The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1907-07-18
UMPIRE NEEDS SYMPATHY.

This paper is moral and family
guide and makes no particular claims
of being an authority on matters Of
sport. Sometimes we think we know
something about the great national
game and then after listening to the
discussions of Dad Demasters, ALT.
Hunt, Annie Myers, Jason Kelley,
Gus Thommen and a few others, we
conclude we don't know much about
it. We have, however. been making
some mental observations on the
game.
Our sympathy goes out to the UNI
pire. We have noticed that he rare
ly gets credit for either integrity of
purpose or even moderate facility of
vision. He is informed when he
makes decision unfavorable to the
home team on whatever ground he
is umpiring that he knows no more
about the game than tree toad and
that he couldn't see barn if he
were rubbing his nose against the
main door. One side or the other
takes occasion to remind him that
he is a robber and that there is a
cloud on his family name and par
entage.
Our notion of a proper umpire is
one who is in perfect health, whose
fighting weight is about 200, who is
handy with his dukes and can strike
not less than 900 pounds. We have
heard of such an umpire but he may
be the creature of the imagination
of the person who Informed us. We
do not remember now just what
laagne he was playing with. He
was a new man with the indicator so
far as that league was concerned.
There was a slight Hibernian accent
in his speech and he carried cold
gray eye He didn't look so very {
big but it was noticed by the close
observers that he was well set up
and was easy on his feet
The umpire who had preceded him l
had been mobbed by the fans and a
slugged ny one of the players whom I
he had ordered to the bench. The
game had only got fairly started !,
when a strike was called on the
batter for the home team. The cap :
tain encouraged by the yells of the
fans rushed up to protest. The fist
of the umpire swung easy and free
and caught the captain at the butt y
of the left ear BY the time he had "
walked from his dreamless sleep the h
side was out and the other side was h
at bat. The pitcher whirled around,I
on his right heel, tired himself into aPecl
knot and let the ball go. IVAN NJ
ball." said the umpire with the I,
accent. The pitcher A
twisted himself again and let it go. Fla
1.-Two balls, " said the unmoved UNI he
pire. The pitcher growled. twisted r.
himself into spiral and let the ball =
90 again. ''Thra balls, said the l.
umpire The pitcher let out an A
audible roar but went into another her
and sent the leather 'A
sphere again. -Four balls" said
the umpire. The pitcher dashed up III
10 the umpire with. You're a :" II
The umpire landed with neatness
md great &C .urlcy on the point of the %
,ilcher's chm and he sank in instant o'
1ut profound slumber. Put in s'
mother pitcher an don't delay the DE-
came, called the umpire. Four w
fans jumped over the III
ence in frcnt f the grandstand and re
tarted for the umpire. lie shed II
lis mask and shield with easy grace
md within a minute had put all four -
# them out of business for the time o..
icing. Some other fans had start II
d to follow but concluded that they -,
ould see as well from their seats in -,
he stand. PLAY ball" called the 90,
mpire and the game proceeded. -,
here were no more arguments with I,a
he umpire that day. IN
hll