Barbour County index., 1909-08-18
An Undeserved Rebuke

4
game played in this city last Wed
nesday, the Medicine Lodge Cres
set does the home boys and Umpire
III. G. Gano, great injustice. The
broad statement is made that the
game was stolen from the Bloomer
Girls; that the decisions of the um
Plre throughout the game were in
every instance against the visiting
team and in favor Of the home
team, and it is intimated that the
umpire and the members of the
Medicine Lodge team had an un-
derstanding that they would take
the game whether they won it or
not. This is a very serious charge
and if it can be substantiated it
should not only bar the team from
playing ball in the future but it
forfeits them the confidence of
everybody who believes in honesty,
for if they are guilty of such out
rageous conduct in a base ball
game they would be equally crook
ed in business.
To the end, therefore, that abso-
lutte justice be done in this matter,
the Index has taken the precaution
to acquaint itself with public SEN
timent in the premises before COM
mitting itself. 1t finds that an
overwhelming majority of the peo.
pie who saw the game, are of the
opinion that Umpire Gano made
some mistakes but these mistakes,
if unequal at all, affected the home
team more than the visiting team.
1t finds, also, that the hit by God.
dard which was the decisive point
in the game, was a fair ball as de-
clared by the umpire, and. not d
foul as claimed by his critics. We
have consulted several men of up-
biased judgment who were spec
tators very close to the territory in
to which the ball was delivered
and they all agree that the ball
fell several feet "fair.'
One of the publishers Of The In
dex witnessed this game through
out. 1t is his judgment that the
home team was no more favored
by the decisions of the umpire than
the visitors but we do not rely on
his judgment alone upon which to
base this article. We have inter
viewed very many of the people
'.7s,h = saw the game and we have
given an honest expression of pop
ular sentiment in this article.
1t is regrettable that the Cresset
! should have permitted itself to be-
come SO indiscreet and biased in
this matter. Our boys have play.
ed in a number of different towns
this season and they invariably re-
ceived the highest compliments
from the papers in the towns which
they visited, but now at nearly the
close of the season, it remained for
the home paper-one that was fav-
ored with season tickets to the
games played hereto discover
that they are crooked and un-
| worthy Oh confluence.
7 1t is difficult for an umpire to
please everybody and the best of
them make mistakes, but the sim
gular thing about the criticisms
heaped On Mr.. Gano is that we
have rarely found two men who
agree on the particular mistakes
made in his decisions. It's simple
justice to say that Mr.. Gano UNI
pired this game with reluctance.
1t happened that the men who US.
ually umpire, were not In town
and he seemed to be the only one
present who was familiar with this
years rules. His selection was al.
so unqualihedly satisfactory to the
manager Of the Bloomer Girls and
we are assured by people who heard
the visitors express themselves after
the game was played, that they are
we'll pleased with their reception
here and the umpire's decisions.
For some time there has been a
little friction between some of the
base ball boys and their manager
and the Cresset boys, and this has
grown from time to time until it
found its way into the Cresset's
columns. 1t is not necessary to GO
into these personalities in detail
but it is we'll that the public
should understand that the denun-
ciatory article was inspired as a
result of former misunderstanding.
We think the Cresset owes the
base ball boys an apology.