davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27

! a game, and then again it becomes nee
essary to press players into service. ant
here will say that players, as rule oh
! ject most seriously to umpire ball games
! They know what an irksome, ungratefu
| lob it is, and some refuse point blank tc
undertake the job. Sometimes. too. ar
! umpire misses a railroad connection. Of
| he cannot be on hand when wanted on &C
count of a wreck. 1t is wonderful. how
ever. with all the travelling they have to
Go that there is as little friction as there
is.
The umpire cuts more of figure in
base ball than any player. He can TURF
| a first class game into farce, and he car
There is no doubt at all that he ought tc
have assistance If he needs 1t. 1t woulc
save a great deal of trouble.
There ought to be no guesswork 80 far
| as he is concerned. Failure to see to his
| part of the work makes the whole fabric
| weak.
| 1t has often been said that an umpire
| hasn't eyes behind his back. That means
that there are times when there will be
plays in front of him and behind him.
OF course, he cannot get them both. To
exemplify: There may be a man at sec
| ond and the man at the bat hits ball
on which there will be a play at first
| base Often II the man at second gets
! the chance he will strive to cut third
base. The umpire is supposed to watch
! first and third, too. and he has his hands
full to do It, Unless he plays in good
luck he will miss a play. In his anxiety
to get his man at third he may miss the
play at first. Now. If he had another
man to work with him the duties could be
parceled out so that there would be no
chance at all to do any base cutting.
The umpire working all alone cannot
possibly always be where the plays are
being made. Often he cannot tell at
what base play will be made. Then he
will be fooled. looking for a base at one
spot when it is being made at another.
With two umpires no such slip-ups could
possibly occur
The center Of the diamond is the only
| place for the umpire to decide balls and
strikes. If he tries to umpire at the rub
| Der his view is shut out all the time. He
is forever playing hide-and-seek with the
catcher, and the result is that he will
| lose lots Of balls for the reason that he
; Is guessing at them. With one umpire
| looking out for everything except the de-
| cisons at the rubber and foul balls UNI
pires could not get mixed up. as Is often
I the case. What can be more senseless
than having an umpire say, when asked
| If a player cut a base: II am not UNI
piring bases. 1 am looking out for balls
and strikes
| There would be no such thing as the
! crossing of each other by the umpires.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27

on AS j. Mason was when that thing
happened We all begged and implored
him not to take 1t to heart so much, not
to permit it to cark and cank and warp
him out of shape hathaway. but, nunno,
nunno he wouldn't listen to anybody, but
lust held his head down like a burro in
rainstorm and muttered in his chops
phrases to the effect that life wouldn't
mean much to him from then on: that
he'd been through many hardships and
cares and things, but that this (Bresna-
hans whiting. that Isl was the worst
wallop he'd ever received from the mailed
fist Of destiny, and that he thought 1t
ud be better for himself and for such
surviving relatives as he had If he'd just
chuck everything and retire to the shelter
of a monastery for the balance of his
DAYS. We all felt frightfully sorry for
the actor man. sure did, but what
could we do about it?
Melancholy Richard earle.
Richard Garlic is another of the actor
persons who is melancholy to the point
of personally conducted meditations on
suicide when the thing out on the lot
doesn't pop the way he's looking for it to
break. They say of him that he'd for
sake wealth. family, friends, the joys of
home. peaceful old age, everything, to
attend a ball game. and I guess that's
right. all right too Once during this
summer. while he was on his way to a
game there was a hitch in the subway
and the train Carrie was riding on was
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27
DOWN WITH THE SINGLE UMPIRE SYSTEM
Bv Joseph Cantillon, in the Base Ball Magazine.

