Evening Star Newspaper, December 23, 1926, Page 34

L34 Fans.Rushing to Defense of Cobb and Speaker Ag S IS SCORED JUDGE LANDI SPORTS. FOR: ACTION ON CHARGES - Base Ball Commissioner’s Procedure Is'Branded as “Hypocritical Sensationalism”—Yale Will Listen to Wood After Holiday. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, December ‘ 23.—Detroit, « which less than two-years ago gave ~Ty.Cobb 4 civic testimonial banquet * and* presented him with a $1,000 gift “ paid: for from the treasury of the city tself, has rikeh as one'man to the de- fense of its base” ball idol against cliarges of érookédhess in base ball. Ninety miles across Lake Erie, as * the crow files, ‘Cleveland has written * the samhe positive indorsement across the record of Tris Speaker, whose name has been' coupled with Cob ‘and with that of “Smoky Joe” Wood, former Cleveland pitéher, in one of hase ball's most astounding episodes. Detroit fandom for years applauded and liked the southpaw pitching of Hubegt (Dutch) .Leonard, author of the charges that now cloud the names of two of the ghme's greatest center- fielders. By the.same token, a large portion of . Detroit fans were openly critical of Ty Cobb as a manager. Now that the two have come in con- flict over a matter involving the in- ,tegrity of one of them, and of the . game itself, Detroit has been sure and swift in jts indorsement af Cobb. Judgés Score Landis. Two Detroft Recorder's Court judges—Guy A. Miller and Edward J. Jefiries—have Nm(?led their public indorsement of Cobb :with sharp criticism of Base-Ball Commissioner +K. M. Landis for making public what they feel are-calumnious charges. * The commissioner's action 8 de- -serfbed - by Judge: Miller as ‘“inde- fensible, and in:line with his history of -hypocritical sensationalism.” Judge Jefteries believes Commis. sioner Landis “has gone out of his vay to destroy two of the greatest idols of_‘the day and that Landis “has fouléd hiz own nest in his desire for sensat! ism.” He goes further, predicting-that the “reaction to base ball if thia fn continues his muck- raking wdit destroy the game.” Fans were just as ready to rally be- hind Speaker, and the phone in his Cleveland home today continued to ring in the messages of assurance of his integrity. Speaker in a statement asked the public to base their opinion of him on *20 years of hard, honest effort for the game I have loved” rather than take “the statement of a the city council at a special indigna- tion meeting last night passed a reso- lution asserting ‘“complete confidence in the honesty, probity and integrity of Tyrus Raymond Cobb.” The cou- pling of Cobb with any plan to fix a base ball game, the resolution said, “is a conspiracy to defame his good name.” Some of the participants in that game in_ September, 1919, in which Detroit defeated Cleveland, 9 to 6, have been no less positive than the Augusta council in their expressions ief in the Integrity of Speaker and Cobb. “Pep” Young, former Detroit second baseman, sald in Philadelphia that Speaker and Cobb are “on the level," and that “to question their honesty is almost unbelievable." “Cobb and Speaker were always on the square. I don't believe these charges,” was the comment of Del Drake, who played the outfleld with Cobb and Ssam Crawford. Bernie Boland, ;who pitched the game in question for Detroit, said he Aaid not believe the game was fixed and “couldn’t believe Cobb would have anything to do with such an affair.” Yale to Listen to Wood. Athletic officials at Yale University, where Joe Wood is base ball coach with another year of his contract to run, expect to listen to his story after the holidays. Wood will be asked to explain his letter to Leonard in which he spoke of a wager on the Detroit- Cleveland game of September 26, 1919 —a game which Leonard charges was “fixed” with the knowledge of Tris Speaker and Ty Cobb. . Base ball officials, including the president of the American ue and the presidents of the Cleveland and Detroit clubs, continued sllent. President Ban Johnson of the Ameri- can League plans to have a statement later. The sum paid Leonard for the letters that are the basis of the charges has not been made public, but $20,000 is the figure generally discussed. Henry Kiililea, attorney for the league, said he had purchased the evidence, but did not say how much he paid for it. The investigation also has revealed that since Landis became base ball commissioner there has existed a disgruntled player who ‘has refused to_meet me face to face. 1In Cobb's home town, Augusta, Ga. PLAYERS CONSTANTLY UNDER SURVEILLANCE Poi By the Assoclated CHICAGO, December 22.—The deal that brought about base ball's most survelllance system, which keeps the players under constant observation. HOCKEY TEAMS FACE IN SECTIONAL CLASH By the Associated Prese. NEW YORK, December 28 (#).—The first brush of the season between lead: astounding scandal, surpassing even the “Black Sox” crooked world series of 1919, because of the fame of the players involved, has been disclosed. Henry Killileay ukee attorney for the American .. , revealed that he had vumn.gd evidence of betting and game fhrowing against Ty Cobb and Tris.