Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1912-09-28
KNOPF TALKS
OF HIGHLAND
VANDEVER GAME

To the Sporting Editor of THE
EVENING JoURNAL-will you kind
ly allow little of your valuable
space for the following
Az a player in the Highland-Vande-
yer game, ] would like to make a
few statements regarding that game.
As all the fans know, the ending OF
hat game was far from satisfactory.
ended in a disgraceful scene, and
owardly assault upon Mr.. YER
%, Highlands first baseman. The
playing rules of baseball were in
fringed upon, and a protest was sent
In which went against Highland Jack
Lynch, Highlands manager, at first
did not wish TO consider a protest, as
he did not wish to be called sore
head but urged on by ball fans,
sent one in.
The decision rendered by the board
OF arbitration was unjust for the
simple reason cannot see how they
can render one on the umpire's testi-
mony. He claims he could not see
the runner cross the plate. and then
states there was no crowd on the
playing field until after the run was
scored. II he was not sure he could
not see the runner cross the plate
for some reason OF other chat run
ner bringing In the winning rum,
how can the board of arbitration
bring in a decision on that assump-
ton? He also claims he did not sec
the attack on Mr. Vernon. In (ct
he did not see anything that violated
baseball rules I'm the ninth inning.
| Now. am not a "sorehead," / am as
good loser as the next one. I have
played ON a ball team which did not
win one single game all season, and
was just as happy after the game
as before, and with a smile on my
face.
The conditions I had to pitch under
in Saturdays game made me play II
on my nerve and | admit the smile
was not there. ! did not wish the
game 10 be played over for my own
personal satisfaction, but to satisfy
fandom. A game won as was that
one can be no credit to Nandever. II
has not satisfied all parties con-
cerned
II Vandever had beaten us by a
decisive score ] would be the first one
to congratulate them l think l never
met a better bunch of ball players
than Vandever's team They are
gentlemen in every respect, for |
have known many of them for sew
eral years. but the abuse and lam
guage had to endure from the Van
devers' spectators, especially older
men, on Labor Day morning. and In
the presence OF ladies', was not bent
ting to common street rabble, and
were manager of that team and
could not make my rooters control
themselves and at least show a little
respect for the visiting team I would
transfer my games 10 neutral
grounds.
Now / have finished. AS II now
stands fandom is not satisfied and
Highland has received a raw deal.
Had the manager of Wanderers team
been true sport and had faith in his
team. he would have sanctioned the
game to be played over again, but for
some reason or other he has failed
10 see il that way. ! do not aim this
article az the members of the board
of arbitration or the Vandever play
ers, and cannot censure them, for
they cannot do otherwise than ac-
cept the testimony Of the umpire, but
the unsportsmanlike attitude taken
by Vandever's manager in this affair
Is not conducive to popular baseball.
Yours In sport,
Samuel Knopf.
Wilmington. Del, Sept q, 1912.