Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-07-01
UMpIRES AND CRIT
Courageous Acts Of the Men In
the Iron Masks.
a FINE DISPLAY or NERVE.
When Billy Evans 5raved the On.
slausht Of a Chicago Mob and Won
out--A Notable Decision by o'Day.
I'm Umpire Who Saved Baseball.


I'm Umpire Who Saved Baseball.
"Umplres are brave men-at least the
great majority of them. One Of the
bravcst things ever saw was the act
OF Billy Evans ON the old White Sox
grounds In Chicago" writes Hugh Full.
lerton In the American Magazine. "On
that park there was tier of seats
known as the 'stockyards. In which
gathered one of the most dangerous
crowds flor umpiresl In the country.
They were regulars who occupied the
same seats almost every day and who
fought for them. The seats. of course.
were not reserved | I hundreds claim
ed n title to certain places. They paid
their quarters. and IL any one was in
the place aud refused 10 move he was
| tossed out and thrown over the heads
of the crowd TO the bottom. That
crowd started after Evans, who had
given close decision .. third base
against Chicago. Evans walked over
on to foul ground back OF first base.
and shower of bottles fell around
him. II looked ms II hundred men
were throwing bottles nj the umpire.
| One bottle touched his cap. several
bounded and struck him. one hit him
on the arm During this bombardment
Evans did not turn his head. He stood
watching the batter. For at least three
minutes the bottles whisted around
his head. The people In the grand
stand shouted for him to run. fearing
he would be killed. The players beg
ged him to move into the diamond
out of range. He stood still with back
to his foes until the batter made n
base hit. then trotted down near Sec
ond base to watch for play there As
| the opposing team took the field few
moments later Evans walked TO the
same position back of first base. and
the crowd that had tried TO kill him
stood up and cheercd him. They rec
ognzed brave man. One fellow
threw bottle. and the crowd pitched
him down the steep steps. passing him
along until he hit the fence.
"The nerviest decision and one of
the most important ever made was
that OF Umpire 0'Day In the worlds
championship game between Chicago
and Detroit on Oct s. 1907. the first
game OF the series which finally ended
In u tie in twelve innings. In the eev-
enth inning Chicago actually scored the
winning run only TO lose II through the
decision of O'Day. a Chicago man and
National Lacquer Sagle was Oh
third base and started home with the
ball back of third In left Geld The
ball was thrown home and arrived
after Slagle had crossed the plate and
was nearly TO the bench Steinfeldt.
who had been batting. was excited.
and when the ball was thrown 10 the
plate wild and wide. he jumped and
let II hit his shoulder and prevented
Schmidt from catching ii O'Day. IN
spite of the fact that Sagle had crossed
the plate and that there wasn't a
chance 10 put him out. called him out
because Of Stcinfeldt's interference.
"There was n close decision NJ Cleve
land one day when Tim Hurst. widely
known rs the 'scrappy imp. was Of
fciating. lsurkett was trying TO score
from second ON hit. The catcher
failed TO touch his foot. but touched his
knee. and Cleveland claimed the foot
reached the rubber before the ball
reached the knee. Hurst called him
out. and IN the wrnngle that followed
expelled Ial Tcbcau, O'COnnOr ana
Burkeii from the game Then ne put
them OF the grounds They left the
playing inciosure. hut nh three had
their heads over gate shomtng nj
Hurst and urging the other players To
avenge them Teheau shouted 10 good
old Deacon Mcguire. who was catch
Ing. Get after him. linn" Hurst
heard. hut was not In position Ia reply
Maguire heard and waited until he
Thought Hurst miscallcd 4 strike Then
he rushed at the umpire NJ top speed
Hurst stood still When Maguire
came near enough Hurst kicked him
on the shins and pokcd his mask INT"
his face Mcguire tell back. aSioniSf'
cd. If you don't like II. lim. said
Hurst softly, give It to Fat ! merely
punched you VIGOROUSLY
UtN 'hNt' "-
plres. forced TO be a bit grmii and to
fight. hut their devotion Ia their work
and their honest effort TO discharge
their duties mark them AZ men OF
high Integrity And they are game.
| saw Bob EmSlie once when n foni
ball struck him over the heart. The
pain was excruciating. His face grew
white. and he set his teeth together
and resumed work. Three balls were
pitched after he was hit. He called
them all clearly Then he collapsed.
falling ms II dead. and was carried of
the field unconscious.
"One night saw politicians. wealthy
men. club owners. argue for hours
with an umpire. All they wanted him
TO say was i didn't sec IT, Upon
those words hung the fate of cham
pionshlp. the future of a major league