The times., 1898-04-18
YOUNG TO THE UMPIRES.
League President Issues His Annual
Instructions.

President Young has just issued his in
structions TO the National League and
American Association of Baseball Clubs,
and the salient points are as follows:
1.-The gentlemen selected to fill the ar
duous and important position of league
umpires for 1898 are all men Of experience,
and it seems almost unnecessary for me
to issue any special instructions for their
guidance. The very first and most i'm
portant requisite is absolute honesty of
purpose; second, enforce the rules just
as they are written, not arbitrarily, but
firmly. Let the contestants understand
from the first that you intend TO be mas
ter of the situation; TO discharge your
duties to the very best OF your ability
without the slightest fear or favor, and
the battle, so far as you each individually
are concerned, is won, and yoTr success
assured 1t also very important that
you should be on the alert and be as near
the point where a play is made which
calls for the exercise Of your best judg-
ment in rendering a decision as 1t is pos
sible.
Study the rules carefully and be per-
feet master OF every one. If there is any
rule in the book that you have the slight
| est doubt as TO its proper Interpretation
at all times in giving you any informa-
| tion desired. II is extremely important
| that our rulings upon every question of
| law should be uniform.
| Il cannot too strongly urge you not
| to permit any wrangling or unnecessary
delay in the game. The patrons who sup
| port the game pay to see a lively as well
as skillful exhibition, and it is the duty
! of every umpire, so far as he can, to
| please them. Too much time is often
wasted in getting the batter up and in
| players taking their position in the field.
l think you viii always find the captains
| and the players ready TO cooperate with
! you if you are alive yourself to its i'm
portance and request them to do so.
IF any umpire fails this year with the
support which the law affords him, and
| which was made to be strictly enforced,
| he can offer no satisfactory excuse for
| such a failure. If any law is wrong
| that fact can only be demonstrated by
| it's strict enforcement. Players and pat
rons alike will very soon md out wheth-
er you are weak or stron5, and they are
| quick tol appreciate a man who is firm
| and unyielding in doing what he believes
| to be right, even though they may differ
with him.
| IF you render a decision hastily and
are fearful that you may have made
| mistake you cannot possibly make
| greater mistake than to try to even it
| up
IF both captains agree to commence
| game in a driZzling rain (unless request
| ed by both captains to discontinue) finish
| II, unless the rain should increase TO such
| an extent as to drive all spectators from
| the open seats, or in your judgment it is
| too severe for anything like fair playing.
| The calling of time or game on account
| of rain calls for the exercise of your
| very best judgment and the exercise of
| firmness IN enforcing the rules The call
| ing Of game on account of rain before
| sufficient number of innings is played to
| constitute q game always leads to end
less trouble and complications and an in
| variable loss to the home club unless
| rain checks have previously been issued.
| This should be avoided if it is possible to
do so.
do anything at all times that both cap
| tains request you to do and leave the
| responsibility with them, except if double
| games are played in one afternoon, and
| the first game is a very long one. can
play for the second game within ten min
| utes after the termination OF the first re-
| gardless of the time remaining or the
| chances of completing any number of in
| nings The public have rights in such a
case which you are bound TO respect.
| You should continue play until the game
is finished or called on account of dark
| ness"