Evening star., 1898-06-29
Record Of the CluhA.
DOUBLE UMPIRE SYSTEM.
Likely to Continue Throughout tn
Rase Ball Season.

Likely to Continue Throughout the
Base Ball Season.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer
Earl Wagner. the president and owner
of the Washington club, who is one of the
most enthusiastic rooters in the profession,
was so sick Sunday that he could not
leave the hotel. 1t Is the first game play
ed by the Washington club in five years,
at home OF abroad, that Presiden. Wag-
ner has missed. He makes 1t a practice
to make all the trips with his team. There
are few better posted base ball men than
Earl Wagner. He knows the game in all
its most minute parts. The question of
abandoning the double umpire system was
introduced during the course of a conver-
sation with the president of the Washing
ton club last night
Il will strenuously oppose any move
ment looking to the reduction of the pres
ent staff of umpires, said President Wag-
ner. Not only will 1 oppose it. but / am
of the opinion that there will be a howl
go up from the public if an attempt is
made to go back to the old system of UNI
piring. No matter what few grumblers
may say, the present system Of umpiring
has been great success.
What clubs are in favor of reducing the
staff of umpires?' was asked.
and Louisville clubs was President Wag
ner's reply. They argue that the times
are too hard TO carry such a big staff of
umpires 1t would be bad policy to cut
of such q fine feature on account of a
few dollars. If the staff of umpires was
to be reduced to six it would save each
club about 800 or $500. 1t would be
nice thing to go before the public with
such a plea. Another thing, there is not
the necessity for retrenchment that there
was some time ago. Everywhere the in
terest in base ball is increasing The at
tendance at all the parks is on the mend.
Now that the interest in the war has sub
sided little, the people are coming back
to base ball. l expect the season to be
good one after all. Here is something
received tonight from President Young"
said President Wagner, at the same time
displaying circular from the head of the
National League. The circular requested
President Wagner to name the men on the
pl esent staff of umpres who, in his opin-
ion, were Incompetent every club in the
league received one of these circulars, )"
said President Wagner. Il presume this
circular is to get line on the ability of
the umpires to guide him in his efforts to
improve his staff. There will be no trouble
about my reply to that circular. 1 will
tell him that the present staff is perfect
ly satisfactory. We have only lost one
game this season through bad umpiring.
That game was with the Cleveiands. Ny
team is a mystery to me-"
In what way?" was asked
1t Is mystery what good ball they
put up against good teams and what bum
ball they play against the poorer members
OF the league" was the reply "They p!ay
ball to suit the team they are up against
Look at the kind of ball they played
against Baltimore and Boston We won
one out of three from Boston and three
out Of the last four from Baltimore. on
TOP Oh that we go to Louisville ard lose
three out OF four to the Colonels If we
could play against the CoIonels anything
like the ball We do against the top notch
ers, we would make a clean sweep. That
is tne trouble We fall down at the most
unexpected times and Places