In a game in Philadelphia there was in
reference with fielder by ore of the
crowd. The man in the fielc was the
one who should have had charge OF that
than the other man. who was behind the
rubber However, the umpire in the field
gave the umpire at the rubber the TIP
that there had been interference There-
upon the man at the rubber put 1t up 70
his mate: did you see any interference?'
knowing very we'll that such was the
case. OF course. there was an unseemiy
squabble. If the game had been UNI
pired with the man In the diamond CIV
ing the decisions 1t would have been I'M
necessary for the man who saw the play
very clearly to put it up to the other man.
Again. in another game with two UNI
pires working. a bunt was made, and the
umpire Who was giving the decisions on
the bases lost play at third. Neither
umpire gave a decision. and the result
was that the visiting club forfeited the
game because neither umpire would give
q decision.
1 had no trouble with players the last
three years l umpired in major league
put them out of the game or to fine
them. 1t was not necessary to take
their money to secure the requisite dis
cipline. Umpires will make mistakes l
once umpired series in Chicago in the
American League. 1 lost play, that
gave Baltimc~e game at Chicago's ex-
pense. Tn, simply rose at me,
xiii him. xiii lie umpire" they yelled.
Next day / appeared at the gates with a
couple of friends who are these?'
queried the gatekeeper. Friends of
mine" said l. you can't take "em in
was the answer. See Comiskey." Now,
that was nice. for Comiskey was as sore
as any one on the grounds over the de-
cision. However. l determined to beard
the lion in his lair. Bring him on" 1
said. bring on your man. He came.
Whats this?" he asked bending his
eagle gaze on me. "A couple of friends
I'd like to bring in said 1. AN umpire
with friends, eh?' said he ironically.
Bring 'em in by all meals. An umpire
with friends ought to have them with him
all the time
President Johnson started in the proper
way when he began his career with the
American Association. He saw the only
way to run the game was to have the
best umpires, and back them up. This
paved the way for the success of the UNI
pires who followed Sheridan and myself.
Umpires are born. not made. 1t is
wonderful how many think they have
the qualifications for the task. and how
few have made good. Some of the best
ball players have made the most unsuc-
cessfu umpires while some of the best
umpires never shone to any considerable
extent on the diamond.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27

to show the strength of his throwing arm
as at any moment he may have to get a
grounder that has shot past the third
basemaD and hurl the ball to first base
before the runner. This play. when ac-
compished. is one of the prettiest tina,
can be made in the infield, not so much
because of the long throw across the dia-
mond. as the third baseman in all his
plays to first has the same throw, but be-
cause of the manner in which the short
stop is compelled to get the ball away
from him. There are one or two short
stops in the big leagues who study the
opposing batters so closely that they are
close up to these hits when they are,made
and have time to make an overland throw
to first base.
must use the underhand throw. swinging
their arms while they are practically or
the run after capturing a grounder. Ar
expert at this is Doolan. the lean, lanky
and fast shortstop of the Philadelphia
National League club He appears able
to get ball in any position and with a
swift. accurate underhand throw get a
batter at first base.
A shortstop's duties do not cease al
his ability to pick up grounders ano
make good throws. He must also be able
to take thrown balls, block base runners
thrown balls. particularly at second base
his task is not so dfflcult. as he Is always
going toward the runner but when he Is
compelled to take throw at third and
this situation occurs very often, he must
use his wits in attempting to block
the runner. This play occurs. as a rule
with speedy man on first base and a
man at the bat who bunts down the left
held line. This brings the third baseman
away from the bag and makes the short
stop rush over to cover third base ready
to take return throw from the first
oaseman. 1t isn't often this play goes
through. as it is most difficult 1t Is one
of the prettiest double plays made on the
diamond. and always brings forth cheers
when completed
Where the shortstop is compelled to
show his skill in capturing fly balls is or
short drives to center field and high fltes
back of third base. both fair and foul To
get the foul flies he must ever be on the
alert and fleet of foot. In fact, slow
player can never be drilled into first
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27

