The Washington herald., 1911-07-23
Sandlot Arbiters Competent;
District Has Good Officials

Taken as whole. the amateur
leagues of the District have about as
good men handling the games as could
be obtained anywhere.
Look over this list: Belts, Cleveland,
Handiboe, Hughes. Jenkins, Finnigan'
Sheckles, Brooks, Newman, Irwin, and
Venable.
There is a lot OF. big league Umpire
stuff in that aggregation, and before an
other year is out two of them at least
will be in the professional circuits and
two more will be developed to take their
places.
Billy Belts who is running the games
in the fastest of the many circuits, the
Capital City League, haF been umpiring
ball games for many years, and more
than once refused offers to go into the
big show. Always ready to reason with
an offender and show him where he Is
wrong is one Of the strong points Of Bill.
and to all amateur fans he is the king
of them all.
Lefty Cleveland. who is giving en-
tire satisfaction in the Commercial
League, has been on the Job behind the
bat for the past few seasons, and in the
spring Of the year handled the Gallaudet
College games to the satisfaction of all.
after him and he worked on the hilltop.
League. quick to er.dge a good man,
signed Lefty" and to date only one
kick has been made, and that was sus-
tanned by the league. Lefty" is the
choice of many for the post-season series.
Dave Venable needs no introduction to
the amateur public, as Dave has been
handling the indicator for many years.
In the District League this season Dave
is working in great shape, and no one
has a kick coming. Dave calls them as
he sees them. and that is all there II to 1t.
Shorty Hughes, called the "Czar Of
the Umps." is one Of the best-known dia-
mond officials in the District. Before
starting his career as a handler Of the
Indicator Shorty" was a star ball tosser
and played the midway station with the
best. Now that Shorty is calling balls
and strikes he is the same old leader Of
days gone by. Never allowing any back
talk. Shorty runs the game with an
iron hand and is hacked up by the Sun
day School League. True, shorty goes
who are umpiring anywhere in the world.
That is human nature. Shorty" is of
on balls and strikes once in a while, but
he is seldom caught mapping on ths rules
of the game.
Joe Handiboe, who is once more on the
Job in the R. r. Y. NJ. c. A League, IN
perhaps the only umpire in the District
who has had no kick registered against
him by any team in the circuit. Besides
giving universal satisfaction. Joe gets
lot of life In the game and keeps the
boys on the jump from the start Joel
will most likely land one Of the post
season positions.
Johnny Sheckles has just recently
broken into the umpiring: game, but from
the success of the Olympia League. john
nv should turn out to be an umpire Of
big league caliber.
Dutch" Newman has been in the field
quite a while, but this season, in the
League, has been the best
OF them ALL Dutch Is ever ready to
explain the rules to any one, and in that
way gets more out of the players. |
Dutch" will be on the same Job again |
next season.
Capt Jenkins, who will be remembered
Peters team OF the palmy days, is han
ding the indicator in the Suburban
League. and from all reports is the best
that the Suburban circuit has ever had. |
Capt" is always on the jump and the
game Is full of pep"
Finnigan. the old twirler of the War |