Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-08
BASE BALL GOSSIP OF WEEK
Omaha Trails Along in Second Place Owing
to EMPIRES InefiCisncy.
KANSAS CITY SERIES A DISAPPOINTMENT
Both Teams Crippled and Nervous
During what should Have
Been "A Quartette Of
Glorious Games.
In the dust.

Glorious Games.
In the dust.
Omaha IL now trotting along in second
place, but not at all worried. because the
position is the result Of an unfortunate
combination Of accidents and monumental
stupidity on part Of an incompetent
umpire. The team is still playing good
ball and shows no signs OF the predicted
breakdown. All the players are In the
game and just as full OF determination
and fight as they ever were, Just as capa-
bic Of playing good ball. and Just as will
ing to show II, and the temporary su-
premacy Of Kansas City. for It is only
temporary, is in nowise disheartening.
Today will see the last game on the home
grounds until Saturday, July 5. In the
meantime Omaha will swing clear around
the circuit, playing It's longest trip OF
he year. twenty-three games. Not a
few Of the enthusiastic supporters OF the
team insist that It will return in first
place. Certainly, its relative position
will be no worse than It is now, for at
least sixteen Of the twenty-three games
should be victories. The itinerary and
dates Of the trip are:
At Des Moines-June 9. 10. II, u.
At Denver-June IA, Is, 16.
At Mllwaukee-June q, p, q.
Al P~eoria-June "A, p. IS u
At st. J~oseph-June 2S, %. 20.
At Kansas City-July 3, ~
Denver will be here to open a home
stay Of eighteen games, beginning on July
g.. Colorado Springs will follow Denver.
then Milwaukee, Peoria. Kansas City and
st. Joseph. Des Moines does not come
again until August. Kansas City Is still
playing fast, consistent ball. and shows
avarv ofun ~ afronoth which has narLad
the team from the first. When Manager
Nichols secures the outhelder he is look
ing for he will have his team in splendid
condition. Denver has again started and
promises to be in the hunt from start to
finish. The other teams OF the league
are nowhere yet, but all are being
strengthened and hopes are entertained
that they may add TO the interest Of the
race by making the three leaders play
ball all the way. Kansas City, Omaha
and Denver are so close together that a
single series might change their relative
positions.
In bidding goodbye to Umpire Latham The
Bee regrets that It cannot repeat what
was said when Umpire Moran went away.
It is always a pleasure TO praise the work
and commend the conduct Of a competent
umpire, but in the case OF Mr.. Latham. The
Bee believes II voices the sentiments OF
several thousand patrons OF the game
when It expresses the hope that he is
never again allowed to preside over a ball
game in this city. No one here believes
that Mr.. Latham is willfully or maliciously
wrong in his decisions, but charitably as
cribe his bad judgment to his incompe-
tency. Twice at least has he taken games
from Omaha by decisions so palpably
founded at the stupidity Of the man who
made them. He spoiled the game last
Sunday before the largest ~assemblage ever
gathered on a ball field in the west by
some of the most glaringly inaccurate ad-
justments OF play ever witnessed. all
against the home team. II the conditions
had been reversed he would likely have
made the SAM decisions and Kansas City
would have suffered. This, however, is no
excuse for Latham. His honesty is not in
question. for The Bee believes he is on the
square. His hrmness is undouoted. as he
has taught several players who were In
clined to be unruly during his stay here,
but his ability to Judge balls and strikes
and to decide base plays is away below par
II the exhibition he gave here is a good
example OF II. Little sorrow will be ex-
pressed in Omaha on the day President
GcAiou duuouuCth lndl LdlQdm Is no longer
on his stan Of umpires.
That Kansas City series was in many
ways a disappointment. Neither the visi.
tors nor the home team played ball AZ
they had been playing. In a measur,
this is due to the fact that each team
had Just had a bruising series with othel
opponents. that each had been on a straiI
for days. and that neither was able t.
put its full strength into the field here
omaha was compelled to play an out
fielder at short in two OF the games, AM
both teams had to patch up outhelds Will
pitchers and eatchers in order to fill al
positions. Each won a victory over tn,
other that seemed overwhelming. ant
each won a victory by a narrow margin
leaving nothing decided. All who saw
the Sunday game, when Omaha exhibite,
so marked a case OF stage fright, believ
that with a competent umpire the HON
team would have won. Kansas City VII
play here on Sunday. July 20. when IN
whole thing viii be tried over. A
present the teams have played eigh
games together and each has won four. S
honors are even there.
That Kansas City series was hard o
the helding averages. especially that c
Frank Genins, who had TO come in froI
the middle garden and take Joe Dolan'
place at short. Genins got four errors 1
this unaccustomed place, nearly as man
as he made all last season playing in tn
outheld. Johnny Gondlng suffered. to,
and so did Stewart, Dolan and Thomai
These mistakes do not indicate that tn
boys cannot play ball. They only shor
how extreme anxiety TO win Affects
team. In batting Stewart. Hickey an
Gonding made good advance, even II n
wonderful game pitched by Gibson did hol