big series of games here, and there were
even rumors that he thought OF canoeing
a couple of weeks of the Chicago engage
ment in order to be on hand TO give
Muggsy the proper spiritual uplift at diff
cult moments during the contests Geor-
gle is there with such bank wad now
adays that he could AFFORD to cancel any
old thing he had mind 10. at that. he
only plays one matinee per week In This
town instead Of the two given by most
people in his business. and they say
right out loud that the reason for this Is
that George can't abide the thought or
missing more than one game per week
when the base ballists are chucking 'em
around on New York's big lots. He's an
Indian in the roofing line and when the
team he favors is getting by with the
fossy stuff he just can't make his rect
behave, but stands up in his box and
does those pedalities that have given him
such big part of his fame and peif.
George. you know, thinks that he can
play ball himself. and once in while. at
theatrical benefit games. he goes IN and
endeavors to make a listen like somebody
covering short If Terpsichorean ability
enabled man to cover short George I'D
be there bigger'n two dollars worth or
absorbent cotton. but the mitt stun IS
needed, too, and George is always too
busy thinking about the conduct OF his
feet when he plays short to notice what
is happening to the ball when some son
of a 'scouse cook raps a blazer along his
path like a pea let out of popgun.
De Wolf Hopper Never Misses.
De Wolf Hopper hasn't missed game.
when he's been in town. since Gen. jack
son won the battle of New Orleans, and
if you want TO get the real kazizz base
ball lore-about the happenings in the
game way back yonder when the girls
were wearing crinoline and the base ball
players had those po-leece mustaches-
why, leave it to De Wolf. that's all. He
knows. One time Jake Morse of Boston,
who knows about as much antique base
ball as anybody else alive. thought he
was going to tell Hopper a hull lot OF old
stuff about what came off when they used
to catch 'em on the first bounce. and all
like that. But De Wolf. he slammed in
and convinced Jake that he was eating
base balls for breakfast. with cream
sauce long before he, Jake. had ever
thought of getting out on to the old va
cant lot to play one-old-cat. Hopper has
a voice that sounds like Stag train rum
ming down the Allegheny mountains on a
foggy morning, and when things are
breaking on the ball yard the way he likes
'em, he can make more noise than the big
gest well, we'll WELL man that ever had
to pack his collars in cheesebox. De
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27

The game has become so fast in the
major leagues that it has outgrown the
single umpire system. Long ago the dou-
Bile umpire system should have been es-
tablshed. When men cannot get around
where plays are made so as to see just
what is going on there is something in
rrinsically wrong with the system: then
the umpire must cover the ground In or
der to satisfy the clubs and the public.
The expense of the introduction of such
a. system would amount to nothing COM
pared with the results achieved. The last
department in base ball at which any at
tempt at singing should be attempted is
the umpire department., for here the best
Is none too good.
Il believe that there should be two UNI
pires assigned to each game. and it is my
opinion that one umpire should attend the
balls and strikes and nothing else. I Ger.
tainly believe there should be no shifting
one man take balls and strikes one day
and another man the next. The more ex.
perienced man should stand behind the
pitchers and give the decisions on balls
and strikes and also attend to decisions
on all the bases except the home base.
The other man should give his attention
TO the home plate and to fouls.
There are many people who say they
pires. In the first place one umpire can
not possibly see all the plays. This is es-
pecially on foul balls when the umpire
is, standing behind the pitcher. At best
this is matter of guesswork. There Is
nothing more difficult for the umpire to de-
de than the sharply-hit foul balls along
the line. AT the best 1t is guesswork.
aud if he gets the decision wrong you will
hear the yell: He robbed us of the
gamer' One feels worse. too. than the
umpire if he chances to miss a play
When i was an umpire 1 tried my best to
guard against any slip-up of this kind
when l stood behind the pitcher. / ar
ranged w4th the catcher TO post me
whether the ball hit was fair bail or a
foul. OF course it placed great response
tflity on. the catcher, but in almost every
Ease in which there was occasion for him
10 give decision he acted fairly and
squarely- If for no other reason than this
there should be a second umpire in the
game Take 1t in races as close as they
are this season. and they are getting
closer every year. the double umpire sys-
tenn is simply indispensable.
II the umpire is taken sick under the
single umpire system, the officiating clubs
must have recourse to the services OF
players of their own club to officiate
Sometimes an umpire is taken sick during
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27

