Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-06
AND TIERNEY, He PITCHED.
Mr.. Craig Makes IA Reputation in This City
For That Kind of Umpiring which
Brought Down the Wrath of tho Audi
cncc Upon Ills Head Norfolk Played
Superb Ball and Deserved TO Win Cool
Heads Prevent Trouble.

! out, the score being at the end of the
| game 20 to U.
! The same opened with Portsmouth at
the lat and kohnle up. who raped out
very pretty single. I.ongiey drove 1t
| high ly into right garden. which was
captured by John Smith. Murray hit
for two bases. but Kohnle tried to get
homo from first but was caught ut the
plate by quick return by John Smith
10 Spratt to Nelson. Kemmer located
Pulslfer in left and dropped one in his
hands. closing the inning with no runs,
and the no runs business kept up
through all the innings. Portsmouth
going out in almost one TWO. three or
der in every inning
There is not the least doubt but that
Norfolk would have won the game for
the visitors played better ball than
l'ortsmouth-much better. Their field
irS. hitting, base running and general
team work being far superior to the
home team. They We're full OF ginger
and did not fail TO take ADVANTAGE of
every opportunity offered beneficial to
their club. which is baseball. and when
necessary they kicked with all the We
hcmencc of men Interested In their
work. But there is n cause for the
score being - To nothing, and that cause
! was 4 man BY the name of Craig, who
| for six games has filled some good
/ mans place rs an umpire in the Vir-
| ginia League.
He is absolutely the worst that ever
appeared in Portsmouth as u handler
! o! the indicator. and many bad ones
] have oilciated here. Every man. wo-
] man and child at the game yesterday,
who know anything n all about the
game and sit in n position TO see, will
| bear out the assertion that Craig. with
unblushinG holiness and eftrontery, de-
hberately called balls strikes and
| strikes balls.
lie was even so unjust that when
| Portsmouth would kick upon the gross
! wrongs he was imposing upon them,
that he would shrug his shoulders and
give them the laugh rs If he thought it
was something funny. lie made Luit-
ich split the plate and throw the ball
as the rules direct, between the shout
der and the knee. and anything else
was Il ball. while. on the other hand
Tierney got all that was coming to him
ana more besides, and that, too, when
such work was not necessary for Nor
folk to win. for Tierney pitched Il very
inc game OF ball. and he was backed up
superbly by his comrades.
Now the public want to see good
clean bail playing, and they want the
games umpircd in an impartial man
ner. let the result be what it may. and
nothing Will injure the attendance and
the interest. as quickly and as eniec-
lively ms such a farce as yesterdays
game proved TO be. Craig Is incom-
petcnt. Absolutely so, and the sooner he
Is let so the better it will be for the
game IN Portsmouth. Why, he even had
the audaciiy to declare that a base run
ner, VINO purposely, plainly and with Of
rect interiered with Il fielder, fielding a
| thrown bail. safe on second where he
went by reason of that interference.
Portsmouth as has been said would
have in all probability lost the game
but. man Ike Craig to umpire, and
TO roast as team on balls and strikes
as he did Portsmouth. is very ant TO
| take all tho snap ana energy out or
a team, which WAS the result, as the
| Boers neither hit, ran bases ficldcd
| or coached with any vim, even failing
TO Kick for their rights but played the
game like lot of school boys on a lot
The men had 10 hit at any old thing
mat came. and SO partial was Craig to
| the visitors tina; Luitich after pitching
four innings. during which seven hits
| We're made OF him, four bases on balls
ana three errors and Il hit by pitched
ba!l netting Norfolk II runs, was taken
out. 1t being plain that Craig would
not deal fairly by him and center
fielder Murray put in.
Murray pitched the balance OF the
game, Norfolk making seven hits
which with five bases on balls and two
| errors. gave Norfolk 10 more making
| the score as stated - to 0. study the
| score and see what YOU think OF it,
| only two Portsmouth men struck out
| because they We're afraid TO wait, in
fact did not have time TO wait. as
Craig would call it if it came any
| where in reach.
Luitich and Murray gave nine men,
according TO Craig's Judgment. bases
on balls. seven OF whom scored: and
| rierney. SO said Mr.. Craig, only gave
one base on balls. Norfolk made off
Centre Fielder Murray and Pitcher
Luitch fourteen hits. which. with tho
mine bases on balls ana Craigs rank
base decisions ana Portsmouth's five
errors. made up the score.
Mcssrs Brady and Butt. at the very
first game. notified Craig that they
| would enter a protest against him.
citing incompetency as the ground, nt,u
in the interest OF good ball il is better
that Mr.. Craie's name be dropped from
| the Virginia League STAFF OF umpircs
Tor II Is settled fact that Portsmouth
people Will not patronize the game II
| it is known that he is to oniciate.
! The playing of the visiting team was
highly compimonted Yesterday by
hundreds of Portsmouth people. the
contrast between the two clubs after
CRAIG had gotten in his work being
made q subject Of discussion. and re-
greet was expressed on all sides OF the
unnecessary. uncaned for aud very I'M
just work of Craig. who. If he knows
a ball from n strike failed to demon
strate 1t.
| Craig. by his mean decisions, so
wrought up the crowd that had 1T not
have been for the ciub-owncis ana
constablcs, Craig would have been
roughly handled. But cooler Judgment
prevailed and no disturbance occur
red. those who feel they had been out