Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-21
UMPIRE EVANS ON
INTRICATE PLAYS
Not Always Best for the Ar
bitrators to See
Everything.
By Umpire Billy Evans.


and peculiar plays than any other sport.
The rules are made to cover all the dis
puted points that are liable to arise, but
often unforeseen happenings take place
which puts the decision up to the better
Judgment of the arbitrator In charge of
the game.
Last year, in a fairly prominent minor
league, an umpire got himself into all
kinds of trouble for seeing a play that his
better judgment should have told him to
overlook The play In question follows:
During theacontest, which was a tie up
10 the seventh inning, one of the home
team pitchers hit the ball over the right
field fence. Just beyond the fence flows
a river, and for all the umpire knows
about the ball, it is still probably floating
down the river or by this time. perhaps,
has entered the ocean and is now ngh'lhs
the billowy waves.
In making the circuit of the bases. after
knocking the ball out of the lot. when py
10 a home run, he carelessly neglected to
touch first base The umpire, IN per
fulnctory manner was following, the pat
ter around the sacks. He missed lne hIsl
first baseman, by pointing OF the nano'
designated the omission: the umpire. by
nod of the head. signified that ne nao
noticed the slip-up.
cuit and the crowd was cheering the 1eat
of their hero. the first baseman called LOT
a new ball to be put in play, the umpire
complied and on receiving it touched nrS1
base and claimed ap out Whlch was d.
lowed by the arbitrator - =.
Had the home run been allowed II
would have won the game but: unIorlu-
nately for the poor ump, the VisItins .oan
nuIIed the game out in the eleventh IN
hing Only the intervention of the police
prevented big riot
At the time l happened to be ump1rlns
place where we were working was near
the city in which the minor league UNI
pire had all his trouble. Naturally he
= was worried over the affair. and as oPln-
ion on the decision was divided; ne ue
cided to satisfy himself by consulting the
dean of the American League stan.
Just after a game the young 1ehoW
introduced himself to Sheridan ana ex-
planned the play and asked TOT advaG G' vi
the point in dispute from old JACK. =, l
shall never forget the answer. nor VIII
probably the umpire In question
Technically. young man. you were
right but if 1 ever hear OF you fnahihs
a decision like that again l will feel sure
mat YOU are counting death, and you
may indeed feel lucky If you escape with
your life" 49,.
Then Jack went on to explain that
while the runner must always toucp the
bases still nothing entitled team more
10 a run than ball batted out OF the lot.
In conclusion. he added that o1ten IN
base ball there are things one shouio ano
should not see where Judgment was pet
ter than any rule, and that this case nap
pened to be one of them.
The advice evidently had the desired
effect. for several weeks ago the umpire
In question was promoted several notches
in the profession and received Suostan-
tial increase In salary
Last year an umpire In the Ne" 10TH
State League pulled off play that almost
made II necessary for friends to SEND
flowers in order to show their respect and
sorrow.
The play came up in the last inning;
with the score a tie, two out, three ana
two on the batter and the bases hl!ed
At this stage of the game the catcher
went down and had d conference with the
pitcher and as the catcher walked oack
to resume his position the pitcher was
seen to say few words to the umpire.
AS is the case under such conditions, the
runners always start to move just as soon
as the pitcher begins to wind up. IL the
deciding ball is strike the SIDE is re-
tired: if it's ball the runners advance,
but if it's base hit the additional start
gained while the pitcher is winding up
often makes it possible for two and some
times three men to score on the drive, de-
pending on its length. whereas If they re-
manned still, waiting for developments'
the advancement of each Will surely De
lessened by a base.
AS soon as the pitcher started ito wind
ND all the runners began to advance.
The ball was several feet wide of the
plate and the batsman Immediately
started for first. Imagnc what happened
when the catcher. getting the ball, touch
ed the man coming in from third and
had the out allowed, retiring the slde.
A forfeited game and big row resulted.
The umpire gave as his reason the 1act
that the pitcher was not ON the RUBBER
hau
uuently it could not be called either a
strike or ball, and 1t was permissible to
retire the runner on TIE play.
The play. of course. was taken up 70
the higher officials. Naturally they ruled
that the delivery was made with an intent
to deceive, that 1t was a balk, and all
runners are entitled to advance, and in
this case the runner take first base, and
that the Judge of the play had erred
Quite often the umpire gets into trouble
over a correct decision that is misunder-
stood by the fans and often by the
players also.
pened in a minor league several years
ago, in which ] happened to be one or
the umpires. / was lucky enough 10
be working the plate that day. and didn'
come in for any abuse, but my partner,
who had rendered a perfectly correct de-
ci3ion on the bases, was kept busy dodg-
ing things until we got safely back to our
hotel. Incidentally / stopped several that
were not dlneO at IUe, Out DIS tHcS Iip-
pcaed to hit an umpire some satisfaction
resulted for the fans.
The play came up near the close Of the
game with the home team two runs to
the bad runners on second and third one
down and one of the teams best hitters
at the bat. 1t was an excellent chance
TO tie up the contest, If not to win 1t, but
was spoiled by "A bone-headed play that
got the Jump into all kinds of trouble.
The runner second was taking d big
lead, so as to be able to score and tie up
the game in case the man at bat singled.
The catcher of the visiting team was
paving but little attention to him from all
appearances, but evidently was doing
some thinking Suddenly, after receiving
"A pitched ball he snapped 1t to the sec
ond baseman. who, having received the
signal was Johnny on the spot.
Naturally the runner was caught nap
ping, and in a minute everything was
confusion. Seeing his chance to get back
to second cut off. he headed for third.
a break for home. Then the play shifted.
the ball being thrown to the plate to cut
off the run there. For a minute or so
the runners see-sawed between the bases,
until ultimately the two men were on
third base with the third sacker holding
the ball.
The third baseman at once touched the
man who mad come up from second, and
he was declared out. as under the rules
the base belonged to the original possess
sor The runner entitled to hold third
lost his head thinking he was forced,
walked off the bag and was declared out,
retiring the side, killing what appeared
to be winning rally.