In late April, reports of ‘suspicious wagering activity’ on a baseball game between Alabama and LSU forced an Ohio sportsbook to stop all wagers on Crimson Tide baseball.
According to Sports Illustrated, one man is behind the wagers, which led to the termination of three baseball coaches.
Bert Eugene Neff Jr., the father of a University of Cincinnati pitcher, was the man who was caught on sportsbook surveillance on April 28 at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, making the wagers before the Crimson Tide’s game at LSU while in contact with Alabama head baseball coach Brad Bohannon, SI reported.
Alabama scratched its schedule starting pitcher shortly before the game. LSU won 8-6. Bohannon was fired May 4.
SI also reports that two Cincinnati staffers knew of the wagers but did not disclose that knowledge to University officials. Assistant baseball coach Kyle Sprague and operations director Andy Nagle were fired on May 17.
As an ‘ongoing review’ continues at Alabama, Neff could face greater legal issues. According to the NCAA, athletes, coaches and staff are prohibited from gambling on any “sport in which the association sponsors a championship.”
Bert Neff’s son, Andrew, is listed as a left-handed pitcher on Cincinnati’s baseball roster. A Martinsville, Indiana, native, Andrew Neff’s high school teammate Tommy O’Connor is also a pitcher with the Bearcats.
Andrew Neff’s profile says Bert was a former baseball player at Indiana and Louisville.
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