Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1906-08-23
Letters , no Editor
Peculiar Treatment.

Editor News: The peculiar treat
ment accorded the Sequachee team at
Jasper Saturday merits criticism from
one who loves fairness.
The Sequachee team is largely com
posed of youths who previous to this
year, have not played in match games
of ball, and with the exception of Hill
and Sherman, are new comeN N the
diamond, and the team has always
had to be strengthened for games
against teams that were known to be
composed Of veteran players, conse-
quently they had Shipley, Morgan and
Payne, Of the Pikeville team to assist
them.
The game was to be called promptly
at . p. M, in order to give the Pike
vile players time to catch the evening
train for that place No secret was
made Of their presence on the team,
everybody in Sequachee knowing that
they We're coming, and even a Jasper
player, was so we'll informed as to
what was being done that he said JAS
per would have three of the Southern
Express Co. S ball team, of Chattanoo-
ga, on the field Therefore the Sc
quachee team arrived there at 1880 p.
m, expecting to play anything pres
ented against them without complaint,
and also expecting the game to com
mence promptly at 2 O'Clock. How
ever not Jasper player was present
when they arrived there, but after an
hours wait they managed to get
enough players to start the game, with
only about one hours time for play
The first question was the selection
of umpire. According to custom in
base ball the visiting team always is
entitled to select the umpire unless
they waive that right, and the Sequa-
chez team had brought Walter Randle,
of SeQuachee to umpire the game. B.
E. Tatum, Of Jasper was solicited by
the Jasper players to umpire and over
the protest Of the Sequachee players us
urped their privilege and umpired
There IS strong question as to the ac-
curacy Of his decisions as some of them
were very peculiar Perhaps working
in the hay on his farm north of this
city has affected his eyes. If so he
should speedily consult an oculist On
one occasion Payne slid into third base,
when there was no forced run, and was
called out after the baseman dropped
the ball. This cost Sequachee at least
one run as the next batter hit safe and
there was no one out, Another in
stance Jasper fielder in attempting to
catch fly near the ground, let it roll
out Of his hands, but the umpire de-
clared the fly caught, and the batter
out. There was not the slightest ex-
cuse for dropping the ball in an at
tempt to throw it as the umpire alleg-
| ed, because there was no other Sequa-
chez player on base and it was a short
| fly just back Of short stop and not an
infield hit. A third instance was when
Jasper player knocked fly to left field
which struck foul and bounded into
fair ground Left fielder Sherman see
ing the hit was so Enthusiastically foul,
did not 90 after the BALL but called the
attention of the umpire to the fact
that the bah struck on foul ground,
and during the argument three runs
were scored for Jasper, which gave
them the lead, neither side scoring in
the sixth, when the game was conclud-
ed. The rule about hits striking on
| foul ground after passing over either
first or third base, is that they remain
foul hits even if the ball bounds OF
rolls'into fair ground, which it did in
this case by about eight feet
There was more disturbance during
the game than at any previous contest
this season. A number of Jasper 5
young boys, who were dressed neatly
enough to have better manners, dis
| tinguished themselves for nagging and
batting abilities 1t is strange that
some people can act gentlemanly at a
ball game. 1t is all right to support
your home team but vituperation, rid
icule and profanity should be avoid
ed The conduct of lot of young
idiots at a ball game is what makes the
average game avoided by the best class
| of citizens They also distinoui shed
themselves by stealing fine bat be-
longing to the Pikeville players.
The best citizens Of Jasper should
make an effort to curb the lawless
spirit of the younger generation, and
it will be much pleasanter for strang-
ers who happen in their bounds.
A ROOTER.