RACEALONG 283 



RINGERS 



Every sport has parasites that are constantly 

 preying upon it. The methods adopted to reach a 

 few of the ball players in the 1919 world series is 

 a sample of their work when they have large 

 amounts to operate with. 



On the running turf they shadow owners who are 

 willing to take a chance or drop attractive baits in 

 front of successful jockies who are fond of the 

 bright lights or living beyond their means. At inter- 

 vals a few of them get together and by disguising 

 a good horse manage to win a race at attractive 

 odds. Such coupes, however, are rare as they have 

 to get by the handicapper as well as the public. 



For years the trotting turf was the stamping 

 ground of the ringers. Its system of record classi- 

 fication offered unusual inducements for unscrupu- 

 lous owners and drivers "to work one over." In 

 other words, they took the chance of starting a fast 

 trotter or pacer under a false name in a slow class 

 to make a killing. 



The opportunity to win large amounts with such 

 a horse was not as great as among the gallopers. 

 There were no pool rooms scattered all over the 

 country to which bets could be wired without creat- 

 ing suspicion on the course where the race was con- 

 tested. 



At times there were a few who siipped by for 

 three or four meetings or even a season without 

 being detected. A plausible story helped as well as 