stalled. Well. earle did all he knew to
climb out of a window for the purpose
of walking to the next station SOS he
could climb up to the open and take
surface car or hack or taxfcab or
something to see at least a portion of the
game. The guards and other folks who
perceived his perilous purpose had to haul
him back from the window. They told
him that he wouldn't have a snowbird 8
chance of getting away with his life II he
went by the window route. on account of
the third rail and the black dark Of the
tunnel and all like that. but earle only
brushed away the fast-falling tears and
moaned that his life wouldn't be worth a
durn to him, anyhow, If he had to miss
that game. AS it was, he only reached
the ball park when the last half of the
last inning was being played, and didn't
he summon Muggsy over to his box
they're pals. and beg and implore Muggsy
to play the game all over again, even If
it was becoming darker'n pitch? That's
what he did. hombreys. and he looked
just as blue as the dickens when McGraw,
with many soothing expressions of SYM
pathy. told him that that would be quite
out of the question. because the ball
players were getting kind O. hungry. and
1t might establish precedent. anyhow.
that would be injurious to the game. for
it ud give the fans the right to expect
twilight base ball any old time they de-
manded it.
Willie Collier Is Feverish
Willie Collier is another of the ball
bugs, and he gets so feverish over it that
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27
NO CREW FOR THE
FOUNDERS DAY "
Coach Dempsey Unable to Get
Boys Together-Foot Bail
Takes Up Their Time.

The active rowing season came to ar
end Tuesday last. as far as Washington
is concerned, for on that day Coach
Dempsey of the Potomacs notified the
racing committee of that organization tina;
it would be impossible to get together a
crew strong enough to compete against
New York, Philadelphia. Boston and Bal
timore at the Founders day" regatta in
Philadelphia on October TO-
When the call for candidates was hrst
sent out there was something like twenty
who made known their desire to row. in
Guiding members of the Anaostans and
Georgetown University clubs. The pro-
moters of the scheme therefore felt san
guine they would get crew fast enough
to beat any of the cities mentioned.
Unfortunately for the rowing game, the
greater part of the candidates We're foot
ball enthusiasts and members of the
many teams in the various schools and
colleges. The demand for their services
could not be put off until after the re-
gatta. they had to reluctantly with
draw and take uc foot ball. Hart and
Ellis are with George Washington, Span
sy and Brewster with Technical High
School. while Cunniff. Daily and Fi.zger-
aid of Georgetown, who were wanted
have also gone out for foot ball, so Damp-
Sey only had left Morse. RlChaf dSOn
Frank Miller Thrall, Murray, Bullough
and Edmonds of the Analostans to depend
on.
Bliss. Capt. Mueller. Ed Mueller, Foster
and Frank Smith were so engaged that
they could not give their time to training.
and Washington. to the regret of 81 low
ers of rowing, will not be in the great
intercity eight-oared race for the diamond
medals that will be given on that Occa-
sion.
No one regrets it more than Dempsey,
who offered to coach the men free of all
expense to any of the clubs in order
to prove that there was the making of a
champion crew right here at the National
capital. superior to New York athletes or
the pick of the Schuylkll Navy.
The intercity match at this Founders
day regatta, according to Coach Demp-
sey, will be fine race to see, as the
boys of the Schuylkill Navy are going to
get up a powerful crew to combat the
unbeaten New York Athletics. The Yes
per four-De Baecke, Crombie, Flanagan
and Hartman-with Zane of Bachelors,
Joy and Nolte of Maltas, Gordon. Doyle
and Brownwell of West Philadelphia and
others from the University of PennSyl-
vania. Pennsylvania Barge Club and
Fairmonts. will afford them a good
crowd from which to select a fast eight.
The Potomacs will devote the rest of
the autumn months to social features
with the prospects of a very lively
smoker in honor of their successful
season and new home. They will also
scout around for available oarsmen for
the junior crew for 1908
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27
THEODORE BREITENSTEIN, FAMOUS
SLAB ARTIST OF We OLDEN TIMES,
HAS FOUND FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

