Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-01
UNCLE NICK YOUNG
TALKS OF OLD TIMES
Then Hitting Was Freer and
There Was Little BiCkering
at the Umpire.

Uncle Nick Young was in a reminiscent
mood while seated in the grand stand AZ
National Park Friday afternoon. and could
| not refrain from talking over old times
with Doug. Allison. the former catcher Of
the famous Red Stockings OF Cincinnati
when witness the actions and hear tho
snarlings al the umpire by players and
spectators" said Uncle Nick my memory
goes back to that prince of managers. the
late Harry Wright. Nobody ever heard
MIN question the umplre's dec sion for he
recognized the fact that the Judge OF plays
between two opposing teams occupied the
most thankless position In the ball park.
When PLAYER found fault with decision.
and particularly IL a misplay had contrib
uted in any manner to the judgment b.
| Ing given. Manager Wright would say TO
the onender firmly but quietly. and without
attracting attention. II you had PLAYED
your position properly. my boy. It would not
have been possible for the umpire 10 give
an opinion against you Always keep In
mind that the umpire has no prejudice
against individual players. but he Is try
ing to perform his duty lmparttany and to
render decisions upon plays as he sees
them. His word is the law OF base bail
and 1t Is incumbent upon players and spec
tators to bear this fact in mind often
times during the excitement of the game
player will lose his head and think he Is
but there Is no Justification for being ill.,
hammered or using coarse language in
dealing with him. II doesn't help matters
a bit, and after decision is rendered no
matter how hard 1t seems, try to bear IL
and work all the harder to prevent a repe-
titlon.'
Manager Wright believed in moral sua-
sion. continued Mr.. Young and no
man who was ever in base bali ever accom-
pl.shed more IN promoting harmony among
ms payers. There were no chickering's and
no cliques under HIS administration hut
players and public looked upon Harry
Wright as one of the cleanest and falresr
men ever connected with our national
sport
Would Like to See More Hitting.
cannot help recalling his methods
when l sit in the stand NOWADAYS and
witness the scrapping among the players
and snarilngs bestowed upon the ump,rs
Tor some fancied grievance | will not saw
ne game mas not progressed since the days
OF the Red Stockings. Forest Citys Hay
makers. Mutuals and Athletics for this
iact Is patent 10 the most superficial OH
server. through the different varieties OF
o oa.is uSeo by pitchers and squeeze and
other plays engineered by the players the
game mas undoubtedly improved materially
%Ithih the past ten years. To be sure IL
has oeen shortened consdera bly, but II In
d question in my mind whether the snac,a-
.oF would not appreciate freer hitting than
that which characterizes our latter dav
games. Under the new dIsDensotiop 4,
seems 10 De the sole aim OF the pitcher 10
10 ire Duik or the work, assisted hy tha
catcher. regardless OF the fact that the,e
are seven other men In the game Eyeryhodv-
enjoys long safe hits. and If there Is amy
aouot on this point it is only necessary to
invite attention to the wave of enthusiasm
that sweeps over beachers and grandstand
when safe hit is registered
IN this connection / recall an Incident
mat occurred in the career Of Doug An
ha a8.,t,9.
natis. 1t was in a game against the Forest
Cttys. and a pitched bal struck Allison. who
was at the bat. fair in the left eye ard
closed II completely. Two strikes had been
caHed on him at the time and Doug was
hopping mad. The next ball pitched he hit
sayageiy and drove it against the center
heId renee. scoring two runners himself
making home run and winning tho game,
Although he was in a foreign city and the
excitement was at fever heat between the
opposing teams. the spectators rose en-
masse and cheered the plucky catcher
yociferously. despite the fact that he had
beaten the home team one occupant OF tho
bleachers with voice him like a Bull
OF Bashan, roared at the pitcher: Where
would he have knocked that ball If you had
closed both his eyes?
Il mention this said Mr. Young ..sin-
ply to Illustrate how the crowd at ball
park appreciates batting. 1t does not seem
to make any difference who the player is,
or what club he may belong to IL he can hIt
the ball good and hard he is always sure
to be popular with the crowd. Just listen
to the racket they are making now over
Hickman. II is a tribute to his hitting
qualities that calls forth such handclap-
ping and applause and any lingering doubt
about appreciation of batting must certain
ly be dispelled by the ovation which marks
his progress from the players box to the
home plate
Less Wrangling Preferred.
After more than thirty years experience
and otherwise I think that can
safely say that voice the sentiment Of all
true lovers OF sport when 1 say give US