Evening star., 1912-11-18
BILLY EVANS TELLS GOOD
STORIES ABOUT TIM HURST
Is We'll Fixed Financially, and
Shares Honors With "Silk" O'Lough-
lin in Originality and Hurnor.

was the privilege of the fans to get after
him; he recognized that as part of the
game. And it was also the privilege OF
the players-if they could get by with it,
but it was Sir Timothy's business to see
that they didn't get by, and he knew his
business.
Base ball will never know another Tim
Hurst When he was let out, because Of
his mix-up with Eddie Collins base ball
sists he would still be umpiring If the
wind hadn't been blowing in the wrong
direction the day he was supposed to
have eXpectorated in the eye of one Ed
die Collins of the Athletics. Tim claims
the direction of the expectoration was
straight ahead, but the high wind that
was blowing carried the saliva in the op-
posite direction Instead of alighting on
the field. said saliva used the eye of Col
Inns as a receptacle. So much fuss was
made over the occurrence that it caused
the exit of Sir Timothy from the arena
forever.
No matter how well or how badly Tim
umpired. he always retained his popular
say things to the athletes that would
have gotten the average umpire into a
peck of trouble, but not Tim. He just
wouldn't let the players get peevish. Any
time they were ready to explode Tim was
always able to slip them something that
Immediately put them in good humor AS
a juggler of the English language he
had Webster backed into the discard,
and his line of repartee could not have
been improved upon.
Over half the good base ball stories
have Hurst connected with them in some
way. Some of his diamond sayings will
go down into history as classic. When
the players Of today indulge in tanning
bees no name Is used SO often as that
of Tim Hurst, although he has been out
nf my
ably as long as the game is played the
name of Hurst will be a byword.
Lots of fans wonder how Tim is fixed
financially. Take 1t from me. he has a
lot Of the supposed capitalists envious.
He has several apartment houses that
bring him in large revenue monthly,
and the last time l saw him he was try
ing to interest me In bunch of land
that he had bought near Far Rockaway.
Tim will never die from hunger unless
indigestion causes it,
Tim has made big money as promoter,
starter, referee and Judge of different
away goodly portion Of his bit. Hurst
was one of the original promoters of the
professional marathon races. He not only
promoted many Of them. but usually was
selected as starter or Judge in all the
big events. They tell this story on Tim.
although he denies 1t:
Tim and I were working in New York.
A big marathon race was scheduled for
Saturday afternoon. The week previous
Tim had been allowed a day off, to pre-
side over one of the races. His services
were badly wanted for this event. He
didn't feel like asking Mr.. Johnson to al
low him to lay off, so 1t seemed as il he
was destined to lose the $500 which had
been offered him to preside over the race
Detroit was playing in New York at
the time, and the series was a fairly i'm
portant one. In the eleventh inning of
one Of the games. which was played Fri
day, Elberfeld tried to score from third
on fly ball. with what would have been
the winning run, but proved q rather easy
out at the plate. He protested strenuous
ly, at the same time pushed Tim around
a bit. Watching an opening, Tim put a
right hook on Elberfeld's jaw. Players
then stepped in and stopped the proceed
ings.
President Johnson suspended both Hurst
and Elberfeld.
Those who know say there was method
in Tins madness. Anyhow he presided
at the big marathon and got his $780, His
suspension was raised Tuesday, and a
fine believe, of 800 assessed. Tim was
$4OO to the good on the happening Tim
said he would not have taken the punch
without retaliating under any conditions,
but some of Tins friends who insist they
know claim that Tim courted suspension,
and took the wallop hoping 1t would bring
about that end.