Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-02
DETROIT PLAYERS SOLD SOX
FOUR GAMES IN 1917, SAYS RISBERG
Continued from First Page.)

! continued from FIRST PaRe.t
boys, Howard (meaning Howard Ehm.
ke) and the others.
| "Gandil cashed Fabers check. so
| that what we gave James was all in
currency"
Lands asked Risberg If he had
| ever heard the story that Boston
| pitchers and others had raised q pool
10 give another team to persuade
| them to do their best to win from the
White Sox.
| when I first came into base ball"
| Lands said, chat was the version /
heard of the story you are telling us
now"
Risberg said he had never heard of
! any instance of a team bribing an
| other team to play harder against a
thlrd team because of a close pennant
| race.
Doesn't Seek Reinstatement.
Lands opened the hearing by
stating for the stenographer the
| formal questions of Risberg's name
and residence and then he told Ris-
berg to go ahead and make his state
ment.
First he asked the former White
SoX shotstop to identify the tele-
grams between them and assured
Risberg he would pay him compensa-
ton for the time away from his
farm in coming to Chicago. Risberg
declined to name any sum, and left
the amount to the commissioner.
II feel that in giving this story"
Risberg began, II am doing 1t only
to help base ball because 1 have q
youngster growing up and want
to protect base ball for him. I am
too old for the big show now, and
reinstatement wouldn't do me any
good.
along in the early part of Sep
TENDER In 1917, when we were to
open a series with Detroit at Chicago.
Clarence Rowland, the SoX manager,
instigated a proposition that, If we
would give a certain amount of
money to the Detroit pitchers, they
would slough the games in that
Series.'
Collected I'm New York.
THE money was collected in the
Ansonia Hotel in New York. Chick
Gandil collected some, and col
lected some. 1t was given to Bill
James to give to the Detroit ball
club. especially the pitchers.
Rowland first spoke to me about
1t. He said he had it all set, as we
were coming into the dugout the day
of the first game. We were to play
Detroit two double headers In two
DAYS. In the first game, Eddie
DYER, Detroit shortstop, booted the
bali around, and Eddie Collins said
to me, That's terrible out there.
"I met Rowland in Chicago in
1920, Just after the 1919 world series
scandal broke, and he said to me,
For Heavens sake, don't mention
that 1917 series!
Asks Names of Players.
"rhen. in 1919, the boys (sox) said
VIZ owed the Detroit team something
and the last two games Of the season.
played at Chicago, we sloughed the
games to Detroit"
Commissioner Lands then asked
Risberg, I'D like to know the names
of some of the players you talked
with in 1917 about that Detroit series.
at met DOME Bush," Risberg said,
"apd Hook Dauss and some OF the
other Detroit players across the street
from the Sox ball park, In saloon,
lust after the 1919 scandal broke, ana
Bush said to me, Wen, guess the
1917 stuff will be popping soon.
Lands asked. 49,.
IT figured the pitchers didn't put
much on the ball." Risberg replied.
"Ground balls were booted. me
pitchers. as I recall, were Ehmke, Bill
lanes. Boland, DausS and Cunning
ham," .
"How much money" Landis asked,
"did YOU give the Detroit team, and
how was it raised?"
Gave $45 Apiece.
1--WE all gave $45 apiece. I don't
recall who suggested this amount, but
Candil and I collected the money. Red
Faber wrote out q check to cover the
shares of several players. Eddie
Collins. Ray Schalk and Rowland and
the others all gave theirs. We asked
Rowland for permission to go to
PHILADELPHIA on an off-day, and give
the money to the Detroit players, and
I was with Gandil when he gave 1t
to Bill James. think it was mostly
for the pitchers. When we DECIDED
to slough those two games to Detroit
in 1919, there was no money raised
or paid to anybody that l knew any
thing about.
II think sloughing those two games
to Detroit in 1919 gave the Tigers
third place." -.
How do you slough ball gamer
Lands asked. I'm a rookie in such
matters, and / don't see how you
could do 1t.
1--WE played out of position" Risberg
explained. 81 did, and I saw that
Gandil did, and Jackson and Felsch
also were playing out of position"
Risberg would not be led into dis
cussion or review of the 1919 world
series scandal, except to declare his
innocence.
Denies Laying Down"
81 took no bribe." Risberg said,
land did not lay down in that series.
I was not guilty, but I am too old
now for reinstatement to do me any
good. Milking the cows has made me
muscle bound
One OF the newspapermen asked
Risberg whether he thought that Cobb
and Speaker got any money or were
implicated in throwing ball games in
the Cleveland.Detroit series Of 1919,
recently asserted by Hubert Dutch"
Leonard.
"Cobb and Speaker" Risberg said,
| "are baseball idols. l don't think they
got any money, or threw any ball
games and l think they are still the
greatest bali players the game ever
saw"
Risberg was then invited by the
Commissioner to explain further his
dissatisfaction with his dismissal from
baseball in 1920, on account Of the
1919 worlds series scandal.
Will Face Accused.
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