$) last_June, when he settled the which Dutch Leonard, the one-time Tiger pitcher, held against the Detroit club. Killilea negotiated for & the letters which clouded of Speaker and but declined to pame the sum paid nard for “sell- ing out,” although thé amount was reported to have been $20,000. Kil: iflea_said he turned the letters over to. Ban Johnson, ‘president of the American League, who started an im- mediate investigation, finally turning the evidence over to Commissioner K. M. dis. President Johnson refused to make a formal statement concerning the newest scandal, but{said he would issue one after he hath time to-digest fully the mass of evidenté which was’ prepared in Commissioner Landis’ of- fice. He said the guilty Had been pun- ished and that neitheg Cobb noér Speaker would ever réturn to the American League in any cdpacity. ““This thing of betting on ball‘'games |* was a common practice previbus to the world series of 1919,” Johnson said. “Now we have got most of that type of players out of the major league, and we will not tolerate any wagering again if we know about it. 1 know that the club owners of the American League are back of me in this regard.” The explosion revealed ‘that base ball now has a police or surveillance system that keeps the players con- santly under observance. This sys- tem has been in operation since Com- missioner Landis assumed control of the national sport. Players guilty of minor infractions, much to their surprise, occasionally have been called before the commis- sioner and warned that a repetition ing sectional rivals of the National Hockey League tonight will send a crippled New York Ranger team against the Ottawa Senators on the home rink of the Canadian team. Prior to their departure for Ottawa the Rangers revealed that Ching Johnson, star defense player, had suf- fered a broken collarbone .in a fall here Tuesday night during the Ranger-Pittsburgh contest. Johnson is expected to be out of the line-up at least three weeks and probably will be replaced tonight by Stan Brown, formerly defense man of the Soo Grey- hounds, winners of the Allan Cup. The lead of the Rangers in the American division of the race was strengthened last night by the defeat of the Chicago Black Hawks, who lost a 3-to-1 verdict to the Montreal Canadien: OO GFRISCH GREAT PLAYER, BUT ONLY ONE HORNSBY” NEW YORK, December 33 UP).— The Giants will be “a real pennant contender” with the infusion of Rogers Hornsby’s fighting _ spirit, thinks Ross Young, veteran outfielder of the New York team. “Frank Frisch is a great all.around r, but there is only one Horn- " says Young. FIGHT CASE DISMISSED. LOS ANGELES, December 23 (®).— Charges of conspiracy to transport mo- tion pictures of the Luls Firpo-Jack Dempsey heavyweight champlonship fight from New York to Los Angsles, made against Alexander Pantages, theater magnate, and ssven others, l;u‘ave been dismissed in Federal Court ere. Ppla: B 5 DENVER, Colo., December 23 (#).— Goscoe Hall, medical student at the University of lowa, was awarded a judges’ decision over Peewee Jensen, of their particular offense would re- sult in drastic action. s WOMEN IN SPORT BY CORINNE FRAZIER APITOL ATHLETIC CLUB barketers nosed gut the Par- amount sextet, 1§ to 13, in a practice game Tyesday night at the Wilson Normal School gymnasium. The squads Were meet- ing for their final workout before the holiday recess, which wiil contiue until the first week in January. The Capitolites used every player on their squad during the contest with Paramount for the purpose of testing their relative strength prepar- atory to the selection of the first string sextet immediately after the holidays. The captain and permanent manager will be elected early in Jan- uary also, according to members of the squad. Julia Aman has been act ing as manager tempofapily, and there is a strong probabilig: that she will continue in that capacity, On Monday, January 3, the ¢, A. C. tossers expect to play another pre- season game with an aggregation from the Columbia Federation B. Y. P. U. This tilt is carded for 7 o'clock on the Wilson Normal School court. The first thing on the 1927 program of the Business High Night School basket ball group, which held its final practice period before the holidays last night, will be the election of cap- tains and managers for both ' the Junior and Senior teams and the com- pletion of physical examinations prior to the entrance of the two teams in the Washington Recreation League loop. ‘The night school tossers, coached by Margaret Craig, expect to put up & stiff fight for honors in the league this season, especially with thelir senior sextet, which has a number of well known players in the line, includ- ing Paulin® Thomas, Margaret Kubel, Marie Neeb,.Ann Fennelly, Katherine and Mary ,Gasey, Florence Gregory, Grace Payntersand Ida Weinberg. Among. the newcomers who are de- yeloping—inte. promising material for Denver lightweight, in a four-round bout last night. the