The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-01-19

THE universal spread of baseball has
0ccasiored many articles in n .vspapers
and magazines. and the idiosyncrasies
Of the nations which have adopted
Americas sport have been diiated upon
at length. Il appears. however. as II
some Of the pecularities Of baseball IN
Old Mexico have heen overlooked, says
the St Louis Post-Dispatch.
"Nheu Comlskey and his then world
champion White Sox took their memoir
able trip 70 the land Of Diaz last year,
columns Of matter were written about
the baseball ideas of the MeXicans-
Whether the tour Of the White SoX i'm
proved the civilized aspect Of the sport
or not cannot De definitely told ~ this
distance. but certain it is that the love
OF the umpire is as strong in the breasts
Of the MeXican-players and spectators
AS il is in this country
Tried to Knife Umpire.
According to the Mexico Daily Rec
ord OF December 80. 1907, BOcauegra,
once one Of the best native ballplayers,
has ended his career on the diamond be-
cause Of a beIligerency a trifle ahead OF
the best John J. McGraw or Norman
EIberfeld ever displayed. When Mr..
Bocanegra drew a knife from his bosom
and attempted TO carve the umpire It
was decided that the best interest Of
the sport would De best served BY his
permanent retirement.
'tThe near-victim Of Bocanegra's So
Tcltous surgery was a former 81. Louis
new paper man, Harry A. Nlemeyer,
and, although he escaped practically I'M
sCathed and was able - write an ac>
count of the stirring episode Tor MS
~H1aav saraL-g= Of he
umpires, and not a IA Jack Sheridan
Hurled Ball at Arbitrator.
This was not all Bocanegra did, but
brief recital Of the game will give
an idea of up-to-dats baseball in Old
Mexico. The contest was between the
Mexicos. all natives and the Oliver
Tvpewriters. and at the o07 OF the
seventh the score was tied at-s all in
the next session, however, the NeNicos
got two men across and held their OPP
moments safely until the ninth, when the
divers scored three and won; TO !.
..RocaneEra caught for the MeXicanS
and throughout the game expressed al
verse opinions on the umpire's decisions
on balls and strikes. These expressions
were Of the usual verbal order unui
the seventh inning, when Niemeycf
was behind the pitcher and called
fourth ball. The BOCanegTan eastman
blood boiled to such an extent that the
catcher hurled the ball at the umpiTe,
the pitcher kindly stepping aside TO
permit a perfect heave.
They Mix It Up.
"3ocanegra followed the ball like any
football kim. and Niemeyer, nothing
10th. pocketsd his indicator and an eN-
ira bail and started to meet him. the
crash came midway 'tyixt box and place
and then the players pTied them apart
and the game was resumed with 30
canecra still behind the bat as the
game was so close.
AT the conclusion of the game Bo-
canegra walked on the diamond with
his hand on the shirt and again Me
meyer advanced to meet him visit
ing basebsT manager called out that
Bocanegra had a knife in his shirt, and
so it proved, as the catcher yanked out
the dirk and started for the interfercr.
Again the pleasure of the now thorough
| " interested spectators was spoiled as
! tn. plavers once more dag the belliger-
/ ents apart before the catcher haG time
to probe the managers anatomy
Other Little Adventures.
1T took six husky baIlplayers to bring
about this ploodless result, and the
/ Lone policeman on watch declined to
buck such terrific odds and effect IN
/ arrest
1T seemed as if Niemeyer's day of