Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-25
.UMP|RES NOT TO
bLAMEF0R DEFEAT
Laporte'S Effort to Touch
HenrickSen Influenced Ball
Game Decision.
ARGUING WITH OFFICIALS
DOES NOT HELP SPORT
Joe Engel May Oppose 0'Brien
in -Today's Contest.
Base Ball Gossip.
BY J. ED GRILLo.

There is no occasion for blaming the
umpires for yesterdays defeat. The de-
cision at third base. which caused the
protests and wrangle. may have been a
doubtful one. yet 1t is questionable If any
umpire would not have taken the same
view. that did Diheen and Hart, both of
whom declared Hen,lcksen safe
There is no doubt that Groom got the
er there. but Iaporte's action in trying
do was to have his foot on the bag, un-
had missed the base. Both D.neea and
Hart declared Henricksen safe and their
decision was Simultaneous, Dineen hav-
ing run toward third the instant the play
was apparent. An experienced third
baseman could not have missed the play
and 1t was the fact that Henricksen was
apparently out by feet that led to the
protest. and yet the ump:res may have
been absolutely correct in their ruling,
for the very good reason that Laporte
indicated that he did not have his foot
on the bag when he made an effort to
touch the runner.
This practice of wIangling with the UNI
pires has never helped team. Yesterda y
Groom went skyward after his teammates
had the run-in with the umpires. There
was long delay. which the public de-
spises and aside from seeing Manager
Griffith and Schaefcr chased from the
field really nothing was accomplished
Empires are only human. They are sure
to err. but 1t is questionable il there has
ever besn an umpire who did not give
decisioEs as he saw them, even though
his judgment be at fault.
Groom was really responsible for the
trouble he got himself in in the ninth The
walking OF Henricksen. the first man up.
paved the way for the Red Sox rally.
Hoopers bunt, which Gandil picked up
would have retired HOOPER at first where
Morgan was covering had not Groom in
tercep:ed the ball which Gandl had
thrown to Morgan. On the very next
play. a bunt by Yerkes on which Hen
ricksen should have been forced at
third. came the decision above referred
to and Speakers long fly to Milan al
lowed HenriGk:en to score. Mcbride
picked up Lewis grounder and threw to
GandiI, who. instead of throwing home
and intercep.ing Hooper, first touched
Lewis and then hts throw to the plate
was late. Gardeners single and EngeIs
three-bagger followed and four runs were
over the plate. Brilliant support had
saved Groom earlier in the game. In
the fourth. for instance he walked
Yerkes and Speaker. but Ainsmith nailed
both OF them trying to steal second and
prevented trouble.
Ray Morgan is playing brilliant game
at second. Ills work in the field during
the past two days has been of the best
and he is also hitting we'll.
There will have to he vast improvement
In the catching department. of the Boston
team. If Carrigan's showing here is a
criterion. before the Red Sox can hope to
repeat In the three games the visitors
III IS hov
stolen nine bases. They have been able
to advance without much trouble when
ever they saw fit and any team which
cannot stop base running is shouldering
tremendous handicap. Ca.risan caught
all these games and his throwing was
far below the standard.
1t Is likely that Joe Engel will be sent
in against the champions today. Engel
has always been fairly successful against
his game, O'Brien is likely to be worked
against him.
1t was not the intention to play Milan
yesterday. Milan suffered all night be-
| fore from an unset stomach and Griffith
had planned to put Calvo in center fie ID
/ Milan. however, decided to try to play
| and he went through the game not ONLY
fielding brilliantly. but getting couple
| of base hits.
/ AS rule Griffith does not believe In
sacrificing during the early innings of a
game This has been his system during
the past two seasons. but he switched
l on as the result of base hits in the
/ first inning sent Laporte up to sacrifice
| Laporte popped up and the two hits wer.
subsequently wasted.
| 1t would have been a splendid game 1,
/ win. Fsa1 five innings the Nationals couII