The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-02
WESTERN BASE BALL LEAGUE HAS
MASTERED THE INTRICA-
CIES OF 1T
CREDIT FOR Mr.. JOHNSON
Copied by the National League
siaEnates - Summary Dealing
With Capt. George Tebeau, of
Columbus. n sample of Western
League Empirical Superiority.

What troubles the base ball magnates
most of all is the umpire problem. 1t
IS one of the many difficult problems to
be solved at the spring meeting of the
National league"
The man VINO voiced this opinion is
fairly young in years. but decidedly old
ir base ball. He halls from Baltimore,
and owns a small block of stock in Bal
timore's famous bali club. He enjoys
the confidence of Won der Horst and
HanlOn. As a result he is in a posi-
ton to know thing or two about
league politics.
IF YOU will promise not to use my
name" continued the Baltimorean, II
will give you the rough outlines of a
story | heard in certain Eastern city
last week. To begin with, certain
ma gnates in the East have decided that
the times are ripe for a radical change
In the make up and management Of the
staff OF umpires. A seasons trial of
the double umpire system has con-
Minced these gentlemen that it has not
and viii not remedy the venerable evil
of disputed decisions and ill-timed
wrangles on the playing field They
will introduce q plan at the league
sneeting-a plan by which the umpires
OF so viii be under stricter discipline
than in the past. I don't care to make
public the details of the proposed re-
form at this time, but 1 will say this
much: The success Of the Western and
other minor leagues in dealing with
the umpire trouble has opened the eyes
of the magnates of the big league to
their own shortcomings. You can
make your own deductions"
If the Baltimore mans hint means
anything 1t means that an effort will
be made at the spring meeting to en-
large the scope of action and increase
the judicial powers of the league UNI
hires 0ppOO9Tl1iSh this adipa1
change in the present system must be
made. Old base ball men are almost
unit in declaring that the Western
league has less trouble with umpires
than any other organization in the
country What is more the standard
OF umpiring is high, and the men on
the staff of the Western give general
satisfaction. Although a majority of
the players on these Western teams are
young in the business and naturally
inclined to play ''gingery'' ball, their
general department on the playing field
IS far better than that of National
league stars. In brief, there is far
more wrangling and senseless kicking
against unpires' decisions in the big
circuit than in the Western league.
CREDIT FOR MR.. JOHNSON.
President Ban johnson, of the West
ern league. is entitled to the lions
affairs. His method of managing his
staff of umpires is as simple as it is
effective First of all, he picks the
best men to be secured for the money
paid by the Western. Just before the
opening of the playing season these
men meet in Johnson's office and re-
ceive their instructions. They are told
to deal firmly but fairly with the play
ers Of opposing teams. They are also
told to listen TO no senseless protests
against their decisions If the Offend
ing player refuses to obey the official
warning of the umpire, that individual
must order him out of the game, and
in aggravated cases from the ball
park Immediately after the game the
umpire must telegraph the details of
the wrangle to league headquarters.
On receiving such information,
johnson promptly suspends the
offending player and the latter is
forced to lay off, in the interests of
discipline until the official head of the
league sees fit to relnstate him. If
the umpire fails to follow these plain
instructions to the very letter, in 9TH
er words, If he does not promptly re-
port the case, he himself is quickly
called to account, and, if the facts war
rant it, is given a taste of the same
discipline. The reputation or popular
ity of the player is not considered for
a moment. The playing manager, the
star pitcher, and the lowly utility man
must all look alike to the umpire
George Tebeau's little experience in
milwaukee last season furnishes a fair
illustration Of the Westerns umpire
system. Tebeau is the captain-man-
ager of the Columbus aggregation and
undoubtedly one of the most valuable
men on that clever team. One August
day Columbus was playing a cham
pionship game in Milwaukee and the
umpire rendered a decision that did
not please Tebeau. He registered an
eloquent protest. One emphatic word
led TO another until the umpire finally
closed the discussion by ordering the
Columbus captain out of the game and
OFF the field. Tebeau refused to go
until policeman, in response to the
umplres request, escorted the player
TO the club house. That night the UNI
pire wired the facts to President John
son. Next morning this tersely word
ed telegram came:
George Tebeau, Manager Columbus R.s,
Ball Club: You are formally suspended for
ten days. Do not appear on any ball fed
in uniform during period of suspension
B. B. Johnson
Tebeau's ten days suspension I'M
doubtedly affected the playing strength
of Columbus. but its moral effect on
the other players in the league was
more than beneficial. But the most
impressive feature of the episode was
the fact that not a club owner in the
league questioned the wisdom of John
sons action. All Knew that he was
merely exercising the power which they
had given him. Best of all, these minor
league magnates realized that John
sons summary action would benefit the
game in general
HINT FOR BIG LEAGUE.
Things are run on a different plan
in the big league. President Nick
Young, hampered and restricted by al
most a volume Of rules and instruc-
tons. begins to engage his staff of UNI
pires long before the date of the
leagues spring meeting. He selects
twelve men-men who on form at
least are qualified to act as official
judges of the game. At the appointed
time these luckless individuals are
summoned to Washington. and once
there treated to the pleasure of q nri-
vate conference with the president In
the warm seclusion of Mr.. Young's Inv
uriously furnished office these dozen
knights of the indicator study and
exchange views on the changes made
by their masters, the magnates. in the
rules Finally +ba "