The times., 1899-06-29
FREEDMAN PAYS THE FINE.
Status of the Forfeited Game Be-
tween Brooklyn and New York.

Status of the Forfeited Game Be-
tween Brooklyn and New York.
On June 16, in a game between the
New York and Brooklyn clubs at the
Polo grounds, New York, a difficulty arose
between Umpire Burns and Captain Glea-
son in consequence of decision of the
umpire, to which Gleason violently OBJ
jected, which resulted in an acrimonious
wrangle of words and a caloric vitupera-
tion of angry sentiment, which was par
ticipated in by other members of the
team. The argument became SO heated
and sensational that Burns, in order to
maintain the dignity of the game and his
own self-respect, fined and removed Glea-
son and ordered him from the grounds.
The latter part of this command how
ever, was not complied with.
Upon resumption of play Warner, who
was playing behind the bat and who was
mixed up in the first difficulty. willfully
and maliciously, as Burns charges, stepped
aside from a swiftly pitched ball, with
the natural expectation that it would hit
him. Had it done so he would doubtless
have sustained serious bodily harm; where
upon he fined Warner and ordered him
from the game. At this point Gleason,
who had been removed and ordered from
the ground and who had no right there,
rushed up to Burns and, it is alleged,
abused him in most shameful manner
By reason of these alleged outrages and
of his inability to control the players
Burns declared the game forfeited to the
Brooklyn club, under the provision of fec
tion 54 of the constitution, which is as
follows:
Section 81. club shall be entitled to for
teited eaines-to count in its series as games won
by score of nine runs TO none-in case where
tine umpire in any championship game shall
award The game to such club on account of the
violation by the contesting club of any section
of this constitution of any playing rule; and
in the event of such forfeiture being caused by
the withdrawal OF the players during the progress
of the game, or by failure TO report with its
team at the time fixed for the game, unless writ
ten notice has been received from the home club
that the game cannot be played, then such for
feiting club shall incur penalty OF one thousand
dollars, and in the event of forfeiture for any
other cause, five hundred dollars which shall be
payabe TO the secretary Of the League within ten
days thereafter for the and benefit OF the non
offending club, but said fine may be remitted lr
modified upon appeal to and hearing by the
board OF directors. In addition to the penalty
above referred TO, the captain or manager, or the
person in charge of the offending team and re-
sponsible for the team ;eaving the field, shall IN
cur penalty of hundred dollars, which shall
be paid within five days 10 the secretary OF the
League, said penalty not to be RENTED under
any circumstances. In case such penalties are
not paid within the time named, the club and
player cannot participate in championship
game
1t is plain that under this section, if
the facts are as stated, the umpire was
justified in forfeiting the game, as the ac-
tion of Gleason and Warner was clearly in
violation of this section of the constitu-
ton, and the New York club is amenable
to the imposition of the fine.
President Ebbetts of the Brooklyn club
Immediately made claim for $500 as a
forfeiture, and upon notice to the New
York club by the President of the League,
Mr.. Young, Mr.. Freedman, President of
the New York club, has forwarded his
check for the amount, which he pays un-
der protest, until the case can be fully
heard and determined by the board of di-
rectors.
| The owners of the New York club will
| resist the payment of the fine upon the
ground that the umpire exceeded his au-
| tbority and that the trouble grew out of
| his incompetency and could have been
avoided had he been cognizant of the law
and mindful OF the interests of all parties.
Whatever the outcome may be, it will have
an unfortunate influence upon the game in
general and upon the sport in New York
in particular, where the game is already in
the throes of disintegration.