Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-08
WATERVILLE.
THE BASE BALL UMPIRE.
A Crank Has Something to Say About This I'm
portant Official.

| Said "A baseball crank, yesterday: Il
have been much amused by that
wrangle between the Geralds and the
| Skowhegan team for il is the same old
story that has been repeated again and
again ever since baseball was first
played and in other games as well.
Just about so often there is an umpire
that merits being burned AT the stake
according to the opinion Of some ball
| team 1t seems to me that the man
ayers of amateur teams do not give
enough attention to this very impor-
tant matter. According to the rules
the umpire is in absolute control of the
field and the players after he has been
selected. The players are supposed 70
abide by his decisions and to have i'm
plicit confidence in his judgment. Yet
almost any old thing Will do for an
umpire. The players are most care
July selected and trained. The ball
r,ust be of just such weight and
size and the bats of standard length.
The fieldcrs must wear glove of one
style and the bascmen one OF another
style. All these comparatively unim-
portant details are closely watched
but whom il comes To the umpire any
one who can he induced to take the
job will he accepted without question.
1T takes Il pretty good bah player
t. umpire Il game. not one who has
played years ago but one who IS in the
game at the time he is umpirinE. The
rules are changed every season and
man who is not playing right along is
not up on the fine points and it is
usu ally decisions over these that starts
a row. In professional ranks the UNI
pirr is selected with as much care as
any of the players. His good points
ara discussed just as are thosr Of the
players. In fact he is a participant
who has as much Ia learn about his
position ana who needs almost as
much trimming as any player on the
team.
Then again not every good ball
player can umpire a game fairly. The
position needs special qualifications.
some of them being very rare indeed.
1t is no easy task to handle success
fully IS men in the heat Of an exciting
contest. The umpire's Judgment is
going to be assailcd by prejudice and
fierce partisan spirit. He is going to
be put in some Very tight places
W Nv VIII IstN' W tiiluN IIDiulN
and after quickly reviewing both sides
of the ease make n dol sion that the
Is men who are supposed 10 know the
game thoroughly cannot tear 10
pieces.
1T IS perhaps the absolute power on
the field that leads 60 the Cprelcssacss
in the selection of an umpire The
players perhaps think that it is what
the umpire says that rules rather than
what he ought to say, and SO VIII be
all right anyhow At least they seem
to take this position before the game
but when a dispute arises they i'm
mediately shift to the position that
they ought to abide by what the UNI
pire ought to have said ana not what
he really did say.
1t seems to me that the qualifica-
tons Of an umpire are not carefully
considered by amateur managers
They accept man many times whose
knowledge of the game is unknown
and whose Judgment is as 4 sealed
pook. 1t makes little difference
whether he has ever umpired before or
whether he has been successful. Often
times captains put their men under the
absolute rule Of a man who is simply
Il baseball crank and whose knowledge
OF the game has been picked I'D from
conversation with players. He may
have played years ago or he NAV
nave played not at all. This makes
little difference. II he has the reputa-
ton of being a good fellow. willing to
do the right thing he is fit to umpire.
Stupid honesty in an umpire is about
as bad as prejudiced rascality. When
so much depends on this official it
really sccins as if good mandger
would exercise more care in his
choice. Too often this is LETT wholly
to the nome team. Then if the UNI
pire Is no good the whole blame is laid
on his choosers ana hard feelings arise
between the players. IF both mana
gers would get their heads together
and pick Il man that t,icv 10th knew to
be a good unipirc-not simply d good
player or one who knows tie game