junior squad are the Misses Kay, Evans, Cole, Ginsberg, Sacks and Hurdleberger. ' Ethel Swenson, a graduste of the | Central School of Physical Education conducted by the national board of the Y. W. C. A., has arrived in Wash- ington from Brooklyn, N. Y., to assist | Miss Marion Meigs, physical director | of the local Y. W. | Miss Swenson replaces Gladys Wal- | ton, and will have charge of swim-! ming and special gymnastics. She | plans to organize. classes in Neils | Bhuku's Danish fundamental gym- | | nastics, which have become very popu- | |lar in America since the famous gym- | nast_toured this country demonstrat- | ing his exercises. ! Two basket ball squads have been organized at the Jewish Community Center and an announeement has been | received by Washington Recreation League officials to the effect that the first squad will be entered in the | senior circuit and the second team in the junior loop of that ol ization. WALLACE MoToR Co. Just East of Conn. Ave. MAIN 7612 THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, DECEI;IBER BELIEVE IT OR NOT. E. “PROHIBITION” OF WIDE PUZZLE TO AMERICANS NEW YORK, December 23 (#).— The Amateur Athletic Union is pus- sled over a radiogram from Edwin ‘Wide, famous’ Swedish runner, that he cannot race in New York “because of prohibition.” The message came in reply to an invitation to compete in a meet on January 8, but officials are unable to find any regulation which would ex- clude him from Arherican tracks. (Reg. U. §. Pat. Office.) BLANKENBECLER of Kingsporl, Tenn. CAN HOLD QUT A ‘o _ BASKETBALL BY ONE HAND —— GRASPING 1T BY THE ToP. TSAAC *ALEXANDER q} Chatham HAS COMMUTED From JERsE: To NEW YORK DAILY For 54 Years The COURIER OF EMPEROR MAXINIVS RAN 124 MiLES A DAY fOR 4 DAYS Apuileia to Rome M’'GRAW HAS PRAISE FOR MODERN PLAYER NEW YORK, December 23 (#). —John McGraw has come to the de- fense of modern ball players “honest because it is part of their nature to be that way Commenting on base ball's most recent scandal, in which Tris Speaker and Ty Cobb have been involved, the (it v as I must get Bill a box of ROI-TAN cigars.” Have You Forgotten Anyone? Attractive holiday boxes of 25 or 50 ROI-TANS can be had quickly at any good cigar W N3, BATHED IN THE WONTOK RIVER - POLAND - EVERY 'MORNING FOR | ©9 YEARS, veteran New York Giant pilot reminds fandom ‘“that this thing happened back in 1919, before the White Sox players decided to throw that series to the Reds. The fact that it is brought to light now does not prove that the game continues to go wrong. ‘“The men involved in all cases of this kind have been dealt with in a fearless way and the average ball player knows what to expect if he fails to go straight.” Track and fleld athletes from Ger- many will compete next year in Lon- don, Paris, Switzerland and Sweden. 23, 1926. CONTROL OF CARDS By the Associated Press, ST. LOUIS, December 23.—Regard- less of the disposition of 1,167 shares of Cardinal stock owned by Rogers Hornsby, now the property of the New York Giants, Sam Breadon, president of the club, today reviewed his posi- tion as majority stockholder and de- clared that he intended to remain so. Ledrning of the announcement of A. Samuel Bender, an attorney, that he intended to confer with the club president on a reported offer of seven business men to take over the major share of the stock, Breadon fore- stalled the move by declaring that his stock was not for sale. “You can tell tha of time,” he said, “that my stock is not for ‘sale at any price. “No one can buy from me. [ own 80 per cent of the stock in the club Bender gaid that the deal was pro posed solely as a business proposition, but there were reports in other cir. cles that the plan was conceived origi- nally in a desire to retain Hornshy. The attorney would not reveal the identity of the seven men. Breadon was non-committal on fur- ther manager plans, but revealed that he was attempting to arrange a deal with Brooklyn for the acquisition of Burleigh Grimes, a right-hand pitéher. He admitted h¢ had discussed the posaibility of the deal with Manager Wilbert Robinson at the recent Na. tional League meeting in New York. TILDEN SPURKS BIG SUM. Bill Tilden recently turned down an offer to become tennis instructor at Briarcliff Lodge, near Tarrytown, N. Y. at an ahnual salary of $20.000. ;l‘fld:n was offered a three-year con- ract. . By the Associated Press. HILADELPHIA, December 23 Connfe Mack, manager of the | Philadelphia Athletics, is cele- | brating his sixty-fourth birth- day anniversary today, but he ants to make the sixty-fifth the nest of them all” by winning the ;| American League pennant next year, his thirty-third consecutive season as a base ball manager and twenty-sixth as pilot of the Athletics. He has guided the Athletics to six American League pennants and three world champlonshipa. Asked whether a 1927 Athletics con- tract bearing the signature of Eddie Collins, deposed manager of the Chi- cago White Sox, would be an ac- ceptable birthday present to hang on the sixty-fourth milestone, Mack sald it “wouldn’t at all spoll the day.” He declined, however, to say whether he was negotiating with Collins. “I think Collins is one of the wisest and whitest men in base ball,” Mack sald. ‘“He would help us even :_6; CIGAR L W 000 Niliay attorney ahead | SPORTS. ainst Charges of Crookedness RIPLEY | | BREADON TO RETAIN |} ANDIS PLANS UNABATED WAR AGAINST GAMBLING Players Who Transgress Likely to Find Themselves Out of Base Ball—Betting Always Has Been Menace to National Pastime. WINNIS DENIES HE EVER BEGGED HITS By the Associated Press. BOSTON, December 23.