New Britain herald., 1927-01-12
LANDS ID CLEAR
 BASEBALL PLAYERS
Commissioners Decision Will EX0nerate All Men Involved

and Examiner today said IL mad learned from "an authoritative source" that Commissioner Landis' decision would exonerate all mem- bers of the White Sox and Detroit baseball teams involved by Swede Risberg and Chick Gandil in an al- legged fixed series in 1917.
 The newspaper continued that from the same source it was learn ed the verdict would carry sharp cenaure for the White Sox who con- tributed S45 each in 1917 toward a pool of sl.100 for the Detroit pitch ing staff, and reprimand the Detroit players for taking it.
 Called "Gift Fund.-
 The gift fund" as the paper says the l.loney will be termed, will be charact 2rized as highly improper" but the decision will state that Con- missioner Landis has been unable to find any trace of criminal intent" involved, on either side.
 The verdict. the account contin- ues, will be based on acceptance of the story of thirty-odd players who testified in two hearings that the pool was given as a bonus to Detroit pitchers for having beaten the Bos- ton Red Sox, runners-up for the pen Inant which the White Sox won in '19l1.
 The original story was told by Ris- berg who came out of baseball exile to charge that the S1.100 pool was paid to Detroit pitchers for having thrown 8 four game series to the White Sox on September and 3, 1917, in Chicago. This story was supported and elaborated by Gandil. former first baseman for the Sox, who came here to testify before Commissioner Landis.
 The Herald Examiner says that the stories told by these two former players. were "discredited as not cor roboratcd by competent witnesses" Risbcrg's Testimony
 Risberg's testimony was that Clar- ence Rowland, then manager of the White SoX. told him to "go ahead and collect the money" in the lat ter part of September. 1917. in the Ansonia hotel, in New York. and that he and Gandil collected it and took it 10 Philadelphia and turned if over to Bill James, Tiger pitcher.
 He said this was for throwing" the four games to the Soy in the Labor Day week series. He also said that he and his teammates play ed out of position in two games Sep tembcr 2S and 29. 1919. with De- troit, "i,rowing" the games to the Tigers :, they could get third money" in the league race.
 All knowledge Of this was denied by the men named by Gandil and Risberg.
 Collection of the pool for Detroit pitchers was unethical. the news paper said Commissioner Landis would hold, but hearing of tcsti- mony from all witnesses convinced him, the newspaper account contin- ued. that the purpose of the money was 10 encourage the Detroit hurlers to work hard against Boston and not for having given the White Sox four games.
 Gives Decision Today
 The commissioner announced at the closing of the hearing last Fri day that his decision would be given out at 10 a. m. today.
 In taking up Risbcre's offer 10 tell what he knew about alleged crook cdness, the commissioner acted alone without calling upon the baseball advisory council which was revived at the December meeting Of the ma jor league club owners.
 Buck Weavo-, blacklistcd from baseball with Risberg and Gandn and five other members Of the White Sox team of 1919, was one of those who testified but he failed to sub stantiate the charges of the other two. He concluded his testimony with a request that he be reinstated: :: a request that the commissioner met with the remark: Drop me a note about that. Buck" Weaver's off cial bid for rcinsta tement was made this week.
 Eight of the 2So players vitally affected hy today's verdict are still in the :. lerican league. Only four. however. are now connected with the two teams that played in the shad- owed series. Two are with the White SoX and two are with the Tigers. Three others are with the Philadel- phia Athletics, while the eighth is an American league umpire.
 The National league is reprosent- ed by only one man. Donic Bush. pilot of t-e Pirates. The eleven others are in the minor leagues.