Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
FAILURE TO FOLLOW GAME
CAUSES FUNNY HAPPENINGS
Mistake in Number of Outs Results in Players
and Unpires Figuring IN a Ludicrous
Situation in Contest at NewYork.

the players were the ones confused as
to the number of men retired. 1t pro-
as there was no way to remedy the
trouble.
A double-header had been staged on
the Sunday in question in st. Louis. The
Browns had been soundly trounced in the
first game and We're getting an equally
severe trimming in the second. The fans
naturally were in anything but a pleas
ant mood as result of the poor showing
Of their favOrites. AS is usually the case.
they forgot about base ball. and started
to have just as much fun they could
at the expense Of the players and UNI
pires..
Pinch Filters Caused Mix-Up.
In st. Louis it was customary at that
time. to have special policemen in charge
OF the exit gates. One of their duties was
to unfasten these gates just as soon as
the last man of the game was retired. in
order to make 1t easier for the crowd to
get away. In the last half of the ninth
In the second game a number of pinch
h1tters were sent into the fray to try to
start a belated rally Dode Criss was the
first pinch hitter I believe, and flied out
Art Griggs was then sent up to hit for
some one. With the count two and two
the pitcher sent up ball over the heart
OF the plate. mighty close to the knee 1t
ball or strike. and there wouldn't have
been much of dispute. called it ball.
but Griggs evidently thought it was a
strike. as he started for the bench. Be
cause of the noise of the crowd. it was
impossible to hear the call of the UNI
pire. 1t was also before the system of
raising the right arm for a strike was in
vogue. When Griggs started on trot to
the bench. the crowd naturally thought
he was out on strikes. making the second
I cric
going to the bench to change bats. When
he made no effort to return l called him
back and informed him he had another
strike coming to him.
1t was impossible for the officers in
charge of the outfield beacher exits to
recognize Griggs as the same man. Ii
am not mistaken ] believe it was Griggs'
frst appearance before st. Louis crowd
lie hit the very first ball pitched to the
second basenan and was retired at first
Just as the ball struck the first baseman $
glove the exits We're thrown open, and be-
fore the people could be made to under
stand that only two men We're out at
least 1850 people were swarming over the
neid. An effort was made to clear the
park. but to no avail. The third out in
the ninth inning of that game was never
completed.
Hurries This Game.
A minor league umpire who worked in
the Ohio and Pennsylvania League in
1910 tells me of happening in that Or
ganizatiOn that is even more incredible
than the two have related. l can easily
see how the umpire got mixed. because
half the time the umpire has no idea as
to the score or inning. Very often after
a game l am a bit in doubt as to the final
score.
In this contest. the opening game of the
season at Akron, the home team won 4 to
1t remained for the small boy who
Kept the scOrebOard to break up the
game In some way he added an extra
inning, and when Youngstown failed to
score in the first of the eighth players
and spectators left the field. thinking the
game was over. as the scoreboard showed
eight completed innings when Youngs-
town went to the bat. Attention was
called to the error by the scorers. just
as soon as they could get to the umpire,
but 1t was impossible to get the athie, es
back and the game was never finished.
Some funny things happen in base ball,
believe me.
Copyright. 1913 ly W q. Evans)