Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-02-14
UMP|RES HAVE many
FUNNY EXPERIENCES
Hugh Fullerton Tells Some
Interesting Tales of
the Diamond.

OF Solomon. The men who handle
the Indicators in the big leagues, al
though they draw the highest pay,
really have the easiest work of all.
they are safe under the protection
of the law, the players and the man.
asement
e 1t is in the bush leagues ana in
unorganized baseball that the umpire
gets UP against 1t good and hard
Usually he gets 1t whether or not his
decisions are correct but when there
comes n time that he must decide
some vexed question that gives both
sides Il chance for dispute he GER
tninly has his troubles.
There was an umpire named Hart
nett. school teacher down in south
ern Ohio, who repdered n decision
once that ought to be historic. That
1t was based on principles Of right
and Justice is certain, whether or not
1t was good baseball.
The game was between New Lex
ington and Leesburg and the score
was something like 81 to "a in favor
of Leesburg. when Dutch Horstman.
the best batter In the country. came
to bat. Dutch had pounded the cover
on the ball loose and started the
steams, but this time. with a chance
to win, he certainly did hit It, The
ball was ripped and the terrific blow
tore It. further. Pet Mcclure, who
was playing center of Leesburg, ran
over. leaped into the air, shot up one
hand. and stuck a finger into the
cover of the ball The cover came
off, leaving it hanging to the fielder's
hands, while the ball went on over
the low center field fence and Into
Squire Wilkins oat field. Leesburg
claimed nortsman was out, because
Mcclure caught the cover New Lex
ington argued that it was home
run because the ball went over the
fence. Hartnett though while and
then decided that, as half the ball
was caught and the other half went
over the fence, 1t was two-base hit
But one of the finest points ever
raised in baseball came up in game
between Higginsport, o., and Fayette-
vile, in the same state when Brake
man Jack Taylor of Jacksonville and
Chicago was touring Ohio in a camp
Ing wagon as star twirler for Hig-
glnsport
Late in this game with Fayettes-
Vile leading by one run, Higginsport
when the batter hit up a tall fly.
Stanley Arthur, who afterwards star
red at Toledo, was catching for Fay
etteville, and went in pursuit of the
foul. The ball was descending at
SUCH an angle as to strike the building
about the second story. Arthur stop
ped. The base runners loafed around
and nobody expected anything to hap
pen. The ball, however came down
straight in front of the exhaust pipe.
and. suddenly changing It's course.
shot outward from the building into
Arthurs hands. Arthur slammed the
BAN to first before the runner could
touch the base and double play was
allowed.
<Higginsport howled robbery The
umpire. however, read the rules and
could find nothing in them to cover
the. point.
His ruling, however was reversed
In "A game in the old Iron and Oil
league years ago.
The game was between Olean and
Oil&City. OIL wells had been dug OH
almost every available foot of ground
in the country in those days, and the
baseball management decided to sink
aHell inside the park. The site was
chosen off rs feet from the left field
foul line. and day after day the pa
irons of the game would listen to
theE, chugs of the drills during the
game.
On the afternoon in question. in
the eighth inning, with the score tied
and runners on bases, Compton of
Clean raped foul down the left
field line Just as the drills struck
OIL The left-fielder, Smith. was in
frantic pursuit Of the ball when drills.
rope, tools and tall came up into the
airNand oil spouted like geyser.
The ball went straight towards the
oil, and was DETECTED by the fearful
blast of air, turning and shooting al
most at right angle to fair ground.
Smith might have caught 1t. but was
too slow.
The ball went rolling to the fence.
For several minutes everybody watch.
ed the well. then the Clean players.
urged by their manager. ran around
the bases.
Itswas an hour before cap was
put on the well, and then there was
wrangle as to whether the hit was
fair, or foul. Markle. the umpire. first
decided the hit was foul. Olean rails
ed a row, claiming the ball alishtef
on fair ground, and Markle got out
Of it gracefully by calling the game
on account of oily field. leaving the
score tie. ~
Possibly there is no greater trou
bile breeder for umpires than that
same question. Of when to call a game
or for what reason. Pete Daniels
raised a row at Philadelphia once
with Charlie Snyder over fine point
In; that regard.
Pete had pitched his turn. so
thinking himself entitled to small
~ hnd LII nlf OF