The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-23

staff Of National league umpires. Tt is
much harder to gather a first class corps
Of umpires than 40 is 80 build up a win
ming baseball team, and the process is
pretty much che same in both oases-ib is
necessary to try a dozen failures to find
one success.
With the superiority of the staff comes
less of what is called home umpiring.
The new official is too apt to cater to tho
spectators favor, and that will surely lead
to trouble. for, once the rooters discover
an umpire's anxiety to please them rather
than to do bis duty fsarlessly, they viii
play upon his weakness until they drive
him out of the business. A result of this
system Of umpiring on the merits Of each
play is a smaller percentage of victories
for the home club.
In spite of the new rules to prohibits
prom scuous kicking on the ball6eld the
evil goes on, not to such 8 general extent,
however, because the staff is more respect
ed. AS K predicted. the unpires will not
take advantage Of their power to- put play
ers out Of the game. Only two removals
have occurred In the first month, and the
fines have been remarkably few. There IS
senseless kicking by players and always
will be, but spectators, as they learn to
place confidence in umpires, are becoming
more submissive, and whenever the play
ers discover that they cannot work the
crowd they viii play harder and kick less.
Another rule 81 almost a dead letter.
CORohers are prohibited from addressing
their words to any player except q base
runner, and then combining their remarks
to words of warning or direction But
some unpires disregard the rule entirely
Players take advantage of the liberty to
telling extent whenever an opponent is
met who can be "sent up in the air. by
haunting Pitcher Hawley is one of that
kind, and it was the constant twitting
from men on the Inns which sent him up
like a rocket when the WaahinRtons made
II runs in one inning and again when the
New Yorks batted out a victory in the
tenth inning.
Spectators have no idea Of the figure
which badinaRe among players cuts in the
results Of almost every game played.
Pitchers like Dad Clarke, Cuppy, Killen
and Mcmahon like to taunt their 0atsmen.
Clarke Is unusually sarcastic and frequent
~ goads the batsman till his victim loses
cool judgment and becomes an easy mark
to strategy. Hero comes Jimmy Fresh, -
said Clarke in a recent game as a danger
GUS batsman stepped co the plate with
men on bases and the score very nearly a
tie. "He thinks he's a batter It's q mis-
take I could drive him back TO the coal
mines il I had him on my list every day.
his head is too big for what's in zt. Hear
it ratio when he reaches for a curved
ball" And as he talked he pitched, and
the batter completely lost his self control.
The result was an easy out. The badinage
which passes between pitchers and bats
men in a championship season would iii
a volume, but If printed the book would
be suppressed in the interest Of morality
Ball players do not oonhne themselves to
she language OF the salon in their efforts
to chaT an opponent until he becomes
"nutty"
During the first manth Of the champion
ship season Winifrsd Mercer Of the Wash
ington club easily led the winning pitchers
with aInht histories end NO defeats. Mer-
car survived a light attack Of smallpox last
winter, and nc iE verifying the old asser-
ton that a man who RECEIVERS from that
disease comes out Of it in physical oandi-
ton shat IS almost perfect. OF all the
young pisoheras Pond and Dohony have