New-York tribune., 1910-12-22
TIMELY BITS OF SPORT
Garry Hermann Sides with Ban
Johnson on Umpires.
LEAGUE HEAD TO CONTROL
Cincinnati President Says There
Is No Rule for Deposing
Offending Officials.

Charley Murphy's pronuncianaento about
the control of unpires by club owners has
raised no end Of discussion among inter
ested persons in both leagues, and even so
t.cent and unassuming a man as August
Hermann. president Of the Cincinnati Reds,
has perforce been compelled to break into
print and give his ideas on the question
Mr.. Hermann is authority for the state
raent that there is no such rule in the code
Of the National League which allows the
decapitation of an umpire on the vote of
five owners.
Mr.. Murphy had no sooner got the fatal
words on the umpire question out Of his
mouth than President Johnson picked up
the gage of battle and proceeded TO give
his opinion Of a league which would treat
its much abused umpires in such low
down fashion, adding that the junior or
ganization was far above tactics Of this
nature. President Hermann has now put
in an oar in a manner which viii not
tend to relieve the strained feelings which
exist between him and the Chicago presi-
dent
u agree with Mr.. Johnson in every de-
tail, said President Hermann, when he
read President Johnson's interview on
the subject
"The umpire question should be left en-
+irelv in the hands of the president OF the
league. I don't believe that the club own
ers should have anything to do with the
selection or changing of unpires.
"Ona of the club heads of the Nauonal
T,aaeuo gave out an interview not long
aao advocating the proposition that Wheh
FIVE clubs object to an umpire he shoulo
he dismissed from the staff. There Is no
rula 70 that effect ia the National League
and would be unalterably opposed TO IL
president Lynch of the National League
is not the least bit worried over the state
,,,o,,+s ~ President Murphy, and is rather
inclined 10 treat them either as a mlSduo-
+a+ion or as Joke which the irrepresslnle
o,vnar Of the Cubs has played on Byron
r2ancro4t Johnson. Mr.. Lynch has declared
that he will engage the best Umpires avail
able without fear or favor, having on nle
more than two hundred applications Tor
places on the staff.
A n11rober Of years ago in an effort 10
rrovjde the fans with basepail game
instead Of an oratorical contest between
rIavers and un1pires, John T. Brush 1aIh-
cred Z resolution to the effect that All
rIavers who refused 10 accept decisions
without dissent should DC heavily nned-
This resolution was passed and signed ny
-, or the twelve clubs who were members
of the National League at that time. Inc
r,,ie som became pigeonholed until the
dust OF ages has rendered IL unrecoghlz-
ahIe President Lynch intends 10 do
the regulation
sno-ba- tI1ree-fngered wonder promises
n snring into prominence in the baseball
world as rival to Mordecaf Brown.
Chester L. Nourse, the Red Sox tWlrler'
who made quite a reputation for himself
when he was q member of the Brown Uni
xarsitv nine, was forced to have the thlrd
finger of his right hand an1putated recently
in order to prevent the spread of blood
poisoning.
The 67oer was broken while Nourse was
rlaving ball last season with the Sacra-
,,anto team. where he was farrned by
poston The finger troubled him constantly
,,-,+fl :, operation was determined UPON
II is said that the loss of the finger. VIII
not affect his power as pitcher. and may
make him more formidable II II WORKS OUT
in the manner Of the great Mordecai. who
asserts that he is able 10 get peculiar
twist on the ball by means of n1utilsted
hand.
Toe McGinnity. manager of the Newark
team Of the Eastern League. has prac-
,tcaT1v decided not TO take the team South
fer training next spring. He intends TO
sepd tbe pitchers down TO the old camp at
r,anviIJe. Va. but the regulars viii get into
form at Wiedemeyer Park Ii is probable
mat a short exhibition trip will be ar
-s,,s,ed before the season opens.
1-1,e Phillies are rapidly falling into line
ara making plans to clean things up in
,ha National League next season profiting
hv the trade which was made with Gin
cinnati. George Paskert the former Gin
oinnatt player. signed Up yesterday. and
fba rezvs Of acceptance of terms by John
Titus. the veteran outnelder. and two
Young pitchers, Hugh Chalmers and Shett-
lar has been received Eighteen players
have now signed contracts, and Foee ex-
pects the rest will be in before the first OF
the year