Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-08
the OMAHA SUNDAY Bee
OMAHA. SUNDAY. AUGUST 5. 1909.


NV us - atNA NhNNiAAH
- a wide swath in Western league
affairs. Just why It should be so
IL Is not easily apparent. but the
stubborn fact remains that the
western has suffered more from poor
umpiring than any of the other leagues
IN the country. It is not because the
umpires are poorly paid. for they are al
lowed wages that could not be earned by
any Of them at any other calling. Two Of
the present staff Of umpiras are unaues-
TONED. Mullen and Haskell could scarcely
be improved upon in any league. Clarke
IL fair and Glenalvin Is about the limit.
II may have been the result of the hot
weather, but the last ten days has seen
play marred and attendance affected by
the poor umpirIng TO an extent that Is
dishearteuing. An umpire is human and
Is as apt 10 make mistakes as any other
mar and for ordinary mistakes Of judg-
ment due allowance is always made. Just
as a player Is excused for an error made
when honestly trying. But for a mistake
In the application Of the rules to the game
no excuse can be offered. When Clarke
allowed Babe Towne TO jump In front Of
the plate to receive a ball from the pitcher
and tag out Hogriever, who was coming
home from third in the tenth inning OF
the Sioux City game. he violated the
plainest rule in the book. It is specifically
set forth that any ball delivered by the
pitcher when the catcher is not within his
lines is a balk. Recently at Louisville a
game was decided on this point. In en-
deavoring purposely to pass a batter, the
catcher stepped outside the lines and the
pitcher delivered the ball to him. The
umpire called a balk and brought in the
winning run from third. The same rule
applies in the Lincoln case, and Clarke's
decision TO the contrary ought not to be
allowed TO stand. Another rule says IL
the ball passes the catcher and hits the
umpire or any other obstruction within
ninety feet Of the home plate, the base
runners shall each be entitled to advance
one base without being put out. In one
game at Des hoines Omaha had a man
on second and a man on third. The ball
got by the catcher and hit Glenalvin, who
was umpiring. He picked II up n handed
1t to the Des Nome catcher, and held the
Oman runners on their bases. The run
would have won for Omaha. 1t is this
sort of umplring that hurts, and the sooner
o'Neil puts an end to II, the better It will
be for the game in the west
Wei. you wait till Hans Wagner gets
back You hear that frequently these
days II is a trite saying that a teams
real strength lies In Its utility men. Ger
tainfy tho Chicago Cubs came near demon
strating the truth OF this saying last year
and this when most of It's regulars were
out Of the game. Two mistakes the Pitts
burg admirers have made in determining
90 far In advance the result OF this sea-
sons race: One is failing to realize that
Pittsburg, playing the greatest game Il
had played for years, had all it's regulars
going at their very best. while Chicago.
making a most effective fight, had several
Of itS regulars on the sick or crippled list;
the other Is. failing to count on the posi-
bility of Pittsburg suffering Injury or sick
ness and the probability of Chicago getting
into good shape. II was a simple problem
in proportion. II Chicago with several
stars out of the game-including it's leader
can keep on the very heels of Pittsburg
with every man at his best, how much bet
ter can Chicago go when It's regulars are
at their best? And, besides, there was
the experience of last year still fresh in
mind. The achievement OF the Cubs OF 1908
ought to have convinced everybody that the
task set for them in 1909 was not an i'm
possible one. The Cubs have not won the
peunant, that Is true, but they have a
much better chance now than they had,
not because Wagner happens to be on the
sbSif, but because the Cubs are going at
thstr old gait and rave cut down the dis
lance between them and the Pirates to a
cOSple Of games. This is the first set
back P%tttsburg has had this season. II It
is q greater team than Chicago. il must
prove IL by showing that the loss Of one
mao cannot destroy the winning power OF
me team. At that the race is a beautiful
one With Pittsburs winning nearly every
Game. II has had no time for a let-up, for
the Cubs have been right on its heels from
the jump though some ten games behind
at one time.
Welcome, Billy Fox. welcome 10 our city