Arizona republican., 1909-03-19
DECISION GIVEN ON
BASEBALL PROTEST
GAME BETWEEN INDIANS AND
NORMAL WILL STAND.
The Committee Finds for the Normal
School, But Recommends That the
Game Be Replayed.

In reply to the protest Of Captain
| Z. y. Grinstead. manager Of the Unit
! ed States Indian school baseball nine,
I asking that the game between the In
/ dams and the Normal team of last
| Saturday be awarded to the Indians
/ on account of a decision of the UNI
| pire in the ninth inning. the members
/ Of the executive committee. to whom
/ the matter was referred by Captain
! Grinstead and Prof. Fred Aver, man
I ager Of the Normal team, find as fol-
| lows:
1t is the opinion Of the undersigned
members of the executive committee
of the Valley league. To whom the
protest of Captain Grinstead was re-
ferred, that the game between the In
dian and the Tempe Normal teams.
played at Tempe on March 13. was
rightfully won by the Indian nine.
This opinion is based on the testi-
mony Of witnesses who We're in a po-
sition to observe the play in the ninth
inning. when Lynch was called safe at
home plate by Umpire Stevenson, al
though the cOncensus of opinion By
competent witnesses is that he had
to force his way past the catcher.
who stood with one foot on the plate
and the ball in his hand That the
catcher had ample opportunity to tag
the base runner is not denied Had
Lynch been called out by the umpire,
as the majority Of the witnesses be
lieve he should have been. the game
would have been won by the Indians
with a score of to /
81 Of tho cod. yF rules g Hs
American league. the standard au-
thority on baseball. reads.
" There shall be no appeal from any
decision OF the umpire on the ground
that he was not correct in his con
illusions as to whether base
runner is safe or not or on
any other play involving accuracy Of
judgment. and no decision rendered by
him shall be reversed except that he
be convinced that it is in violation
Of one of these rules
Therefore. on the ground that it
would be an infringement Of American
league rules to reverse the decision Of
the umpire in this case. which cannot
We'll he construed otherwise than as
one involving accuracy Of judgment. |
and also because it would establish
dangerous precedent. the consequences
Of which can easily be foreseen. the
request Of Captain Grinstead that the /.
game be awarded to the Indian school [
IS denied
While the undersigned members Of /
the executive committee are compelled I
under the rules to find for the Normal ,
team. they strongly recommend. in the /
interest af eDrIarc nd bsupra blp am - I
ateur athletics in the valley. that the 1
manager of the Normal team consent. |
as IN advocate Of fair play and true /
craftsmanship. because Of the almost /.
unanimous opinion that the umpire /
erred in his judgment. TO play the I
game over on some neutral grounds. To .
be selected by the executive commit I
tee. II this recommendation is accept |
able to the manager Of the Normal /
team. he is requested to communicate |
with the chairman Of this committee |
within six DAYS from date.
HOWE WILLIAMS. Chairman.
CLAUDE D. JONES"
At a meeting Of the executive com
mittee Of the Valley league. composed .
Of the managers Of the different teams
and a representative Of The Repub-
lican which was held Wednesday
night. the formal protest Of Captain
Grinstcad was read. II was as follows:
u. s. Indian School, March 13. '09
Chairman Of the Executive Com
mittee.
Sir: I do hereby protest against
awarding the game played at Tempe