Tom Seaton and Casey Smith
The Fix Is In: A History of Baseball Gambling and Game Fixing Scandals - Daniel E. Ginsburg - McFarland, Mar 1, 2004 - 327 pages
Although this was far from the end of the scandals for the Pacific Coast League that year, the next minor league gambling controversy of 1920 occurred in the Southern League and was a direct result of McCarthy's actions. Less than three weeks after Seaton and Smith had been released by San Francisco, Casey Smith was signed by the Little Rock, Arkansas, club of the Southern League. A few days later, the Little Rock club also signed Tom Seaton. When the contracts were submitted to Southern League President John D. Martin, he refused to approve them. Martin's stand was that the players were not eligible to play in the Southern League until they could get a clean bill of health. Martin suggested that the players, if they were not guilty of corruption, should demand a hearing from the Pacific Coast League and clear their names.
Little Rock club owner Bob Allen was furious at the decision and announced his intention to go to court. Since no definite accusations were ever made against Seaton and Smith, Allen and manager Norman "Kid" Elberfeld claimed that Martin had no authority to bar them from playing for Little Rock. In addition, Elberfeld stated that "there is another side of the story, and the players will be shown in a better light when it comes out." When Martin continued to hold firm to his refusal, Allen proceeded with his lawsuit. In a June 15 hearing in United States Court in Memphis, Tennessee, Allen asked for an injunction against Martin to restrain him from interfering with Little Rock's making use of the players.
At the same time, Allen announced that he would use Smith and Seaton while legal action was pending. He then announced that Smith would pitch in Atlanta on June 17. When the Little Rock club reached the Atlanta ball park, however, they found that it was locked up and the game had been canceled. Atlanta, along with the Mobile and Chattanooga clubs, announced that no games would be played with Little Rock as long as Smith and Seaton were in the lineup.
Manager Elberfeld was furious at this turn of events. The Los Angeles Times quoted Elberfeld as follows:
The charges against the players is all hearsay evidence. In spite of our repeated request of the San Francisco club officials for full information as to the details of the case, we have received no reply. In justice to these players, the case should be investigated thoroughly. If they are proven true both men should be barred from baseball, but if unfounded, as they seem to be, Smith and Seaton have been done an injustice.
The only response from the West Coast was a statement by San Francisco President Charles Graham that Smith and Seaton had been released "for the good of baseball."
Before the year was over, the Smith-Seaton case in the Southern League was finally settled when the United States courts upheld the right of league president Martin to ban the two players from playing in the Southern League
Although this was far from the end of the scandals for the Pacific Coast League that year, the next minor league gambling controversy of 1920 occurred in the Southern League and was a direct result of McCarthy's actions. Less than three weeks after Seaton and Smith had been released by San Francisco, Casey Smith was signed by the Little Rock, Arkansas, club of the Southern League. A few days later, the Little Rock club also signed Tom Seaton. When the contracts were submitted to Southern League President John D. Martin, he refused to approve them. Martin's stand was that the players were not eligible to play in the Southern League until they could get a clean bill of health. Martin suggested that the players, if they were not guilty of corruption, should demand a hearing from the Pacific Coast League and clear their names.
Little Rock club owner Bob Allen was furious at the decision and announced his intention to go to court. Since no definite accusations were ever made against Seaton and Smith, Allen and manager Norman "Kid" Elberfeld claimed that Martin had no authority to bar them from playing for Little Rock. In addition, Elberfeld stated that "there is another side of the story, and the players will be shown in a better light when it comes out." When Martin continued to hold firm to his refusal, Allen proceeded with his lawsuit. In a June 15 hearing in United States Court in Memphis, Tennessee, Allen asked for an injunction against Martin to restrain him from interfering with Little Rock's making use of the players.
At the same time, Allen announced that he would use Smith and Seaton while legal action was pending. He then announced that Smith would pitch in Atlanta on June 17. When the Little Rock club reached the Atlanta ball park, however, they found that it was locked up and the game had been canceled. Atlanta, along with the Mobile and Chattanooga clubs, announced that no games would be played with Little Rock as long as Smith and Seaton were in the lineup.
Manager Elberfeld was furious at this turn of events. The Los Angeles Times quoted Elberfeld as follows:
The charges against the players is all hearsay evidence. In spite of our repeated request of the San Francisco club officials for full information as to the details of the case, we have received no reply. In justice to these players, the case should be investigated thoroughly. If they are proven true both men should be barred from baseball, but if unfounded, as they seem to be, Smith and Seaton have been done an injustice.
The only response from the West Coast was a statement by San Francisco President Charles Graham that Smith and Seaton had been released "for the good of baseball."
Before the year was over, the Smith-Seaton case in the Southern League was finally settled when the United States courts upheld the right of league president Martin to ban the two players from playing in the Southern League
