Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-27
BY John (Chiefl Movers.

= and all martyrs to profess
sional sport. Every mans
hand is against them. It's the old
proposition o. trying to serve manv
masters. What pleases one side is
bound to 'peeve" the other and
what may seem fair and square 10
both teams is as likely as not to
raise a belch from the stands
nave never yet felt so low-down.
cCssed mean as to deny the arbi-
tiers my Wholehea sympathy:
still, few-mighty few-of them
always command my wholesome re-
spect.
/ suppose it is simply one of the
necessary evils of the game that
sets apart an official as marked
man. An axiom of our profession
classes the umpire with the Indian.
lie is no good alive. And he hap
pens to be very much in the flesh
from about the second week in
April till the middle of October.
There is no such thing as a
good umpire" says McGraw. "An
are bad, only some are worse than
others"
That sentiment is not original
with the leader of tie Giants. 1t is
the creed of every manager and ac-
tive diamond athlete.
A long experience has taught me
that these common burglars
these "second-story men," ply their
art by daylight only From the
time the last out is made of an
afternoon till the first ball is
pitched the following day you
couldn't find a finer lot of all-round
good fellows. No player can deny
that off the diamond they are
clean-cut square, wise, brainy and
tactful men. In every conceivable
manner they are credit to the
game. Is it not possible that some
of their official faults may be mis-
guided virtues?
No Good From Kicking.
l do not deplore remonstrance
on the part of the Contestants, 80
sportsmanlike channels. Kicking
over decisions never yet has gotten
anybody anything. Yet no player
of red blood with the interests of
his team at heart can submit cheer
fully to what he considers even the
slightest injustice when, perhaps,
the game hangs in the balance.
know that I can not I pride
myself on the fact But I always
try to present my objection as in
extensively a the heat of the stu
alton will permit Personally. l
have little use for rowdyism, and 1
think that my readers will agree
that my record has been very
clean one.
There IS one thing that makes
me sore as a boil-~tighing mad all
over. That is the player who tries
to saddle his faults off on the UNI
pire.
I have found out that it lies to
players best advantage to help as
far as ne can an umpire in the per
Torrance of his duty. | never have
any trouble working in front of
small man like Billy KLEIN. ! could
very easily obscure his view, may
be, if | tried. But if l were so un-
fair I shouldn't expect fairness in
return. | give him every possible
advantage, keeping low and as
much of my body out of his line of
sight as l can.
There is no one I would sooner
work with than KLEIN. He is my
ideal of an umpire. He is reason
able. willing to pay attention to
sensible argument, and possessed of
sound Judgment He never loses
his head, and has the faculty of
taking the best position to see
play properly. Klein is never pre-
cipitate in his decisions He does
not call play until ii has been
made and he is certain of its prop
er judgment.
Let us take the matter of calling
balls and strikes. The arbiter be-
hind the plate is stationary. He
sets himself in such position that
he can see the ball from the time it
leaves the pitchers hands until it
hits the catcher's glove. All he
needs is experience and good eye
sight.
Now. with the batter it is differ
ent. He unconsciously loses the
location of the plate, for he is not
stationary. He sWays in or pulls
back: he steps forward or shifts in.
In delivering the ball the pitcher
loses his gauge. The catcher alone
Of all the players is properly quail
fed to judge a ball that seems to
cut a corner, and often he, through
having to shift at the last instant
is fooled as well as the batter.
With base decisions it is some
what different Some few specta-
tors may be in line with a base, so
as to have a proper gauge on a