The Alaska citizen., 1912-08-19

10 induce me to accept a position ol his staff of umpircs. He went to Charles Comisky. president Of the Chicago White SoX. for the purpose Of getting the old Roman to use his influence in the effort of got ting me to break into the game. Mir. O'Neill pointed out the fact to ma that the life of an umpire was all roses. had about consented 10 accept when he said; "I'Il give you all the weapons you want 10 protect yourself" That settled il so far as the Western league was concerned. | preferred to he referee
 However. the following season found me negotiating with E. w Dickerson, formerly sporting editor of the News. who was at that time president of the Interstate league. l finally signed to be an umpire. Having refereed fights arl wrestling matches. was chock full Of confi- dence as to my ability to handle the indicator with due precision.
 The last words heard upon my departure from Chicago came from the well known American league umpire. Jack Sheridan. He said Abe keep your eye on the ball The Interstate league has quite a reputation for being rough on um- pires.' But was willing to take a chance as long as l had gone SO far l did not like 10 back out. thought it would he stealing money to be an umpire. Since that time. however I have changed my mind E. W. Dickerson, president of the league. assigned me to open my ca reer as an umpire at Fort Wayne. Ind. one of the largest cities on the circuit, and also one of the toughest for umpircs Fort Wayne was play ing the Flint Michigan team that N'''' -'''''N 'll il''A lIl' N ii'4l W tiS to come and my career as an um- pire began. I marched on the field with the mayor of the town. l made a brief speech the mayor pitched the first ball and the game was on. l never had a nicer or more pleas. ant afternoon in my life. and I he. gan to discrcdit the stories told me about Fort Wayne. There was not a kick during the entire game and Fort Wayne won s to j. l felt pleased with myself and my job es. pecially the next morning. when the newspapers lauded me to the skies saving that l was the best umpire Fort Wayne had seen in years, that knew how to handle players and push the game along. That was the beginning, and I must say that il was very nice. But in the thirteen days that followed, was mobbed just seven times.
 The very next day the trouble started.
 Joe Ganzel, manager of the Flint | team, sent a pitcher to the mound who had everything in the pitching line. inshoots, outshoots. curves drops and change of pace The | boys name was Gilligan and he | pitched every thing he had. Fort Wayne was beaten from the start | The batters tore up the atmosphere | in their vain efforts to connect with 1 Gilligan's twisters, but they never had chance. Jack Hardy, the captain of the Fort Wayne team seeing the team whipped, started tc protest against the way Gilligan de
 iyered the ball, probably hoping tC l rattle him. l decided the delivery vas fair.
 Hardy, wild with indiPnation. kept kicking until I ordered him off th5 grounds. Fred Stahl. a brother oI Chick Stahl, who, at that time. was with the Boston Americans. ther came to the rescue of Hardy promptly put him out of the game also.
 | It was here that I began to real ize that Fort Wayne was no place for umpires. The crowd began tc yell that was related to the James boys and the car barn bandits O Chicago and finally, Hardy, the For Wayne captain. came running out or the field again and started to abuse me.
 There was only one policeman that l could see and l appealed tt him to put Hardy off the field.
 Put him off yourself" he replied and walked away. The game ended with score of to 9, in favor o Flint. AS I was leaving the park was met by Hardy, who had crowd of about 90 hoodlums to bacl him up. And what that crowd dit to me is shameful to tell. They hi me with bricks, stones and every thing they could lay their hands on II had been staggered by a brick
 when Ganzel of the Flint team ant
 his men came to my rescue witt
 baseball bats. They surrounded me
 drove the mob back, and saved me.