The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-29

SILER puGI /.
FULLERTON BASEBALL eT
STORIES OF A REFEREE.
By GEORGE SELER.

1sht To a Dutchman when he's hgh;a'
gin an lriShmsn." As Farmer is English,
Paddy has another guess coming.
There are more like Paddy who think
they win when the other fellow mas made
q chopping block of them. and they kick
equally as hard / can throw in a few
managers who never can see their man
getting his head knocked OF. Undoubt-
edly the hardest losing manager I have
run against ia my long career as a ring
o-4cials and ! have bumped into great
many, was Jack Mckenua. the bad
maa from Denver, . who travelled on his
reputation as a naneatcr by showing a
few notches o. his gun. Il was at -.
Louis and the fight was between Harry
Forbes and Johnny Reagan, Mckeuna's
man. The contest was scheduled for
twenty rounds, and il went the limit
with Forbes having q slight shade, bat
hardly enough TO warrant giving him the
decision. I called II draw" The de-
ctsiou suited Reagan 10 a T, but not so
his maueatiug manager. AS soon as had
rendered the verdict Mckenna raced
across the ring at me with murder ia his
eye. &c Say" ne screeched. " do YOU know
what have got good mind to do 10 your
Haven't the least idea" ! remarked.
'Wen, I'll tell you he shouted boiling
over with rage. " have good mind 10
CIT your heart out and hand it to YOU on
a plate d" What's stopping you, Jack.
4 answered With that he made a move
for his hip pocket as if to draw OF me, and
while so doing ! Yentured 10 remark,
Jack be sure you make a good job of il
or there may he some thingdoing," That
and an Officer In uniform who had bound
ed into the ring, took all the murder out
OF him.
That looked like a pretty close call, bus,
as 7 always remembered T. I referees
bear q charmed life, 1 never gave Il a
1hought-ihat Is, as far getting my
heart cut out was concerned. Co,.uess
under exciting circumstances should be a
referees long suit. and. as l have stacked
up against all kinds Of hard games pretty
much all OF my life a threat 70 cut out
my heart did not interest me 10 any
serious extent.
There are but few. thanks to the fear
OF wearing a conVict's garb, VINO have
such murderous instincts as nay friend
Mckenna. but fell into bunch at Sioux
City. Ia. several years ago that might
have done ne serious injury had ] 9p-
peared other than a cold and fearess
proposition. / dropped among the Sloux's
while refereeing fight between Tommy
White and a young fellow named Green.
The house was packed with Green's
friends. who lad come TO see Inn WIN
regardless of Whites nstic superiority
The fight. d fifteen round AFFAIR Went
the limit with Tommy having ali tile
better OF u. but the crowd overlooked
everything White did. and could only see
Green's open hand slaps connecting With
Tommy's back, * was a one-sided al
fair, a. ] anticipated. and when ] gave
". harFCfrr7 a Ir
headed by q 2UO pound s1X fOoter, rushed
on the stage from behind the scenes III
tEe opera house, and came al me as II
10 aELihilate me.
Sizing up the situation at glance. / mst
hem half way, and before the big leader
OF the gang could make q kick about the
decision which he intended doing.
grasped him by the lapel Of his coat. gavs
him a quick jerk and said: '-WeIl. Whist
IS The matter with yen? Are YOU jump.rg
IN here to make a k!ckc If you are. be
quick about it as have been invited 10
play a game OF billiards with a friend al
the hotel"
Thar speech stumped him and his co
horts, and after murmuring something
about an unfair decision they walked of
the stage.
Instead Of going to the hotel went to
the box office. and while there the man
ager Of the opera house called me on one
side and said
Mr.. Si.er If you have TO gun YOU had
better get one. as that mob Of hoodiums
is waiting for you outside and threatens
10 90 all KINGS OF things 10 you"
] told him l had no gun but would take
2 chance, refused a body guard. and went
cut 10 face the killers. They were await
ing my appearance. and before l reached
r12u1 [ heard them say what they u-off4F
and what they would not do 10 me-. The
big fellow was there and / pici ed him for
ms ma TX Walking up 10 him I said.
" Are you stiu yelping about that dec-
siou2' Well. I was a bit sore at the time
but ] guess / have gotten over it," and
turning 10 his crew he said. What do
you all say 10 have a drink al my expense
viii YOU join US, Mr., Siler2" I accepted
the invitation and took mine straight