Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-28
FINAL LETTER FROM
UMPIRE BILL EVANS
Closes His Seasons News
paper Work With Puz-
zling Question.
By Umpire Billy Evans.

By Umpire Billy Evans.
What is the average length Of a players
career as a major leaguerf
It would indeed be difficult to formulate
a more perp1exing question.
To give a really sane answer - well
nigh impossible for either fan. player or
critic
The length Of a players career IN the
big league Is most uncertain. Much de-
Ponds on the ability and habits of the DIFF
ferent men who happen to break into the
majors, but don't for a minute think that
Dame Fortune doesn't play a prominent
part In the career Of every star Of the
diamond
One might point to Cy Young or Jim
team, men who have been in fast COM
pany over twenty years and say:
why can't all players last as long as
old Cy and veteran Jim?'
About the easiest and best way to an
swer such a query would be to say that
base ball boasts Of mighty few McGuires
and Youngs. These two great opponents
OF the old as well as the modern school of
base ball are exceptions to the rules.
Players como and players go. but Cy
Young and Jim Mcclure seem destined to
60 on forever.
That both men are still playing ball is
due perhaps to the fact that each is the
possessor Of a rugged constitution. Look
at the hands Of Jim Mcclure and you will
see a mass of crooked fingers due to
catching behind the bat with practically
no glove whatever. Despite all the work
he has seen. he is still some catcher. -
Last year I had the privilege OF doing
my bit toward honoring Cy Young by UNI
piring the game played In Boston when
he was rendered a big reception and testi-
monial by the fans. hadn't seen Nc.
CURE In action behind the bat for several
years. yet he jumped into the fray that
day without moments notice and
caught four or five innings In way that
would have reflected great credit on a
man twenty years his Junior. see by
the papers that he recently caught game
at Mobile in faultless style. In regard to
Young. every batter in the American
League will tell you that he was better
than ever last year.
Truly, Young and Mcclure are great
men and players. but they are greatly In
the minority.
Base bah Is by far the most uncertain
Of all sports. This fact has long been
advanced as the one best reason why the
sport continues to gain in popularity
theory.
OF course all professions have their
drawbacks and their dangers. but care
full study Of facts would make It appear
national game take greater chances by
far than those engaged In any other pro-
fession.
1t looks easy to see Ty Cobb make his
graceful slides into the bases or see
him dash down the base lines at break
neck speed in order to beat out throw
by one Of the rival players. 1t looks real
soft to see Addie Joss, Mordecai Brown
or In fact any of the pitchers IN either
Of the major leagues gracefully wind
$t,A H,un
with terrific speed. It looks like taking
money from the infant to watch Wagner.
Lajoie. Tinker or any of the other high
class players. who have the ability to
grounders and toss the bali around or
gather in a little pop-up fly.
Time and again you hear some fan
murmur: Pretty soft for those fellows.
All they have to do is take couple OF
hours exercise each day. stay at swell
hotels and draw down fancy salary"
Part Of the average fans statement is
true but there are lot OF other things
that are never taken into consideration
by the enthusiast.
Few fans realize the chances Cobb is
taking when he dives into a base. the
risk pitcher takes when he delivers the
ball to the plate. or fielder in doing his
daily work
Every desperate chance taken by ball
player in an effort to win may result in
some injury that will ruin his career for
ever. A broken bone or torn ligament
work as a player may be greatly dimin-
ished. Similar injury may rob a pitcher
of his speed and curves.
There is no getting away from the fact
that a ball player gets well paid for
the time he puts In on the field, but the
is a most precarious one.
Aside from the work feature, another
element must be taken into considera-
ton when discussing base ball as pro-
fession. The ball player is a public
character. even more so than a politician.
The fans pay to see him perform. and the
established precedent gives them the right
to show their approval or disgust as they
see At.
No man gets more abuse from the
public than the ball player. The applause
he accepts with a smile and doff of his
cap. to show his recognition. The abuse
he must drink in. with nary a word Of
reply: in fact. it's much better for him
70 try and put on just as happy a 'frown
when being abused as when being lauded.
It's a rather tough proposition. Often
a player goes on the feld Ill. In no shape
to do his duty. The fans are not aware
in a pinch or falls down on a difficult
chance he is Immediately put on the
gridiron.
Any man connected with the great ma
tional game earns as much as he can get
during his brief or long career.
Just at present there are all kinds of
hold-outs In both major as well as all
minor leagues. The club owners and
players In each and every case have
decided different opinions Of their value.
Ed Walsh. the famous White sox pitch
er. asks sum for his services that to the
average fan looks quite large. but II the
fan did the work for Chicago that Walsh
did he would probably ask twice as
much. In a number OF cases conditions
are similar. while in others perhaps the
player Is not entitled to the consideration
he believes is coming to him.
Walsh had great year in 1903. His
demands for bigger salary this year
are based on his last years work. In
1909 Mr.. Walsh may not be SO good. his
splitter may not be so elusive his record
not as remarka BILE. Such being the case
Mr. Walsh would not be In a very good
condition to ask for any fancy sum In
1910 When he fails to deliver. his career
as big Lacquer is ended.
It's mighty good truth to hold out
when you have something to stand on.
and evidently Walsh and some others are
taking ADVANTAGE OF this fact