THE Grand Old Man sof Base Ball. in
the Southern League can stand alone with
any of them.
When some of the fans Of today were
young fellows just budding into manhood.
Theodore Breitenstein was the most fam
Gus of players. Then he was not called
the grand old man. but instead. was
known far and wide as the $4,000 Beau
ty.'' That was because the Cincinnati
club paid st. Louis an even $4,000 for his
release in order that he might become a
Red and pitch winning ball for Cincy.
That was at the close of the season in
1906.
Breitenstein began playing ball in 1891
with the club at Grand Rapids. He was
there just two months and then st. Louis
came along and took him away. That was
August 3, 1891.
For the rest of the 1891 season and dur
ing 1892. 1893. 1894. 1895 and 1885, he
pitched for st. Louis. Then came that
offer for his services and the title of
Ten Thousand Dollar Beauty
Breitenstein went to the Reds and re-
manned with them for four years. He
was then sent back to st. Louis, but in
1901. when all the clubs in the league
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27

cut down to sixteen men he was let out.
From St. Louis he went to ST. Paul.
where he played in the outfeld and pitch
ed. But he quit the club and went back
to st. Louis. where he had business in
terests. He was there when Charley
Frank. then manager of the Memphis
club. visited him and made him an offer.
The Ten Thousand Dollar Beauty" ac-
cepted and joined his team. He did so we'll
that he at once became a star. When
Frank left Memphis and went to New Or
leans he followed his fortunes and has
been there ever since.
Breitenstein Is one Of the most graceful
pitchers. and, while he uses his left
hand. Is one Of the very steadiest. He
has almost perfect control and a varied
delivery that carries him through many
rough places.
THE Grand Old Man" to all appear
ances has many years more before him
in the great national game, and the warm
weather Of the south keeps him in perfect
condition. He is exceedingly modest and
retiring and few people ever hear him
speak Of the days when he was Q star In
one Of the fastest leagues the world has
ever produced.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27
Theatrical Folk VIII Do Most Anything to See Bali Games

yes, he's in front q little now. OF course.
and all like that. but wait'll one OF those
other NUTS creeps up and looks him N
the lamp" and so on. Lew was at q
game a while ago when the Giants were
six runs TO the good and yet he vas
shaking his head about II and talking 10
himself like a man stalking himself 10
some personally conducted conversation
on a bad next morning after a night be-
fore. ''Oh. sure. I see the score he was
saying. land we're trotting along with q
kind OF lead. SURF enough. but all kinds
o. things are liable TO happen In this
whether we cop after the last inning.
that's what I'm a-saying.' and he re-
fused to be comforted. and when the
Giants made four runs more he still was
there with a skeptical crack. all to HIM
self. about whether the Giants possibly
Of hard-luckers.
Sothern Hates Cricket.
Yes and none other than Ned Sothern-
beg pawdon. Edward Sothern-the sure
enough some actor OF the legitimate
stage. is just as bad as the rest of EN-
when ii comes to having the base ball
bug He's been in Europe most Of the
summer and when somebody asked him.
upon his return from abroad a while ago.
what kind of a time he'd had on the
continong. Rotten" said Ned. II was
thinking about the close tit in both
leagues over here all the time. ard It
made me blue to think what was miss
ing" Now. Sothern is an Englishman
AMI the son Of an Englishman. and most
of his early schooling was got In Eng
land. Naturally enough. then. you might
suppose that he'd be one Of these cricket
persons. seeing that cricket was the game
he was born and brought Up on. But Is
he? II wouldn't look at a cricket game
unless l was sentenced to IT. he said the
other day. land. for mine. better min
ute of base ball than four hundred years
of that miserably dull old game" Slews
Of Engiishmen visiting New York have
letters Of Introduction to Sothern. and he
makes 1t a point to hike all Of EN- that
swing along out to the New York ball
games and to explain the fine points OF
the game to them. Yes. and he always
succeeds in making base ball bugs out
Of these touring Englishmen. too.
These are only few Of the stage no
tables who take in all the games they
can over here. At one game at the Polo
Grounds last week counted no less
than 1914 stage men and women In the
boxes and grandstand. and I didn't see
'em all at that.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27
JAPAN TRIP SURE FOR COBB.

That honeymoon trip to Japan that Ty
Cobb announced at the time of his we'd
ding is no myth. though it necessarily will
be somewhat belated. Word has been re-
ceived from Mike Fisher, the San Fran
cisco manager. who Is to pilot the winter
nine with which Cobb will tour the orient,
that plans are completed. and that the
schedule is practically filed. Fisher has
an agent who is going over the ground.
arranging dates and money matters. This
man is now In Manila, having completed
his work In Japan some time ago.
Ten games have been booked with jap