The age-herald., 1901-06-21
Birmingham Lost.


 There were several kinds of baseball at the West End Park yesterday afternoon, in which bum umpiring, yellow fielding and brilliant playing were intermngled in such manner that the fans were con- stantly kept in a state bordering upon nervous prostration. It was a case of now you see it and now you don't. First Chattanooga was in the lead, then Bir- mingham and finally the 'Noogas got there for keeps.
 Billy York, the old time outfielder who for several seasons drew salary from various outhern League clubs, came to town for the purpose of umpiring. He started out well and the spectators were inclined to greet him most pleasantly, but in the fourth inning he was suddenly taken i'll and had to leave the park This required the substitution of players, Tom my Gillen performing for Birmingham and Wood for Chattanooga. For two or three innings they did very well but as the game neared it's end their individual preferences cropped out and from that time on it was a case of "do or you will be done.' The Chattanooga man had the greatest and most frequent opportunities and he "did," consequently lost by the narrow margin of one run, which resulted from base on balls in the ninth inning
 The usual crowd of fans was on hand at 4 o'clock when Umpire York, he of the little physique and big voice, announced the batteries for the two teams. They were there to see the locals square ac- counts with the ball tossers from the city claimed by two states They were dis appointed, however as Lew Whistler and his band proceeded to make 1t five out of six
 There were several brilliant plays in the game, Leidy leading in this particular role by making a sensational catch of a line hit just back of second base and doubling man at second. He also lined out double and a triple, batting in three runs.
 Tn the pitching department Clayton had a shade the better of the argument re- tiring the side on two or three different occasions where there were two or three men on bases. Sparger pitched a good game, but yielded hits when they counted for runs.
 Birmingham failed to score in the first four innings, but in the fifth made four runs and tied the score. Two more were added in the sixth and seventh and the fans thought the game was "cinched'' until the visitors pounded out three in the eighth and ninth In the fifth Culver, first up, hit safely to right and went to second on Leahy's error which gave Kalk- hoff life at first Sparger was thrown out at first and Culver died at the home plate on Moss grounder to short. Martin and Witch singled filling the bases and Leidy brought all three home with a two sack CT to left. LaRoucque retired the side with a fly to left.
 In the sixth one run was made in an unusual way. With two out Kalkhoff showed the ball down to third base and Taylor threw wildly to first, the ball bounding over the fence. Kalkhoff trat- ted home before the ball could be return ed to the diamond. Manager Whistler kicked on the decision of the umpire in al- lowing Kalkhoff to score and declared he would not play until the runner went back to second, claiming that he was not en- titled to more than that. This was a piece of "baby play' on his part. but as there was no umpire to force him back into the game he took his own good time in ordering his men back to their posi- tions. He delayed the game abont fifteen by this senseless conduct and marred the pleasure of the afternoons sport.
 If one of the league umpires had been on hand to enforce the rules Manager Whistler would either have resumed play ing within few minutes or forfeited the game and s100 for his club, and also he would have been suspended for thirty days without pay. So much for the ab- sence of a regular umpire and the baby ish conduct of man who knows base ball rules too well to act as he did. Whistler has been playing ball for the past ten or fifteen years, and by this time should know that when one of his men throws the ball out of the lot the l base runner is entitled to all the bases he can get. The locals made one run in the first on Ter, the first visitor to the bat. got to first on veftch's error With the second pitched ball he started for second and Kalkhoff threw to catch him. He had Butler beaten a block, but there was no one at the base to receive the ball, and he trotted on to third before Leidy could return it to the diamond. Durrett singled and Butler scored. Three runs were added in the third.
 
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