Omaha daily bee., 1914-05-31


who holds that no player who
jumped to the Federal league shall come
back into organized base ball. The Sport
ing News, speaking with the authority
of an oracle of the game, well says that
There is no room in this age for the
blacklist" Absolutely none. 1t may Or
may not be right in assuming that many
players will follow Pitcher Frank Smith
in seeking readmssion to organized base
ball, but 1t certainly is on safe ground
when it says.
I Much of the support given the Federals
tby fandom has been based on the idea
THAT organized ball has not in the past
been as liberal in it's dealings with the
player justice demanded. and the Fed
erals were welcomed not because the pub
lie demanded more base ball. but because
1t was the general opinion that their entry
gave the players a lever with which to
u Npry concessions from club owners who
had come to consider the athlete as
mere chattel.
! II organized ball expects to make a
stand in court for the reserve clause in
4 its contracts 1t cannot well take the posi-
Ntion that any player claimed under the
reserve clause and restricted in his enl-
ployment through its operation shall be
denied an opportunity to work when he
indicates a willingness even though de-
'layed, 10 submit to the terms Of the
clause.
Those who know how consistently the
Sporting News adheres to the law of the
game. how untiringly 1t defends It and
how harshy it views its infractions, will
know how great a concession this is. Yet
1t seems to us the veriest wisdom. 1t is
folly for base ball, having suffered its
.chastenings, to lay down the arbitrary
dictum that it alone of all spheres in life
may deny the chance of repentance to
those once transgressing it's laws. That
is more than the state demands. For our
part, we are not sure of this predicted
influx of prodigals. but are sure of this.
that II they come seeking succor at the
fathers gate, they should be given a fair
chance of admission. Else organized base
ball win find a worse fight to face.
Brother Tiperino O'Neill, sit down, we
would a chat with thee We know that
one of your severest trials is getting and
keeping good umpires. Therefore, we are
not going to say a word against any of
your jumps, all of whom seem to be doing
fairly well, much better, we are sure,
than we have had for two or three sea-
sons We would like to offer this one
little suggestion, though namely. to-wit:
That If 1t does not soon occur to these
jumps. themselves. it should be tipped off
to them that they ought to hasten pro-
ceedings on the diamond. There is too
much needless loafing. Sides take too
much time coming and going. Pitchers
dilly-dally about with the ball more than
they have a right to and more than is
interesting or helpful to the game. Fans
don't like it. They very much dislike it.
1t is amateurish and one of clearest dis
tnctions between major and minor base
hal ha h1aa Wi
which games are being handled today on
the larger lots could and should be in
trodueed in the Western league. 1t would
facilitate things very much. 1t may
never be possible for minor league UNI
pires to command the same respect and
therefore maintain the same discipline
as do jumps in the majors and yet we re-
member our old friend. Kelly-Shamokin
Kelly-who officiated in this league some
years since. He never had much trouble
keeping order and il there was a player
on the circuit who didn't respect him,
we failed to observe it. Even team own
ers did his bidding. He was bumptious
about 1t. but he got results. We recall
another, little fellow, too-Mullen. You
never heard players sasslng him, or saw
them loafing Jack Haskell is a fine UNI
pire-none better-and can command the
best of order but Jacks good humor
often permits him to go light on loafer,
and yet 1t rs not Jack at whom our
criticisms are aimed.
Old Joe McGinnity has incurred some
sort of penalty from President Fielder
Jones of the Northwestern league for
stamping on the honorable feet of Um-
pire Shuster. II this is the same Shuster
we tolerated for a while In the Western
league, we cannot much blame the old
Iron Man" And we take It that he is
the same, for we note that Jones has
fired him for a brand OF umpiring that
aggravated the players beyond their
patience.
Ty cobb's absence from the Tiger
une-up means third instead of first place
In the standing for the team. Guess Ty
is worth the money all right
Philadelphia Nationals show the effects
Of Doolan's loss at short. just as the
y Athletics do that OF Barry, although
Barry is not gone, but merely going.
An other Omaha pitcher gone down the
gang plank. Brother Stevenson. The best
we can do is 10 wish him well and that
not because of what he did for US.
Young Brother Hicks ought to make a
wonderful showing in the Federal league,
in view OF the mustard he cut in the
Western.
B Air, Jack Holland acts as il he desired
10 win the pennant