—"Stuffy” McInnis, new Philadelphia National manager, was aroused today by & statement that he pleaded with pitchers to be given hits, “Bernie” RBoland, Detroit pitcher against Cleveland in the “scandal” game of 1919, has been quoted as saying: The only player T gave a hit was tuffy McInnis, who used to plead hard so he could get a .300 average.” Stuffy’s answer -~ is: “Absolutely false and 1 demand immediate and full retraction.” Although he could remember Bo- land only indistinctly, Stufty said he was certain he had hit him freely. . BEATS SWIMMING MARK. MANILA, December 23 (#).—Teo- fllo Yidefonse of the 57th Infantry, using the breast stroke in the Fort McKinley tank, swam 220 yards in 2 | minutes 47 seconds, unofficiaily break- ing the world record. MACK COVETS A. L. FLAG AS 65th BIRTHDAY GIFT Leader of Athletics Is 64 Years Old Today, But Is Looking to Next Year as “Finest of AlL” Admits He Could Use Collins. if he weren’t in the ball game. If he is in the ball game he will be just that much more valuable. Never since Collins have we had a man like him in our infllld—a man who not only takes care of his own position, but has the whole ball game in his head, keeps on the alert to outfigure the opposition and keeps his teammates oR, the lookout and properly informed about the play that is going to hap- pen next. “No, sir, it wouldn't spoil the birth- day at all if Collins should sign an Athleties' contract today. “I am aiming to make my sixty- fifth birthday a real birthday. I mean that I want to win the pennant next year. There won't be a single thing left undone ‘to make next year the big year. We planned hard and tried out utmost the last two years, but next year we'll beat our utmost. Sixty-four birthdays are a lot of birth- days, but I want the sixty-fifth to be the finest of them all. ) BY JOHN B. FOSTER. EW YORK, December 23.— Base ball players from now on had better fight shy of bootmakers, bootleggers and get-rich-quickers if they hope to remain_active i the national game Judge Landis, in prying off the lid of the Cobb-Speaker scandal, has started on a crusade against gambling. which he has’ elght years to finish He will never abate his efforts to catch gamblers wherever he can, and no matter whom he may hit when he discovers identities. In a recent address to minor leagus owners, Judge Landis, instead of making the sort of speech expected, devoted most of his time to em- phasizing the necessity of scotching all gambling in base ball. While there was no “Dutch” Leonard case, with its motive of getting even with somebody, confronting him then, thers was other information before him in regard to gambling—including the swindling practiced by the promoters of base ball pools. Merely Serves Notice. The Leonard case only serves to emphasize that base ball was once per meated with gambling, and that the ruling powers in, organized base ball are now determined to stamp it out thoroughly and loosen whatever hold the gamblers still have upon the sport Judge Landis has been crusading steadily agalnst gambling in base ball, although he has not published that fact to the world. He has rapped some ball players, it is sald, because they have bet on the races and he stands ready to rap others If occasion demands. The base ball commissioner’s stand is not an encroachment on the per sonal rights of the players but a justifiable purpose to wipe out ail connection between gambling and the game of base ball as relates to bets made in any way by ball players. From the beginning of base ball the greatest menace that it has had to fight has been the gambler. It was the seduction of the players by the poolroom keepers and profes- slonal gamblers that brought about the organization of the National League, as its founder was a player who whas determined that the sport should be taken out of the hands of those who pandered to the gamblers. The leAgue had its first test under Hulbert when four men were axpelled from base ball because they had been working in conjunction with gamblers to throw a game. Have Ignored Warning. Despite that warning there has si (been a tendéncy on the part of some of the get-rich-quick ball players to mix up with gamblers in order to gain a few pennies temporarily. This hax happened when large sums have been at stake in base ball and when cham- pionships were in the balance. The Leonard case and Judge Landis' firm dealing with the principals in i are certain to go a long way toward | cleaning house in base ball and rid ding {t_of the gambler's influence.