Evening star., 1943-12-08
No Evidence Is Found
By Maj. Kelly, Asked
To Make Lookout
Continued From First Page.)

an unusual one, but he agreed tt
have his men keep an eye oper
for any Redskin players in thes,
places. Police did not go out O.
their way, he said, to make spe.
cial investigation, but added th'
chore to their routine work. Tht
chief Of police said no players were
seen in night clubs or in association
with known gamblers.
For years lot of petty gambling
has gone on at Griffith Stadium al
sporting events, Maj. Kelly said
adding, 1--WE never have been able
to break it up completely"
Marshall Would Know Fact.
In Chicago, the Associated Press
quoted George Strickler. Nationa
Football League public relations di-
rector, as denying that ANY spe-
cial investigation" was in progress
concerning rumors that league play
ers were associating with gamblers.
IF these reports have any basis
In fact" said Marshall, II want te
know about them. I have offered
$4,000 to anyone who can prove a
tieup between the football club and
the gamblers. If such a tieup eX-
lists 1 will take such action as the
situation warrants. Gambling has
no place in football. and I won't
have any Redskin betting on any
game in which he plays or associat-
ing with gamblers"
Declares Layden Misquoted.
The Associated Press quoted
Strickler as declaring that the
Washington Times had
IN represented" its information to
Commissioner Layden and has
"misquoted" him.
The league constantly makes in
vestigations of any rumors as a
matter of course, Strickler said, add
ing that rumors of an alleged
player gambler tieup had been
heard at league headquarters.
"An investigation was made long
before the recent Redskin- Bear
game and as far as I know it is
closed" he said. TT turned up
absolutely nothing. There never
has been the slightest bit of factual
evidence to substantiate such
charges.
Until something more than pool
hall gossip and big shot fancy is
offered in evidence no credence can
be placed in the reports. The fact
that football games more often than
not turn out differently than the
oddsmakers anticipate proves only
that the gamblers ought to 60 to
work on an assembly line or on a
section gang.
commissioner Layden will well
come with open arms any one who
can come up with factual evidence
Of any person in the league making
a bet, regardless of the size of the
bet-or the person. League compe-
tition is so keen that there are bound
to be upSets occasionally.
Layden was quoted by the Associ-
sted Press as saying I'VE welcome
factual evidence from any one. The
penalty for betting is expulsion from
the league, and it will be enforced
strictly and vigorously
Reached by phone at his Chicago
Office today. Commissioner Layden
reiterated this statement and added
there would be no special investi-
CATION here unless factual evidence
was forthcoming.
Rumors Reach Boiling Point.
Street corner gossip has tied IN a
possible gambling fix with the
Redskins since October "a, when the
Washington pro club barely nosed
out the weak Chicago Cardinals,
1871, at Griffith Stadium. They
we're heightened when the Redskins
and Philpitts tied in Philadelphia
November and boiled over when
the Redskins, a 5-2-underdog choice,
whipped the Chicago Bears here
November 2l. After that game
rumors of large betting coups spread
through the city, and the Redskins
office heard of them.
The rumors came to a white heat
here November % when the Phil
pitts, same team which tied the
Redskins earlier, licked the Wash
ington club at Griffith Stadium. 27-
IA. For days preceding the Redskin-
Giant game at the Polo Grounds last
Sunday, the game on which the
Eastern championship depended,
the same rumors were widespread
that the game was "in the bag for
the Giants, despite reported gambl-
ing ODDS of So favoring the Red
skins. The Giants won, 14-10 when
Rookie Halfback Bill Paschal ran
wild against the Washington club.
Gross Libel, Says Bergman.
Coach Bergman quietly has been
investigating the rumors for days,
but turned up nothing to substan-
tiate a tie-up between members OF
his team and local gamblers. Eye
witnesses declared they had seen
large sums of money change hands
in the stands at Griffith Stadium
after the second Redskin-Philpitts
game. One man connected with the
club said he saw $4,000 paid out by
one gambler. Other sums were said
to be much larger.
Now the Redskins come up to
game Sunday which can make or
break their season, under cloud
of suspicion, warranted or not. Sew
eral members of the Washington
squad are crippled, and the Skins
will not be at full strength in game
they must win or tie to win the
Eastern championship. Meanwhile,
rumors spread today that Sundays
game is fixed" for the Giants to
win, with the implication that
playoff game in New York would pull
q sellout crowd of $4,000.
The whole thing is a gross libel
on a hard-working bunch of tired
kids" said Bergman. 1T is sour
rilous and dirty, and unless it can
be proved it should not be discussed"
Marshall Seeks