The Wilmington morning star., 1943-12-04
CAR NOW DENIES
PLACING OF BETS
ON BALL GAMES
Announcement OF Hearing
Steals Spotlight At
Baseball Meet

NEW YORK, Dec. 3.-tRHWil
liam D. Cox, who was barred from
baseball for life after telling Com
missioner Kenesaw M Lands he
bet on ball games, now takes the
whole thing back.
The high commissioner, himself
reopened the case at the end OIL
the joint session of tn major
leagues TO-DAY, and set tomorrow
Tor hearing. Lands said he took
this action because Cox now for
maHy denies making any ca ii
wagers on the Philadelphia Phil
lies, OF which he was president
until two weeks ago and that the
only reason he said he had was
to test the loyalty of a mem.
Der OF his organization.
However, on November Lands
| said Cox admitted he made some
Is to Is bets of from $25 to $1OO
apiece up to last May 20.
Two weeks ago, Cox had notified
Lands he wouldn't attend a De-
cember 4 hearing, because he was
resigning from the Phillies in or
der to devote hls time to his lum-
Der business, ard that any further
fuss over tie matter would avail
to no purpose.
Making quick arrangements for
an open hearing, Lands instructed
Bucky Harris, who was deposed
by Cox as manager of the club
late in July-and who previously
appeared before the commissioner
in the course Of the months-long
investigation to remain in New
York and show up al the hearing.
He also summoned George Fletch-
er, secretary of the Philies; jim
my Hagen. the road secretary;
Bill Phillips, publicity man, and
Nathan Alexander, an office en-
ploye.
In disclosing the reopening of
the case ana Cox's reason for say
ing he had done some betting on
the Philiies during his short term
as president, Lands pointed out
that the one-time Yale University
baseball players attorney had call
ed last Saturday requesting the
hearing.
THE attorney said," Lands add
ed, that Cox hadn't told all the
facts about the betting statement,
and that he made his statement
to test the loyalty of this paricu-
lar man in the Pills organization.
''The attorney. Lloyd Stryker,
told me he Is convinced Cox made
no bets, and that Cox could con-
vince me, il given a hearing.
If he can convince me that
what he said was "a story, and
1 should conclude that he made
no bets, I shall issue a public
statement to that effect. However,
the Philadelphia ball club is out
Of it,
On Nov. %, when Lands barred
the New York lumber man from
the game, the Phillles' directors
held meeting to elect R. R. M.
Carpenter Jr., young Wilmington,
Del, sportsman, president of the
club. Carpenters father previously
had purchased Cox stock in the
Pills.
Timing his statement of the re-
opening of the investigation to
come just as the Joint major
league meeting ended, Lands an
nouncement practically buried all
! the rest of the final act of the
weeks conclaves, even though the
first big-league player deal finally
was made.
This was the sale of Indian Bob
Johnson, veteran of II years of
high powered American e 6 e
smuggling, to thu, Boston Red Sox
by the Washington Senators in a
straight cash transaction. The Mats
had obtained him a year ago from
the Philadelphia Athletics, w III
whom he spent 10 years.
The major league meeting ap-
proved 81 night games each for
1914 for the St. Louis Browns and
Cardinals, instead of The prescribed
maximum of IA; gave permission
to Washington to run unlimited
arc-light tits after May S; con-
tinued the player limit at Is men
per club and awarded the all-star
game to Pittsburgh, tentatively for
thu night OF next July II.