BASE BALL, TRAP SHOOTING AND GENERAL SPORTS Vol. 52 No. 16 Philadelphia, December 26, 1908 Price 5 Cents THE SCANDAL The National Com- For the World©s mission in Its Series Censures Official Report Chicago National on the Chicago Club for Lax Bus Sales of Tickets INCINNATI, Ohio, December 21. and ware being sold to the public at «a»rWtant prices. The National Commission, on De Seventh. Following the announcement mid* at cember 18, handed down the fol Spalding©s that tickets would be placed on sale at lowing decision in reference to the ball park box office ou Saturday morning at 9- the sale of tickets during the o©clock, the public began to assemble there at an world©s championship series in early hour on Saturday morning and remained in city of Chicago: © ©The recent line until about IP. M.. when the announcement was made that only those that had arranged for reserved world©s series played between the Chicago seats should be accommodated. National League club and the Detroit Ameri "Kightli. As on the day previous while the public can League Club was the fourth of this kind was standing in line at the ball park, the sale of that was played under the auspices of the tickets continued at the office of the Chicago Club National Commission. Heretofore, during the and without notification to those standing in line. series, there was always more or less criti "Ninth. As on the previous day©and before tie announcement came at the ball park as indicated in cism with respect to the manner in which the finding eight, the sale of tickets by "scalpers© at ex tickets were handled, but the last one was orbitant prices continued. the first time that any written complaint was "Tenth. No public sale of tickets was made at ever filed with the Commission with respect any time previous to the opening of the gates at the thereto. park on Sunday, excepting in the offices of the Chi cago Club. It follows, therefore, that whatever "The matter was brought to our attention tickets came into the hands of ©scalpers,© no matter l>y petitions made to the Commission by a through what source, had their origin in so far as number of the most prominent citizens and the original purchase was concerned, in the office of patrons of the game in Chicago. The com the Chicago Club. plaints as made, taken in connection with the "Eleventh. The employees of the Chicago Club con tend that there could not have been a much more personal knowledge that the Commission had, inadequate place for work pertaining to the sale of that tickets in large numbers had found tickets for an event of this kind than the offices of their way into the hands of so-called ©©scal the Chicago Club. pers" and were sold by them at exorbitant "Twelfth. It is admitted by the Chicago Club prices, justified the Commission to act at once that 630 tickets were sold by them to one person. make a thorough and searching investigation "Thirteenth. That a large number of reserved and of the matter principally for two reasons: box seat tickets that were held out by the Chicago Club for divers persons were returned unsold about (A) To prevent recurrences thereof in the future. one hour before the game started on Sunday. (B) To fix the responsibility for the imposition that was practiced ou the Chicago public, if pos COMMISSION CONCLUSIONS. sible. "From this finding of facts, as shown MURPHY NOT IN CHICAGO. above, we are of the opinion that the Chicago- Club is deserving of the severest criticism, "In justice to Mr. Murphy, the president and censure for the manner in which they »f the Chicago Club, it should be stated that handled the sale of tickets during the last be was not in the city on either of the days world©s series, and that they must be held on which the tickets about which complaint responsible for the great annoyance they has been made were sold. It should also EDWARD SPENCER caused many patrons of the game in Chi be stated that there was no direct charge cago. made nor any proof submitted that the Chi Catcher of the Boston American League Club. MAKE NO DIRECT CHARGES. cago club, nor any of its employes, were in ©Edward Spencer, the young catcher just traded by the St. Louts American Club, to the Boston collusion with the so-called ©ticket scalpers.© Americans for famous Catcher Criger. is a native o Scranton, Pa., and is about 25 years of age. "A^ we have already stated, there was "The Commission feels that it would be and is stocky, powerful man, weighing about 200 pounds. He© first came into notice as catcher of no direct charge or proof offered that any lax in the performance of its duties if it did the Mercersburg Academy team, of which Birmingham, the Cleveland outflelder, was also a member. one connected with the Chicago Club as an He played about Kastern Pennsylvania until ]906. when he drifted to the Texas League, whence he employe was in collusion with the so-called not present to the Chicago public a finding was purchased by Manager McAleer, of the St. Louis Club. He finished the season of 1906 with of facts in this case as established by the tlie Browns and looked like a find, as he was a sure catcher, accurate thrower and splendid batsman. ©scalpers,© yet at the same time we call Mr. evidence submitted. In 1907 be did not pay as much attention to work and condition as his club thought proper, hence Murphy©s particular attention to finding he fell into disfavor. In the 1908 season he did something like the work he was capable of. but his No. 10, and request that he make further CLUB LOSES SALE OF TICKETS. lack of ambition and independent ways did not suit Manager McAleer. hence his transfer to Boston. examination of this particular case, to as Spencer comes of a well-to-do family, is well flxeed financially, is strongly inclined to pleasure. certain, if possible, in just what manner "Pending an investigation of this matter and looks upon base ball more or less as a lark, hence his failure to show his real ability as a ball the Chicago club has asserted this afternoon r/layer. If the Boston management can induce -Spencer to treit base ball seriously and to take these tickets were secured by these persons. in communication to the Commission and the proper care of himself, it will have in that youth one of the crack catchers of the period. ©©The evidence also shows that preference public press that the sale of the tickets for was given so-called regular customers of tha the world©s series event should, in the future Chicago Club over the general public, and. be handled exclusively by the Commission, this case) that the sale of tickets had been done, although the club had the tickets in their while it may be that any club would have yet at the last momejit, in an official com unsatisfactory. possession. acted likewise, yet the Commission con munication to the Commission they question "Fourth. The public having taken it for granted demns the fact that the reservations were FINDINGS OF COMMISSION. that tickets sluiuld be placed on sale at Spalding©s secured by parties who never took them the right of the Commission to pass on the © ©From the evidence submitted and the store on Friday morning began to assemble there matter by asking the question \vhether a in the early hours of the morning and remained in up and returned the tickets without settling club participating in post-season games for personal knowledge that the members of the line until about 1.30 o©clock P. M. Then they were for them. the world©s championship loses its consti Commission had in this matter, we find as informed that no tickets would he on sale there, follows but that the box office at the ball park would be COMMISSION TO CURTAIL. tutional rights, one of which is the printing, open at 9 o©clock on the next morning and that tick "We believe it will be very hard to supervision and sale of tickets. "First. That the force employed to handle the sale of these tickets during the period allotted was ets could be ©secured there. prevent tickets during the series reach "In reply to this question the Commis wholly inadequate. This is admitted by the employees "Fifth. While the public was standing in lina ing the hands of so-called ©scalpers.© even sion announces in this finding, and has al of the Chicago Club in writing. at Spalding©s waiting for the sale of tickets to com without collusion on the part of anyone con ready so notified Mr. Murphy, through its "Second. The tickets were received by the Chi mence, the Chicago Club opened up the sale there, nected with the winning club, unless the chairman, that we will hold that a club loses cago Club on Friday morning, October 9, at about of at their own office and without notification to 9.30. those standing in line. city authorities themselves pass proper laws its constitutional rights, one of which is the "Third. It is admitted by the Chicago Club and "Sixth. Before the announcement came at Spal and ordinances to prevent scalping of tickets, printing, supervision and sale of tickets, it was so published in, the press that it was their ding©s on Friday that no tickets would be placed and for that reason the Commission recoav after a complaint having been officially filed intention to have placed the tickets on sale at on sale there (about 1.30 P.