Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-08-01
BASEBALL STANDARD
DUE TO THE UMP|RES
President Lynch Says High
Standing OF the Game May
Be Credited To Arbiters.
FEW WITHSTAND THE ABUSE
Holders Of the Indicator are SUBJ
iected To More Mistreatment
Than Falls To the Lot Of
tho Players.
FEW WITHSTAND THE ABUSE
New York. Special: President Thomas

New York. Special: President Thomas
=. Lynch of the National league, be-
Heves that the high standard of or
gained baseball Is due in a large
measure to the integrity Of the profess
sional umpires. He declares that the
umpires stand more abuse from spec
tators and players than players would
be willing to stand up under. Mr..
Lynch is of he opinion that nine
driven back to the minor leagues if
they had to take. day in and day out.
the criticism, abuse n scorn heaped
upon even the best arbiters.
In the following interview, MI. Lynch
expresses himself fully in defense of
major league umpiring. The interview.
verbatim, follows:
Baseball would have a lot more Hans
Wagners and Ty Cobbs if the profess
sion kept pace with the unpiring. Fan
dom is too apt to pass snap judgment
upon the arbiter. I do not hesitate to
say that not one player in 10 would
stand half the abuse to which even the
ablest officials of the play are subject
ed, and still be able to hold up his
head. If the fan got after the ordin-
airy player as the players themselves
get after the indicator wielders, ] am
sure many Of our present stars would
be driven back to the minor leagues in
short order.
I have been criticised in some quar-
ters for backing up my umpires and
for banking SO heavily on their word in
8 question Of dispute. Why shouldn't
I do so? I know every heartbeat
of these fellows. I did not umpire four
teen years without having experienced
the prejudice, rancor, bias n unpopu-
larity with which both crowd and play
ers regard an Official at times. Still. 1
am inclined to believe that much of the
fault lies with the player-not with the
crowd or umpire.
A player too often tries to cover his
own sins by showing them onto the
umpire. He is fooled by the opposing
close decision. He doesn't wish to face
the music Of a call from his manager.
So he makes a demonstration against
the umpire. and tickle fandom is all
ways too willing and too eager to help
him out.
I contend tina a player has no more
right to belittle an umpire than an UNI
pire would have to belittle him. What
a farce it would be if, after a batter
famed on q ball two feet wide of the
plate. the umpire should grasp him by
the shoulder and belittle him before the
eyes Of the public by showing them
how far wide Of the plate the pitch was.
"Oh," would say the Official. you bit
at that one. you big bonehead. and 1t
was a foot to the outside. You ought to
De OaCK In the UTUSu. WIdI 10 YOU
know about playing major league ball?
Solid mahogany"
That would cause some sensation
wouldn't it? I guess it wouldn't be a
knockout for both players and fans?
Yet it would be nc more ridiculous or
unjust thar a player belittling the UNI
pire. !.
Fred Merkle is one Of the greatest
players In the world today. He would
be great If he couldn't play half SO
we'll. He has a heart of a lion. How
many men. do you think. could have
stood up under the criticism he took for
failure to touch second base in that
memorable game Of 1908? Public. press
and fraternity took good are that he
v forgot the fact Of his blunder
until he had lived the matter down by
proving his real worth. Not n in a
/. million had to surmount the obstacles
that confronted Merkle. That's why I
think SO much of him. In my opinion
he is one Of the gamest fellows In
baseball.
Do you know how many would have
stood the gait? Well. I can, perhaps.
give you a little idea. I'll not mention
any names in this anecdote. The player
to whom I refer II now n Of the
most successful managers In the big
leagues. I wal umpiring a game at
the city he represented. For years this