The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-29
TIM HURST ON UMPIRING.
SHOWS UP METHODS At PII7sBURG
AMI CINCINNATI.
elves His side OF the Troubles ne HAD In These
Ciies-snys tho MaEnntes Can stop Howdy-
Ism BY inStructinE the Players Not 90
kIck-MoM aheridnn,a Heart Wa Hroken.

mas heon In considerable trouble this season, Will
probably resume work calling balls and strikes
tomorrow. Hurst was struck on the temple by
\ foul ball last Monday and has been confined to
his room over since. suffering from "A slight hem
orrhago of the brain. But he has m iron coasti.
tuition. and has recovered very quickly from
what might have been o fatal injury. Hurst is
we'll known all over the country as n square
sportsman. He has made a reputation rs n
competent referee Of glove contests and has a
clean record. He has also been considered n
nrst-class umpire. one who feared nobody and
who ls honest almost to a fault.
Hurst's habits are exemplary. lie does not
drink intoxicants In any form and never smokes.
He possesses q bright intellect and n ready wit,
besides being an excellent judge Of human ma
turc. Hurst is known as a true friend and an
enemy above board. He never allows Il man to
insult aim without q repuko. and DO is a firm
believer In retaliation. When ball players abuse
him on the 6eld he does not fine them, but
either subjects thom to a telling verbal roast or
removes them from the game forthwith.
Hurst has had the misfortune this season to
be mixed up in two ballfeld riots which havo
undoubtedly hurt the good name OF baseball.
But IL his statement OF the facts Is to be be.
lieved-and Tim generally tells tho truth-he
was not the cause Of the trouble In either in
stance. When THE Sun reporter saw Hurst
hAS WI a. u u lVO
1T really looks as though public opinion Is
turning in favor OF the umplres." he said. 81
have been reading tho interviews and editorials
In TIE SUN. and I havo heard from other UNI
pires, who have called on me during my illness,
that the kickers are decidedly on the run.
"The good work started by THE Sun can DO
greatly helped by the magnates. If the latter
will tell their players not to kick. hut to accept
the decisions rs the umpire sees them, and to
abide by the rules as tho League has framed
them. there will DC very much less trouble"
Then you attribute Sonic blame to the man.
ayers !" tho reporter asked.
"Most assuredly," was tho quick roply. 81
know of ono manager who ordered his players
TO kick. no matter whether the decisions wero
right or wrong. Suppose We are fined and put
out Of the game, what then = his players asked.
Don't make any difference said the manager.
you go in and kick. even II you are all thrown
out. That will make the public believe you are
being robbed
Now, I'll point out the cause Of all this kick
Ing. Several clubs want home umpircs.' or
officials that will give the home clubs every
close decision. I have never favored a ball
team since l began my career as an umpire, and
nobody ever charged me with being a home UNI.
pire, for the reason that visiting teams got q
square deal from me. The result is that nearly
all the clubs want me to umpire for them whiie
on the road. but they do not want me at home,
because I give the visitors a chance for their
lives. A certain club. which is better than fifth
In the present race. has made continual requests
to have me umpire for its team on the road. I
s y sss Se ap ,b ssti sa%s S'nh put bG resen arG, pda NJ !
manager said to mo when ! appeared:
decision counts. Don't give US the worst Of it.
a.If Il ,,a,t,> h.r> g.. Sz.ku $500
my reply. you will ee' only what belongs to
you. I win umpire Just as the plays appear
e. eios Dsc a'e sas saS Wen shS Ssai ms t tSe home en clS Or a anG
else after the series. The home club had re,
Ths players, or rather some Of them, per,
Hence with these kind Of players conyinces me
second il 1t came to a pinch. They kick. nov howl.
threaten, and browbeat because they are poor
S'4ysFHsii Fit. P bas make are e si sts, w Yo1 ts. i a asIsIFs, 81 q
ere will believe that they are being robbed. I
which must havS been invented n the sl1ims.
Epithets have been hurled at umpires that no
Jack Sheridan. the umpire who has Just re-
tired from the League staff. was conceded two
He gave Sd abstraction everywhere but soon the
takers got at him, and this was followed by
peWspaper roasts until JACK was almost broken
hearted. In 81. Louis and Pittsburg brave men
HswlsY. the Pittsb 'urSp pitcher S:S Eve @so IS IS t n1%; s tho
smashing the umpire IN the mouth SpS Sfter JACK
had tried to resent an insult. Sheridan is
told ME the other day he wouldn't umpire an.
oth,s game Tor a thousand dollars.
posa Iasre Brains s1H io snG Of w RSlsyfe now N h ths l. q EISs w Sb .
close decision. They come at you in such a gem
ltbsmSn ayd way that ! YOU 70, feel some respect for
which calls for hnes and expulsion from tho
game when a player questions a decision, II en-
moved from tho held sometimes, and the re-
funding OF money to the crowd because Of no
q stop the present abuses. and they can c.
game was recently played IN Cleveland The
the field they received explicit directions not to
What was the RESULT The game was played In
f pist % fsn,1 orderly s,ss z . manner and there wasn't a
oisions were open to question.
What remedy do l susgcst to stop kickin.
90 pot TIC 70 n snd I ta INT D WiiS the ai' sm Tefs'E'P psr sFSe rs
doing SO We'll, they should be set down or
sai tSs shse for .2ss q day W Fl = mSre. lust as joekeyH are
by the way. telling the starter or the Judges
that they were yellow and calling them namesi
Do You mind telling OF your experience in
Cincinnati recently. when you threw the beer
Hieeo LICK VI u man III the mead y asked the
."Nol at all. In fact. this will DO the first
lime that my aide Of that affair appears In print.
In the FIRST place. want THE Sun to state for
me that Cincinnati, in my estimation, and in the
estimation Of every ball team that plays there. is
the worst city in the League for abusing UNI.
pires and visiting players: For this state OF
All 'irs i blame two officials Of the club md
several men who have e1ucatsd the crowds
tinual CRY In Cincinnati is, win on the level II
you can. II not. win any way!' The people who
tatroniEe the games there are imtued with this
tnsportsman;like spirit. and the abuse they
their city and tho National League.
with those points in view, therefore, II
II natural that the Cincinnati public, to-
gether with the players OF the team, did not
want me TO umpire there. because they knew
that l would not deprive visiting clubs Of their
rights. For several days before I had the final
row there thu Cincinnati players were Kicking
In order to intimidate me. was daily threat
sned by cowardly spectators in the grand stand,
but took 1t all in good y trt and umpired the
best ball ! knew how.
"The attacks were kept up. however, and I
soon realized that II was a preconceried plan
- drive me away from the town. ! even learned
VIat the scheme was to have Red BirtInRn an
old Cincinnati player, umpire IS soon as | left.
The climax came when J had to umnire those
two PittsburE games. There were 5000 per