The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-07
BY BILLY EVANS.

The sale OF Cy Young to Cleveland
has brought the veteran into the lime5
light stronger than ever. Here are some
sidei.ghts on the great twirler from the
judge of plays points of view.
If il were possible for the American
league umpires to issue any special dis
pensation, they would give Cy Young
the right to go on pitching forever.
Did you ever hear of bunch of UNI
pires coming across with the cold cash
and making a present TO ball player?
No? Well, that's just what the AmeTi-
can league staff did last year. and Cy
Young was the recipient Of the gift.
Don't faint or ask for water to revive
yourself for it's the truth.
Last year the Boston fans rendered
~ Young d benefit day at the instance
of John l. Taylor. Twenty thousand
people paid tribute TO the veteran or
that day, and gifts galore were heaped
on him,
| happened to be working the game
that afternoon, and I'm the midst of the
festivities, N a very humble way, Of
fered a swell travelling bag to old ~ a.
a little gift from the umpires for the
square treatment he had always ac-
corded them. With the players crowded
around on all sides, Cy in his frank ana
open way, replied:
We'll. of ali the gifts, I never did ex-
pect one from the umpires, but just tell
the boys for me that prize II more
highly than anything given 10 nc"
Tim Hurst the Promoter.
Tn Hurst who has been umpiring as
long as Cy has been pitching. was the
originator of the scheme. We were
working in ST. Louis at the time, and I
had received orders from President
Johnson to report in Boston and work
the benefit game. When | told Tim
about it he was silent for a moment and
then said to me:
well. Billy. I've been umpiring about
as long as Cy has been pitching. and I
pride myself on having Il pretty good
memory. but I'll be blamed if ] ever re-
member c. kicking over decision, no
matter how rotten it may have been.
Perhaps I've missed a thousand strikes
on him in the last ten years. but never
protest has he uttered.
Fellows like Cy are rather few in this
strenuous game. and I tell you the UNI
pires ought to give the OLD fellow some
little token. just to show him that we
appreciate the way he has always acted
come across with q five-spot and get
Cy some little present. and you can take
I with you 10 Boston and make your
little speech" OF course, ! assented.
but before going through with the deal
We wired the other umpires on the
staff asking them what they thought
of it, and If they cared to be in on the
gift.
Every One "ln."
The replies were surely a tribute TO
old Cy.
rim in on the deal Go as far as
YOU like with money" was Jack Sheri-
dams reply.
Count me in on anything that old
Cy IS connected with" was Tom Con-
uolly's answer.
Buy anyth ne you like and send me
my share Of the bill; glad you thought
of the stunt" was O'Doughlin's reply.
Sure: count me in for anything you
want" wired Jack Egan
When you can find six uupires in the
same league who are willing to go the
limit for a pitcher. the man who suf-
fers most from their decisions, just
make up your mind that he is fell
low out of the ordinary.
When Cy Young Is pitching you can
just bet that the umpire in charge Is
working his very hardest to arbitrate
the game as nearly correct as possible
He hates to make mistake against Cy
that may cost him the game.
What's the Use of KiekIng?"
While a great pitcher, he is an easy
man TO work behind from every point
of view. \ pitcher with poor control
is the bugbear of the umpire. Cy's
strongest point is his ability TO get the
ball over the plate. Tommy Connolly
once remarked that IT would be possible
to umpire a game behind Cy sitting in
a rocking chair. so perfect is his con-
troll
Perhaps you wonder why Cy Young
fails to rant when the umpire misses a
perfect strike or pulls of some decision
that gets him in a hole. Often the cir
cumstances are so aggravating that IT
would seem that he would be justified