A Lion's Despair Alex Karras And NFL Gambling

Alex Karras was suspended indefinitely by National Football League Commissioner Pete Rozelle in April 1963. My e-book describes the NFL's investigation, which involved former FBI agents who worked for professional football. Was Rozelle correct in the indefinite suspension he extended to the Detroit Lions' defensive tackle? It is up to readers to conclude the extent of Karras' involvement in the scandal. Karras admitted to betting small amounts on NFL games, some of which also involved the Lions. However, was his corruption more flagrant? Karras owned 1/3 of the Lindell Athletic Club, a Detroit bar that was located near Tiger Stadium. The NFL Commissioner knew from police reports that the Lindell AC was frequented by "hoodlums". The degree of Karras' gambling involvement was perhaps less than that of the Green Bay Packers' excellent All Pro halfback, Paul Hornung. Hornung, a star for Notre Dame in college, was connected by sources to organized crime figure Barney Shapiro. Hornung was also banished by Rozelle in 1963, for an indefinite time. Other NFL players and teams, besides the Lions and Packers, were also investigated. Readers will make their own decisions regarding whether the punishments that were meted out were correct in terms of both their length and severity.