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Cubs Park Raided!
“Today, Cubs management talks of welcoming gamblers to Wrigley Field. A century ago, it was calling the cops on them.” – Chicago Tribune columnist Phil Rosenthal
In case you haven’t heard, the Cubs are considering opening a betting parlor in Wrigley Field. Apparently, the allure of cashing in on the huge gambling action prevalent in all sports is now too much for Cub management to resist. Since Major League Baseball is allowing it, any moral reservations they once held about gambling have apparently been overridden.
Thanks to Chicago Tribune columnist Phil Rosenthal for filling us in about the Cubs’ attitude to gambling 100 years ago. It was actually quite different back then, when Wrigley Field was still known as “Cubs Park.” (It didn’t become Wrigley Field until 1927). The Cubs had planted agents in the bleachers—decked out in elaborate disguises to hide their undercover identities—in a game against the Phillies on May 24, 1920. They staged a surprise raid after the first inning, nabbing 47 unsuspecting “gamblers” in the sting. Here’s an account from the Tribune article the next day of how it came down:
“The 47 were basking in the sun, exchanging opinions and money, some writing down bets they had made. The next instant a horde of teamsters, sailors, soldiers, ice wagon drivers, sewing machine agents, bootblacks and farmers –seemingly-had rounded them up and told them ‘You’re under arrest.’”
The Tribune front page ran with the banner headline the next day: Cubs Park Raided! As Rosenthal points out, Cub president William Veeck, Sr., in the spirit of future commissioner Judge Landis, was in no mood to grant clemency to any of the 47, saying he would ban all of them from the park if he could. This despite the fact the police reported to him that most of the 47 were “were not professional gamblers, just ordinary fans looking for a bit of added excitement.” (By the way, check out the price of the Chicago Tribune back then: two cents!)
The article recounts a humorous story of one unfortunate sap, unemployed at the time, who was nailed in the raid. He was thrown into the back of a paddywagon with the miscreants and hauled off to the police station. Of course, he immediately proclaimed his innocence: “Officer, I swear to you on a stack of Bibles. I was only there to watch the game!” Yeah right. What cop hasn’t heard variations of that one before…
Apparently, his wife had given him a dollar to go “job hunting;” but now, after probably buying a bottle of beer and a hot dog, not to mention any losing action he was involved in, he only had 13 cents left on him. What was he to tell his wife when he got home? With her holding a frying pan in one hand, he’d probably expect to hear something like: “What did you do with the rest of the money I gave you, you numskull? Gambling again, huh?” He then pleaded his case to the desk sergeant:
“First time at a ball game this year and I only saw one inning. Sergeant, have you got a wife?“
After conferring with his superiors, the good sergeant let the poor guy go. Let’s just hope he had a good excuse for the “little lady” back home.
Keep in mind that this game was played less than a year after the 1919 World Series in which eight members of the heavily-favored White Sox were later accused of throwing the Series. The scandal itself didn’t break open until four months later in September, but I suspect there were enough rumors floating around about gambling and “fixed games,” that the Cubs didn’t want to appear lax on the subject. Hence Veeck’s punitive reaction.
Ironically, it was a meaningless game later in the season, played on August 31, also between the Cubs and the Phillies, that actually opened the leagues’ collective eyes to game-fixing. The huge amount of “action” on this game between two teams hopelessly out of contention caught the attention of the baseball higher-ups and criminal authorities. This led directly to the grand jury that broke open the Black Sox scandal.
Rosenthal also supplied some interesting information about this game, informing us that the Cubs won the game 6-0, “one of 27 victories and 33 complete games future Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander threw that season. Alexander allowed only six hits. One of them was off the bat of a 29-year-old right fielder—his name, Casey Stengel.”
A quick look at the box score that day shows the Cub lineup, under manager Fred Mitchell, was full of hold-overs from their pennant winner of 1918. This would be Mitchell’s last year at the Cub helm. The Phillies, under manager Gavvy Cravath, fielded Hall of Famers Eppa Rixey and Dave Bancroft in addition to Stengel. Legendary umpire Bill Klem was behind the plate, with Bob Emslie on the bases.
One hundred years later, baseball has done a complete “one-eighty” regarding gambling. It’s gone from arresting fans for gambling at games, to not only encouraging gambling, but now actually trying to cash in by getting a piece of the action. One hundred years from now could the same thing happen regarding PEDs?
Let’s hope not.
Gary Livacari
Photo Credits: All from Google search
Information: Phil Rosenthal article in Chicago Tribune, September 7, 2020
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