(a) Any player or person connected with a club who shall promise or agree to lose, or to attempt to lose, or to fail to give his best efforts towards the winning of any baseball game with which he is or may be in any way concerned or who shall intentionally fail to give his best efforts towards the winning of any such baseball game, or who shall solicit or attempt to induce any player or person connected with a club to lose, or attempt to lose, or to fail to give his best efforts towards the winning of any baseball game with which such other player or person is or may be in any way connected or who, being solicited by any person, shall fail to inform his Major League President and the Commissioner.

This would be a violation of baseball Rule 21, particularly sections (a) and (d), which state: Judging from history, two things become clear: first, any connection with gambling could result in a player being suspended. As a result of being placed on the list, a player is not allowed to play or coach in the Major Leagues and is banned from being voted into the Hall of Fame. The list is the ultimate punishment that can be meted out to players by Major League Baseball. With all of the recent brouhaha (or, if you prefer, “ folderol”) about Pete Rose trying to be reinstated and placed into the baseball Hall of Fame, there’s been a lot of talk about baseball’s permanently ineligible list.

Everything by George Higham