Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-14
DEMAND DOUBLE
UMPIRE SYSTEM
Fans Growing Impatient at In
difference of Magnates Re-
garding Indicator Men
ONE MAN NOT EQUAL TO JOB
Close Pennant Race Requires a
Change at Once in Justice to
All Clubs in the League
ONE MAN NOT EQUAL TO JOB

Los Angeles baseball fans are de-
manding the adoption of the double
umpire system by the Coast league
magnates this season and are backed
in their demand by the fact that the
pennant race never was so close III
history. With five teams within TWO
or three games of the top, 1t is very
important that no club shall be beaten
out of the rag by inadequate provisions
regarding the umpires, and as 1t is ut
terly impossible for one man to keep
his eyes on the ball and the base run =
ners at the same time the best of them
is apt to err and this erring in Judg-
ment may affect the result of the pen
nant race. 1t is unfair to all the clubs
ITO delay the adoption of the double
umpire system any longer.
Eugene McGreevy, regarded as one OF
the best umpires that ever handled an
indicator in the Coast league, Is UNI
piring the Los Angeles Vernon series
single handed and alone this week,
while Portland and Oakland are en-
joying the double umpire system. van
Haltren is alone at San Francisco, ana
the same old kicks are heard from
there, arising out of the single man
system. The first game between Sacra-
mento and Frisco this week was pro-
tested on a decision by Van Haltren.
With two umpires on the job there
would be little, if any, chance for mis-
| takes and protests.
Jimmy Toman, former Los Angeles
player and an umpire who gave uni
versal satisfaction during his snort
career last year as q Coast league UNI
! pire and while in the State league be-
| fore the bustup this season, is being
urged by Henry Berry of Los Angeles
and ]. w. Brooks of Vernon, and while
they have attempted to arouse the
| league president to cognizance OF the
necessities of the occasion, they nave
not been extended the courtesy of a
reply to their recent telegram. Toman
| is very popular here because he Is
recognized as competent and fair and
because the fans want to see the double
umpire system adopted, with him as
one of the new men on the job.
The double umpire system could be
adopted without very much addltlonal
expense, as it would necessitate the en-
ployment of only two more men. II
the directors are afraid they cannot
| find two good men for the new JOBS
that would be open Los Angeles will
furnish both men and guarantee them
to be capable, honest and reliable and
universally satisfactory in their work.
Scotty Allen, who has been identified
with baseball in the south for several
wears, is willing to help out, and every
baseball fan in the southland knows
that he is competent in every way.
Attendance figures would grow ma
terially if the double umpire system
was adopted at once, but the magnates
cannot expect the fans to approve the
penny-wise- -pound-foolish policy that
saves a small sum every month and
causes general dissatisfaction among
the fans because of incompetent UNI
piring and unsatisfactory work by the
Indicator men. This is one thing that
the Los Angeles fans feel justified in
kicking about, and the league directors
will not be considering their own
pocketbooks unless they accede.