Evening journal., 1912-09-23
KEENAN,, imp
KNOCKS THE
TRI-STATERS
BaiterS Wanted to Lynch Him
Because He Played the
Game Square
WOULD BENEFIT HOME
TEAM WHEN DOUBT ARISES

Philadelphia after. season on the
road In the Tri-State League, and. he
is wiser, even if not better man
for his experience, according to A.
NJ. Gillian, sporting editor of the
Philadelphia Record He knows now
that It is hopeless 10 attempt to
satisfy a baseball crowd and be per-
fectly fair and impartial TO the Wis
iting team. and this prompts him to
ask if 1t would not be a good plan
to introduce new rule into the base
ball code book instructing umpires to
give all doubtful decisions to the
home club. Keenan,. whose reputa-
ton for honesty was established when
he refused to officiate at the Johnson
Fitzimmons fake fight at the Wash
ington Sporting Club, thereby not only
losing the fee that had been promised
him for acting as referee, ran up
his position as club referee, ran up
against some very exciting expert
ences as the result of his straight
forward, fearless decisions on the
ball field during the summer. But he
came through all right and is in line
for higher honors IN his chosen pro
fession. The umpire baiters found
him a different proposition than they
had been accustomed TO run up
against, so the killers" soon took in
their signs and tried to show how
good they could be. Naturally Of a
thoughtful disposition. and through a
deire to make good a close student
of the rules, Tommy handed out base
ball decisions that made the Tri-
Staters' hair wave, their tongues wag
and their arm swing, sometimes with
the pop-bottle accompaniment.
Umpire Keenan, talks interestingly
on his seasons experiences and loves
to tell of decisions that brought down
the wrath of the unwashed on his
head. He feels sure that neither
the players nor the managers study
the rules as thoroughly as they
should, and laments the fact that the
average baseball crowd feels called
upon to differ with the umpire every
time he gives decision against the
home team Here are a few compli-
cations that Keenan, ran up against,
told in his own language, Mr.. Gillian
says:
down. Catcher drops third strike;
throws ball TO third; baseman touches
bag and rips ball to second. Second
baseman touches bag and throws to
/ first In each case the ball beat the
runner, who, however. was never
tagged. I declared the batsman out
and the others safe, for which l was
mobbed by the crowd. The decision
was correct for the batsman was out
the minute he missed the third strike,
Notwithstanding the fact that the
catcher dropped the ball. Had the
baseman tagged the runners they
could have made a triple play, but
they made the plays as though the
runners we're forced, which they were
not.
IN another case I was mobbed in
Altoona because Of a bone-headed sec
ond baseman: Man stealing second
baseman had ball waiting for runner
but In place of holding ball in middle
of bag in his glover hand, he barely
/ reached, the inside corner. The runner
came in with a hook slide on the out
side, eluding the ball and glove OF the
baseman. / was right on top of the
play and declared the runner safe
The baseman pulled off his glove and
threw Il on the ground, which started
the wolves after me- and saved hin
roast for his stupidity. Players
who resort 10 the glove-throwing acf
are generally covering up something
Used the Whisk to Cover Up.
1T is not an umpire's duty to offei
suggestions or advice to the members
of either team He's there to judge
the play only. When a 'batsman hits
ball TO the pitcher and fails TO rur
Il out he is not legally out, should
the pitcher fail to throw to first base
until he has stepped out of the bas'
path. / have seen several arguments
over this. the pitcher demanding ;
decision and the runner still standing
on the base line near the plate. Tha
is the time / get very busy brushini
off the home-plate and calling for thu
next batter, but l never make the de
cision until something happens 4
make II legal Uusally the runnel
finally steps off the base path anC
then he can be declared out Th'
pitcher in such a case should throw
to first, no matter what the batsmsr
does.
"A little chap about feet ir
height fouled a ball that skinned the
TOP OF his head and the catcher
caught It. / declared the batsman out
The manager claimed that he was moi
out. since the ball had not trovelec
10 feet in the air. and the crowd seem.
ed to have the same notion. / dom
know where they got that idea. fol
there is no such rule In the book.
"A batsman hit by the ball on his
third strike wanted 20 take his base
but I declared him out, for which the
wolves agreed that ! should be shoi
at sunrise.
<There are many trouble-making
} plays. Here is one Batter hits the
ball over the fence, but fails TO touci
second. The rules say that he mus
/ touch every base. failing in which h
may be put out by touching him o.
the bag he fails to touch with the ball
But the ball has been hit over tn
fence. so there is no ball.
Men on first and second with on
or more out Batter pops up bal
which the umpire declares an 'in1el'
: fly That let's the batsman out, bu
the ball comes down and hits a bas
. runner standing on second. II hardl
seems fair to put out two men on sue
play. but that is the only way GU
under the rules.
Men on second and third when bal
is hit. Man on third starts for home
, but turns back and runs for third
where he finds runner who was o.
second. The claim is often mad
that man who ran back to third