Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-09
UMPIRE'S LIFE
IS UNCERTAIN
FAMOUS INDICATOR MEN HAVE
THRILLING EXPERIENCES
Tim Hurst Rules With a Hand Of
Iron, but Players often Make
Life Miserable for
Him
Him

At no time throughout the history OF
baseball have the umpires succeeded IN
gaining such a firm hold over the play
er and his actions as they have at this
particular period.
The major league indicator handlers
IN the days OF Tebeau, Glasscock
O'Connor, Crooks, Padden Clarke
Welch and scores Of other well known
"haiters," certainly had their work cut
out for them every minute of the
game, and had to be men of abnormal
nerve and handy with their fists to
hold down their jobs.
OF the umpires i'm harness today Tim
Hurst has had more thrilling expert
enCes, hairbreadth escapes and personal
encounters with ball players and spec
tators than all the other indicator men
put together. And throughout Tins
turbulent career, even though he has
been at times up against overwhelming
odds. yet the Ashland boy has never
once "dogged."
To show just how game the man is
will cite an instance that occurred at
Pittsburg in the late 90s. when Tim
gave q decision to the st. Louis club
and against the Pirates. The people
became enraged. and grabbing up rocks
and empty beer bottles they started
with fendish yells in the direction of
Hurst.
Attack nm Hurst
Players of both teams assisted by
the police surrounded Tim, but the
crowd would strike the nervy little Celt
over his protectors shoulders and he
was getting pretty badly battered. But
by a herculean effort his friends sue
ceeded in getting him up the club
house steps, and just as he was prac-
tcally out of danger. big miner.
armed with baseball bat reached up
and swatted Tim a glancng blow on
the head.
And what did the irrepressible Mr..
Hurst do but take flying leap back
into that murderous crowd and punch
the mucker who had struck him. Con-
ME Mack afterward told me that it
was the gamest piece of work he had
ever beheld, for 1t was at the risk of
Hurst's life
One day in Baltimore that terrible
Cleveland club got after Tim. This
team in those days would barely stop
at anything short of murder. On this
particular occasion Hurst put out of the
grounds Tebeau, the captain, and
O'Connor, Burkett, McAllister and
Childs.
Tebeau and Hurst had a war of
words which ended in Pat challenging
Tim to fight after the game. Now,
Hurst measures about five feet four
inches. and in those days weighed in
the neighborhood of 1875. while Tebeau
was a great big muscular fellow with
fighting reputation. Anyway, at s
o'clock that night. when the Cleveland
players were sitting out in front of the
Carrolton hotel, Hurst came up the
street and stopping in front of Te-
beau he said: Get the key to your
room. Pat. and follow me!'
whats the matter?" asked Pat, as
he scowled at Tim.
"The matter is this, Tebeau." replied
Tim, as he put his face within half an
inch of the Cleveland captain.
"We'll both go into that room. lock
the door and see which is the better
man."
Tebeau, who was certainly no COW
ard, refused Hurst's proposition, claim
ing that he might endanger Cleveland's
pennant prospects by indulging in a
scrap at that period of the season. He
agreed to fight Tim after the champion
ship games had been decided. but the
fight never came off.