The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-01

One of the products of Birmingham is
Scott Chestnut. He is an umpire He
started in the Cotton States league and
made good Last season he worked in
three leagues. He began in the South
eastern and remained hitehed until the
southeastern eaved. He then moved up
to the Appalachian and remained a day
Or two From these he went into the Car
little fellows, and starred. lie has several
offers for the ensuing season. He also
has the promise of Judge Kavanauga
that he will be appointed to fill the first
vacancy which occurs in the Southern
staff.
Following our policy OF doing those
things which our readers request we are
leing to relate this morning the story of
CAesnutt's exit from the Appalachian.
relate II jass as he tells it, In way u
rrefeca i might be we'll to state that the
Appala eis'an is some league when it comes
10 rough tactics. Up in the mountains
they get an umpire every day or two.
and those who get away manage to do so
Dv dexterously lifting his avoirdupoi
ever the inclosing fence, and in the night
season stealing silently away-like the
arabs.
Well. Scott entered. He had been accus-
toned to good behavior on the part of
the players in the Southeastern. AS a
matter of fact, when one afternoon a
ohesty performer of one of the clubs de-
sired to demonstrate his prowess as 81
psd man of the mills, Scott promised to ac-
c.mmodate him after the game After
the game he did. The player was very
sore for some time, and the fans aplaud-
ed-the fans all over the circuit.
So Scott thought that he could control
the field in the Appalachian. So when
one afternoon in the progress of game
Il stranger in citizens dress occupied the
players bench the umpire ordered po-
lceman to send MIN to the erandstand.
Not me-" said the policeman. why,
Ill put you out, but not the Squire And
the Squire still sat chewing his weed,
and expectorating over his shoulder into
the eyes of playful grasshoppers.
The new umpire was very much cha
ssined, but continued the game. In the
ninth inning. following a very close de-
oision. the populace got on their hind legs
and led by the president of the circuit,
PROMISED to take summary vengeance. But
the afternoon finally passed. Scott re-
turned to the hotel deep in thought.
The following morning, after strollinS
round a bit, he came to vacant lot
where every man, woman and child of the
Village was gathered. Everyone was
throwing bricks. The little fellows threw
little bricks. The women threw bricks
of ordinary dimensions and the men threw
roc ks--and rocks as large as your head.
And every time rock was thrown, some
lusty lunged son of the village cried glee-
fully: THAT would have settled his hash.'
Chestnut hung about for an hour deep
in thought, perplexed, amazed. Finally
lie could resist no longer His curiosity
was preying on his vitals like the vul-
ture on Prometheus.
Say" he finally queried, what in the
v orld are all these people doing?'
'eNhy, don't you know came the an
swer by way of a question. why, they
are practicing for that new umpire, That $
all"
That evening the umpire. with the
thought that he had no friend in the
world closer than Birmingham, sat very
quietly at the hotel engaged in conversa-
tion with the landlady.
'.Do YOU know" she said. that You re-
Ieind me of the little umpire who came