The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-26

iedueF tlSOF. LynCn soon convinced
the players that he was master of the
situation. He absolutely refused to
indulge In arguments and quickly pun
ished kickers either with fines or ex-
pulsion from the game. 1t did not
take long to become the best umpire
in the business. and though an auto
crat of the diamond he enjoyed the
confidence of the public and a majority
of the players.
Lynch resigned from the league staff
the New York club had tried to in
timidate him. He. funded Doyle and
Davis 500 each for disorderly con-
duct at the Polo grounds and was
quickly called to account by Andrew
Freedman. Because of this interfer-
ence with his authority Lynch got out
OF the game and devoted his time to
a theater he owned in Connecticut.
Still he was induced to return to duty
after a while and continued to do
excellent work until he decided to
retire permanently.
Robert Emslie, once crack pitcher,
and Hank O'Day, who twirled for the
Brotherhood team in this city in 1890,
are the best known umpires on the
National league staff nowadays, Emslie
has been on the job for nearly fifteen
years, if not longer, and has worn
we'll with the public. He is fair mind
ed, even tempered, but firm, although
he had more trouble last year with the
lickers than ever before. O'Day is
cool. deliberate and level headed. He
is more inclined to argue with the
players than is Emslie. but he does
not waste much time in putting on
the fines when rowdy oversteps the
bounds of propriety.
In the American league Jack
Sheridan is the star. In fact many ex-
perts say he knows baseball. is not
easily ruffed, and deals with the play
ers in no. mild manner when they
deserve rebukes. Silk OLoughlin is
another splendid Judge of play, and
so is the witty Tim Hurst, who prob
ably never allowed fresh player to
get away with a call-down without
receiving caustic reply. These men
stand the wear and tear year in and
year out. and appear to thrive on it.
But countless persons have failed in
the most ignominious way.
1t was not many years ago that
New York man applied to President
N. f. Young for position on the
National league staff. He was hand
some fellow, we'll dressed. and so in
telligent that Young wondered>why he
wanted to be an umpire. The man
show his authority on the field, and he
president of the league finally decided
to let him have a chance.
1T is a simple matter, this umpiring
hucipacS y said tho nQw indpa nf n1av
to number of local baseball men be-
fore the season opened. All you have
to do is to say Out Safe Ball.
Strike and that settles it. Why, |
can lick any of these players who
make a practice of batting the umpire,
and you bet will call any of them as
quick as a FASH"
When the new umpire made his
debut he was assigned to Cleveland.
He appeared on the field with a suit
that had been made for him by a
Broadway tailor, and he looked so
natty that the players grinned. He
called Cleveland player out at first
base on a close play and was instantly
surrounded by Tebeau and his rowdies,
who threatened to punch his head off.
He fined them all, and the kick end
ed. But there was more trouble in
store for him, and when the game end
ed he was chased across the field by
an angry mob.
When he reached the dressing room
he found that his street clothes had
been sthrown over the fence, SO that
he had to put them on in nearby
saloon, while the police finally escorted
him to his hotel. That night the new
umpire wired his resignation to Young
and came on to this city. He went to
an insane asylum last year.
Tim Keefe, who pitched the New
Yorks into the championship in 1888
and 1889, became league umpire
after he retired from the game. He
got along with fair success until he
made some close decisions against the
New Yorks at the Polo grounds one
day which SO provoked the crowd on
the bleachers that they called him
robber and thief. This was too much
for keefe. who had been hero in
the estimation of these rooters only
the job, vowing that he would never
have anything further to do with the
national game.
Nobody knows what umpiring u.s.
said well known judge of play to the
Sun man recently. THE language used
by some of these star players would
not look we'll in print, yet they can
get away with their verbal assaults
because the club owners back them
up. An umpire is a common enemy.
The players regard him as such. and
so do the magnates, SO that it is a
fearful job to please anybody.
"A man may umpire just as he sees
the plays, but he will be abused and
threatened all the same. no matter
whether he is correct or not. The
rowdies. with crowd behind them. are
very brave on the field, but away
from it most of them are meek as
lambs and generally apologize for
what they have said on the diamond.
But this does not square the umpire
with the public. or rather that part
of it which can see nothing but the
home team and which cries Kill the
umpire!' whenever he makes decision
against the favorites."
The question of umpires often comes
up before the magnates for due consid-
GRAFTON. The American league, through
President Johnson. has done much to
abate the evils which have undoubted-
ly driven many respectable persons
away from the games in the past, but
SO far. although President Pulliam
has been sincere in his efforts, the
National league has been content to
travel in the old rut
Umpire batting is cowardly and I'M
sportsmanlike. The players are to
blame chiefly, but the magnates can
keep even the most blatant rowdies
of the diamond in check If thew but