Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-12
Notes OF the Game.

In the six inning Newell retired the
side on three pitched balls.
a small crowd of Colby students oc-
cupied a part Of the grand stand. and
cheered Justify for Patterson's fine
work.
1t makes quite a difference in the
strikeout records of New Bedford
pitchers whether Roberts or Hunt Is
umpiring.
We think that Bangor will gain moth
ing by its change of managers. Billy
Long is a good man. and knows the
game thoroughly. He has returned
from the Western trip with his team
in third place-not a very bad record,
and. if given an opportunity would
have landed them pretty near the top
on the home series. Certainly Mana
ger McDermott's record with the Scran-
ton team does not give promise that he
will be much of an improvement. Our
Bangor friends must learn the sad
fact that no ball team can win all its
games. There are others.
There seems to be an impression
about the league that most of the UNI
pires are afraid of Manager Doe of the
New Bedfords, has his collar on most
of the umpires. For this reaso au-
diences outside of New Bedford are
peculiarly sensitive upon the treatment
accorded this player. If Doe kicks on
a called ball or two they expect to see
him given a base On balls: if he starts
to steal a base they expect the umpire
to give it to him If he comes within a
yard or two of getting 1t. We are in
clined to think that the base ball pub
lie has been given some cause for this
view of matters, and are considerably
Initiated by it. Now. we know of no
reason why a man whose business it is
to kick should be accorded any better
treatment than. any other player. and
we do not think that Captain Doe, who
is one of the fairest minded men in the
business-off the field, has any great
respect for amy umpire whom he has
cas- to believe stands in fear of him.
Umpire Hunt did not merit much of
the criticism directed at him yesterday.
On the whole he did very good work,
his close decisions being pretty fairly
divided between the two teams. To be
sure he was badly off on a few called
balls and strikes, but the number was
not large. and probably nobody reali-
zed his errors of judgment in this re-
spcct than he does himself, for he does
not profess to be infallible.
He kept the players where they be-
longed better than any umpire we have
seen on the grounds. with the excep-
ton of ConnOlley. We thought him in
error in calling Conner out at first:
but he was nearer the base than any
n else except the player, and was
better able to see the play. To our
mind his greatest error was in falling
deliberately snatched the bali out Of
~Johnson's hands in running to second.
This was not base ball. and should not
have been tabulated. Aside from the
few bad errors of judgment above
noted, it seemed to us hat Mr.. Hunts
work in calling balls and strikes was
very good. We do not believe that the
work of any umpire is improved by
criticism of the crowd, and we trust
that u patrons will be just in this
| matter. Mr.. Hunt is a fair-minded
man with the courage to do what he
thinks to be right. Our players say
that nc man on the staff has given
them a square deal away from home.
He makes mistakes, what umpire
doesn't? some of them bad ones but
no mar on the staff is more frank in
admitting them, and none we believe
tries harder to guard against them. II
Is not an easy thing to judge quick
curves and shoots. and umpires are
sometimes deceived by them as well
as batsmen. We believe Umpire Hunt
Is regarded very generally throughout
the league as n of the best men or
tn staff and the teams under him will
generally get abouta all that Is due them
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