The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-14
CHAMPION FIGHTERS
as BASEBALL UMPIRES
Detroit Tribune.

Detroit Tribune.
Patrons of the baseball game will recall
the fad for producing champion prizefight-
ers as umpires, which swept over the coun-
try three or four years ago and which, to
certain extent, is still evident. John L.
Sullivan, who has always been a hot fan,
set the fashion, and Jeffries, Mccoy, Nc
Govern. Corbett and many others have fol-
lowed. Many have been the tales told OF
the experience of the pugilistic arbitrator
and most of the managers have new one
on tap whenever the subject is brought up.
John L. Sullivan" says Manager Barrow,
of the Detroit team. was really one Of the
best umpires 1 ever saw. On balls and
strikes he was simply infallble and that
believing voice of his was always heard In
the farthest corner of the grounds. If he
could only be kept straight there is not
man in the world to-day who could umpire
a game better than the old hero. Jeffries
was not nearly so good, and L guess that he
has quit the business of arbitrating. He
was by no means as bad, though, as some
of the fellows that 1 have seen draw regu-
lar salaries from the big leagues. Both
of them umpired games for me in the At
lantic League, and 1 won't forget the siren
uoUs time we had keeping John l.. away
from the booze the Sunday he umpired
double-headef for us in Paterson.
81 got Jeffries for the first game he
umpired, far L know Billy
Brady was managing him and l talked
with him before Jeffries went up against
Fitzsimmons for the battle in which he
won the worlds championship. Brady
preached the proposition. AT first 1t did not
satur day. believe and G umpire on Sunday.
The prospects looked sure for his defeat in
the ring, but Brady was so confident that
JEFF would put his man away that booked
the date and had the Californian adver-
tised
well, jeff won, as we will all remember,
and his route TO Paterson over the electric
was one triumphal procession. People were
coming home from church, and how they
got next to Jehries's identity was more than
l know, but we hadn't gone far before a
pretty girl came down the aisle and laid a
great big bunch of roses on Jeffries's lap.
He blushed so that it looked as If he was
going to burst blood vessel Another girl
waltzed up with little boy hanging on
her skirts.
/" Mr.. Jeffries.' said she, want you to
kiss my little brother
JEFF kissed the kid, and Brady was so
tickled that he almost burst the buttons
off his vest.
THE crowd that came out that day was
the biggest one of the season. Jeffries UNI
pired quietly. but pretty well. so we put up
scheme on him. Piggy Ward, now play
Ing out on the coast. was a big, burly fell
low. mustached like Turk, with a voice
like a bull. jeff called a man safe at first
on Wards assist, and the second baseman
with three or four other players rushed
up, yelled at jeff, grabbed him by the arm
and threw him around shamefully. He
| looked down on them, puzzled and then
over at the big bleacher, where the crowd
was shouting for him TO punch the Offend
ers. Brady motioned to him to stand pat,
and ne made a rush for Ward, who skipped
for his life
JEFF finished the two games of the dou-
| ble-header, although along at the last he
wanted 70 quit, and only went back when
Brady allowed him to smoke a cigar"