he h
lie, it is time that some action was
taken to put a check to it. Many of
the pools. investigation has shown, are
being run quietly and under cover.
But on the other hand some of the
larger ones are being run openly. If
a man wants to make a bet with a
friend the department is not going to
interfere, but if that man makes a
business of it, it becomes another pro-
position.
Pools Contrary to Law.
1t is recalled that two years ago Ke-
nosha was beset with Just such an
epidemic Of baseball pools which
trickled into every office and indus
try of the city. Realizing, that the
practice endangered the baseball sport
in Kenosha, the district attorney at
that time called conference of all
who were suspected of operating such
pools and warned them that the law
would be strictly enforced. The warn
ing was sufficient.
1t is declared that practically all of
the baseball pools being operated in
Kenosha are being run ION the quiet"
that is operated sub rosa in shops and
offices of the city. Police are fol-
lowing clews which lead to the exist
ence of these and other baseball pools
which are alleged to be operated over
the counter and promise to take vigor-
Gus action in the event that any per-
sons are caught either actually operat-
ing the pools or acting Tor others in
the furtherance of them.