Friday, September 24, 2010

The 1886 World Series: Betting On The Game

The scenes around the pool-rooms were much the same as they had been on the preceding four games, though the betting was less. Starting in even, the Browns soon had the call, and on the third inning $100 to $15 was offered, a very small inducement to the Chicagos' admirers, and betting was about given up on the game and confined to innings and to-day's game and the series. There were all kinds of offers on to-day's game, both sides evidently being a little uncertain, more on account of a general understanding that a seventh game had been practically agreed upon than anything else. The Chicagos nervously offered $4 to $5, while the Browns freely announced their willingness to gamble even, but there were several offers of $100 to $70 on the Browns, and there seemed to be more who were more willing to give odds on that than on the issue of to-day's struggle.
-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 23, 1886


I freely admit that my favorite part of the coverage of the 1886 series is all the gambling stuff. Don't ask me why. I just find it highly entertaining.

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