Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-08
REPARTEE ON THE BALL FIELD
By Umpire Billy Evans.

ond-Story man when he glanced at the
card and realized that the man he had
been roasting was none other than the
umpire of the game. The next morning
brought a letter of apology. saying that
he had been learned a lesson in talking
in public. and no better supporter of EN-
slie now lives in Philadelphia than the
same chap.
No umpire has anything on Tim Hurst
when it comes to handling the English
language to the best advantage. Base
ball history fails to show where he has
lost a single argument during his career.
one day last summer Tim was having
his troubles pleasing the crowd at first
in Detroit. and Claude Rossman made
Things worse several times by leaning
down foot or so and expressing disap-
prevail OF Tins lamps. This also pleased
the crowd
About the fifth inning Rossman was
caught mapping off first base. and caught
about ten feet. Tins chance to even up
had arrived.
Wake up. Ross. and show little
ginger yelled one of the rooters.
Turning around and, with bland smile,
Tim remarked in the loudest voice he
could summon: Its not ginger Ross
needs. boys. but sleep; he took the bag
for cushion and was making up for
last night
Even Rossman. who was mad as a
hornet. couldn't help from laughing and
for the rest of the day Tim had peace,
while the boys advised Rossman to get
an alarm clock, folding bed and other
things.
Later in the same series Tim turned the
tables on Germany Schaefer when things
were breaking badly for him and saved
his bacon for the rest of the day.
Schaefer was playing third base and
having his troubles around the bag. The
balls were bounding badly. and the plays
were close all around on account of brief
delays in handling the ball. Germany
thought Tim had missed a couple. so In
formed Tim in his clever way. and Incl
dentally got the crowd to thinking that
Hurst had slipped up.
About the fifth inning some one hit a
scorching grounder down the third-base
line, and as Schaefer set for the ball 1t
took bad bound and struck him with
great force in the chest. The game was
delayed while first aid to the injured was
given him.
Just as everybody had taken their
front of the plate. and in his own char
acteristic way yelled down to Schaefer:
Say. if you intend to continue in this
game I'd advise you to borrow the catch
er's protector. or we will be postponing a
game in the near future so as to march
slow behind some one"
1t got a big laugh and there was moth
ing but ease for Tim during the rest of
Tic dlteFNOOH.
Tommy Connolly is one of the quiet
chaps. He thinks lot, talks but little,
but always means what he says
One day last summer during a game at
st. Louis he noticed that lot of abuse
was coming his way from some point
directly behind him. He couldn't resist
the temptation to see who was paying him
all the compliments. and after giving a
close one against the Browns at the plate
turned around in the direction from
whence the noise came
In one of the boxes were seated four
young men wearing noisy suits, merry
widow straw hats with still noisier hat
bands f1ashy red ties and hose that all
but talked Each one had a dainty little
cane and all were terribly excited.
Such pretty names as robber, thief
crook and other things equally nice were
handed Tommy in quick succession. One
OF them. summoning his courage, yelled
In a rather weak voice:
iii get you after this game Connolly -
1t was too much for Tommy, and half
in anger and half in Jest he turned and
said: We'll, if you decide to get me the
four of you had better come, for you
would all make only fair man.
The crowd guffawed and the noisy
youths departed after the seventh inning.
They decided not to get Tommy.