Business education Quote by John W. Harshaw
““While Newport housed the numbers Bankers, Cincinnati was the domain of the Runners/Writers and pickups. Runners worked on a commission based on the total amount of bets they wrote from playing customers. The commission ranged from thirty-five percent to twenty percent and when consolidation came in the 1950’s it dropped as low as ten percent. Who were these Runners or policy Writers? Some were well dressed men and women, others were low-key housewives all participating in a business that required no high school, college or business education. They fanned out or ran across neighborhoods and cities looking for players. They booked numbers bets at hotels, schools, big and small businesses and at churches at the risk for being caught with policy slips, which was a misdemeanour, subject to a fine of $40- $50. My grandmother, Lula Harshaw, booked a small number of bets in our kitchen from players in a four block area. She worked for Albert “White Smitty” Schmidt who was””
About This Quote
A historical snapshot of informal gambling networks in mid‑century Cincinnati, describing how “Runners” collected bets and earned commissions despite legal risks.
In simple terms: Informal betting was organized by local collectors who earned a cut of wagers.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how informal economies operate outside formal regulations.
Themes
history
economics
informal markets
Mood
nostalgic
reflective
Type
historical
sociological
When to use this quote
- urban neighborhoods
- family businesses
- legal gray areas
- mid‑century America
Key Concepts
gambling
commission structures
risk management
Questions to Reflect On
- How did these betting networks affect community relations?
- What legal reforms changed this practice?
A Different Perspective
The narrative lacks broader context about the social impact of gambling.
