Over the decades, and even into the second century of the major leagues, gambling on MLB games by players was a forbidden pastime. Even before the advent of major league baseball, the teams took a stance against associating with gamblers, as Thomas Devyr, Ed Duffy, and William Wansley were banned by the New York Mutuals in 1865.
In more modern times, legends Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle were banned after they were hired by casinos for promotional appearances. Both of those banishments were later overturned in 1985, allowing Mantle and Mays to return to the game. Out of all the players, owners, and umpires (yes, there is one umpire banned from MLB – Richard Higham, who also had a shady reputation as a player prior to his umpiring career) to be banned, two players stand out as the most infamous.
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