The Washington times., 1907-07-08
MOBBING UMPIRE
IS DISGRACE TO
VIRGINIA LEAGUE
Cowardly Attacks Would
Warrant Its Dissolution.
Sporting Comment.
By THOMAS S. RICE.

tser By THOMAS S. RICE.
- ut is about time somebody called
halt on the hoodIums in the Virginia
2 State League.
The amount OF disorder and umpire
Hobbing in that league is not only a
disgrace TO baseball. but 10 the Old Do
minion- There have been enough
charges in Northern papers against Vir-
GINA and other Southern States about
their tendencies to mob violence; and 20
subject the State to the opprobrium OF
such inanity as jumping on an uBarmed
~ umpire for alleged wrongful decisions
- IN games between professional. non-resI-
dent ball players is disgusting.
y There are undoubtedly two sides to
" The Jynching question, and to the sum-
-'5 mary administering OF punishment in
rural districts where law officers are
1-- scarce and worthless criminals are
abundant but nothing under the sun
- can excuse the dirty and contemplate
treatment the Virginia baseball fans
are shOwering upon the umpires In the
Virginia State League It Is as cow
lLardly as unnecessary and inexcusable.
Cowardly and Idiotic
So That a disinterested umpire from an
other State or the District Of Columbia,
like HandibOe who was mObbed on
Saturday. should be consummate ass
enough to have prejudices, or. II he did
have them, to let them influence him
when he was trying 10 make a record
and hold the job, is inconceivable, and
the fact that this was not considered
shows that the Norfolk baseball fans
heads must consist exclusively OF
stunted and discarded peanuts from the
crop for which Norfolk Is famous
Last year the conditions were as bad
as this, and this year they have been
mobbing umpires in that circuit on the
slightest prOvocation, or without any
&c Bottles, railroad iron, and other missiles
are being thrown at the helpless arbi-
traitors and II is only a question OF
49, time when there Will be a fatality
Should one of them be killed or seriously
injured. It is 10 be hoped his family or
he will bring suit for heavy damages
against the city, the club officials, and
THE spectators involved in the AFFAIR, IL
such a course is possible.
Commission Should Act.
If the club advertises a game. and
the city allows II to be played. there
certainly must be a remedy at law for
injuries sustained because neither the
city nor the club took proper precautions
10 protect an inoffensive and necessary
official Of the game
Also. II might be well TO look I'D the
~
in an old-established Eastern State. in
well-organiZed cities with complete DO
lice establishments, which cannot pro-
tect its umpires is not 1T 10 be IN organ
Jed baseball and should have protec-
Lion Withdrawn. It is menace TO the
sport, and the men at its head are
bringing the national game into disre-
pute.
, Anybody but the pinheaded class who
~ make a practice of assaulting umpires
would know that by constantly follow
Is ing that practice they make 1t impossible
Tor the league TO get good arbitrators.
No man with any standing or ability is
going to the Virginia League to risk
having his brains knocked out for the
81 small salries paid arbitrators down
there. II the umpires were accorded fair
and decent treatment. II is a cinch they
would DO their very best to make good
II man is being bounded and stoned.
II is impossible for him TO give the best
results.
Magistrates Largely Responsible.
Z. - One thing which has had much to do
with the growth Of rowdyism in base
= baI crowds has been the childish weak
ness OF the police magistrates in dealing
q with the members of the mob An UNI
gire may be beaten within an inch OF
his life. and II IT were done under
ordinary circumstances the seriousness
Of the attack would probably cause the
1iIender TO be sent TO the penitentiary
hldue me assault on the ball field he is
usually let of with a warning or q
fine or a few dollars.
rse.1 sudden raid on the stone and iron
t.t- throwcrs, the arrest Of a dozen or a
~ score and Jail sentences Of six months
- 20 year would put a crimp in that
FORM OF amusement and enable a real
human being to see a ball game in Vir-
gina without being ashamed of The
state IN which he was raised.
The announcement was made vester-
day that the aquatic events which
were 70 be such prominent part of the
jamestown Exposition are likely to be
called on at least as far as the inter-
national yacht races are concerned. 1t
Welt Kaiser. and Sir THOMAS TGt 5le hf 5Dfo6
cups VIII either not be held at all. or
transferred to some other locality prob
ABLY New York, and there is consider
able speculation about what will become
or the cups which are said to be on the
way TO the exposition.
Mr. Hastings. the faculty adviser with
the Seattle High School team which
foolish D " On gtu 5igR 81 washington Look
l, took too seriously the remarks that
his team looked Ike professionals No
body really entertained such an idea.
They are simply remarkable Youngsters
on the ball field who 20 through a game
IN a businesslilxe manner and are good
IN every department II is said fbaf
the school from which they come has
some 300 students, which accounts In
coach had for developing a winner.
The game the Seattle BOYS PLAYED
here was a credit TO them. their school.
and their city. and we would like 10
see them in action again against one
OF the best amateur mines in the city,
say, for instance. one Of Jim O'Sheafs
crack teams In the Capital City League
such a game might be arranged and n
II Is. you want To be on hand
There were a number OF reasons not
known 70 the public for the poor show
Ing Of Western. which was away be-