The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-26
First Slam of the Season
for Home Team.
EXCITING SCENE ON GROUND
Decision of Umpire Caused Stir;
Crowd Makes Rush for Official;
Score Three to Two.
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
The Y NJ. C. A. went down to defeat
Saturday in well played game of ball
against Springfield, the latter team win
ming by score of 3 to 2.
Only one thing married the afternoon
sport. Mankato was unfortunate in the
selection of an umpire. Acting Captain
Giblin consented to Mr.. Bendixen, form
er third baseman of the Springfield
team, acting as umpire, and the Man
kato boys and spectators generally were
dissatisfied with his decisions in the
matter of balls and strikes during the
entire game. In the last inning Mr..
Bendixen was umpiring the home plate;
and as such, under the rules, his duty
was to umpire strikes and balls at the
home plate. Will Rabe was batting and
made a safe hit; but in running to first
base "cut" the base and should unques-
tionably have been called out by the
umpire umpiring bases, who was Mr..
Kenney, but Mr.. BendiXen, who was
umpiring home plate and had nothing
to do with the matter, assumed the
Jurisdiction of Mr.. Kenney and immedi-
ately called the base runner out. This
aroused number of the MankatO
players and some of the spectators, who
thought they were not getting a square
deal, and they started after the umpire.
Mr.. Rabe remained on second base and
Mr.. Kenney declined to call him out,
saying that he too like Mr.. BendiXen,
had been watching the ball and did not
see the play. 1t is admitted by spec
tators and all that Mr.. BendiXen was
not looking at Mr.. Rabe and did not
see the play. However, the Mankato
people and especially the Mankato
players should be severely censured for
their action in interfering with the
game and going after Bendixen.
Made Two in Last Inning.
The Y. M. c. A. boys finally showed
their spirit of fairness by granting that
Mr.. Rabe was out and he retired froN
second base, and the game proceeded.
The Y. NJ C. A. boys then took heart
and managed to run in two scores, their
first and only scores of the game, but
Just failed of enough to tie the score
or win. 1t is unfortunate for Mankato
that Mr. Rabe "cut" the base as had he
been satisfied with taking first Mankato
would in all probability have won the
game.
Springfield started early to get runs
and secured one in the first inning; two
more were added in the third making
their total three which was all they Sc
cured, but was enough towin.
The Springfield boys are gentleman
ly lot of players and took no part in the
disturbance, but they should see to it
that no person directly interested in
their team, such as Mr.. Bendixen was,
should be allowed to umpire.
1t is to be hoped that in the future
the Y. NJ. G.. A. boys will be more care
full in their section of umpire; but of
course this does not excuse their con-
duct in the least. However, it is but
fair to say for Mr.. Giblin, who acted as
captain for Mankato, in the absence of
Mr.. Krost, that he was not aware of
the intimate connection of Mr.. Bendix-
en- with the Springfield team, when he
consented to his umpiring And it seems
that Springfield in all fairness should
have advised him of that fact.
Mr.. Bendixen is not charged with in
tentionaly favoring his home team, but
being one of their number he naturally
would sympathize with them in a con-
test on the diamond. 1t would give bet
ter satisfaction all around if disinterest-
ed men could be obtained to umpire the
games.