The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-02-04

There comes a time In nearly every
sport when the officials are CHARGED
with some form OF fragrant or subtle
crookedness. Take racing, boxing.
and nearly all the rest and go back
through the histories OF these sports.
and IL will be discovered that charges
OF crookedness have put the crimps
in all OF them. Once, when / was /,
very young man. my father gave me
this advice; Never bet on anything
that can talk"
But l have changed my mind about
this tip since entering the Big League
baseball. For. II you will go back
through baseball carefully. you will
ma that there Is only one shadow OF
hint rejecting on the absolute in
tegrity OF the umpires. and this did
not amount 10 anything. as the whole
report was due to the Vaccinations
OF certain gamblers and has resulted
IN most owners OF baseball clubs en- %
forcing strictly the rule against ad T.
uniting gamblers TO their parks. This
~ the one element which could hurt
the growth OF the game. The single
instance ] refer TO was the occa>>on
OF the playing-off contest to decide
The championship OF 1908. when the
cubs and Giants met as result OF
the tie on the seasons race. II was
reported then that one OF the UNI
pires had been approached.
Now. ! happen to know that this
was no reflection on the honesty of
baseball. Rather, IL was a boost for
II, because that umpire turned the
agent down and took the matter up
with his bosses. The agent represen-
ted a certain element of gamblers
Baseball was completely cleared or
the charge.
The business OF umpiring requires
great nerve and certain decisions
have been made which clearly indi-
cate the absolute honesty OF the Of
ncials. Many jumps" have told me
mat. when working in a contest,
they pay attention TO only the plays
that they have to Judge and do not
follow the game. in this way insur-
ing themselves against any show of
partisanship.
II call each play as see it," Klein
Informed me one day when the sub
Ject was under discussion. often 1
have had no idea what the score is.
Sometimes | do not even remember
which teams are playing. and IL new
er comes into my head whether I am
calling IL for or against the home
boys"
"of course. We all have our bad days. 90
JACK Exam OF the American League
s,an remarked once. We hake boots
Just the same as you hall players do.
Dut We are In the trying TO call them
ilght. have seen an afternoon when
both teams have been kicking on my
calling OF balls and strikes, so | know
must he or. but on these bad days At
Eehcraily amounts to about an even
break"
1t was on September %. 1905. that
HANK ODay made one OF the tough
81 ueclslons ever put up to an umpire.
The details OF that battle are familiar
to most followers Of baseball. but I will
outline the situation. The Giants and
tubs were IN nip and tuck race for
the pennant. In those days. the Chi
New York. and the score on this after.
noon was tie when the Giants went "a
bat for their half Of the ninth.
With two out, Mccormick had reached
hrst base, and Merkle then a youngest ~
with his regular position on the bench
was sent TO bat as a pinch hitter Is
made good. singing so soIidIy that the
heavy footed Mccormick reached third
Eridwsn the next batter. hit FOR a base
and Mccormick crossed the plate hut
Merkle instead OF touching second ran
Tor the club house as had been the Gus
tom around the league under the cir
cumstances all season. This same piay
had come up in Pittsburgh previously
that season. and the cubs we're watci1irI
Tor ~ that day as we found out later
Evans and Tinker struggled through
the crowd Of fans that had swsrmed
had been hit to center. Most Of ths
Giant team had rushed after Mcrllc o.
The club house; believing the game to bs
mixing Of what was coming or. and Ne
managed TO get hold 81 tho ball and
throw u away over third base. hopinE
that fan would grab u and beat Il
with ~ as a souvenir But Evers foi.
loved the BAH IKE a fox terrier after .
could get ~ again. and touched second
base Tor what ne claimed to bc a
II seei.s that the cubs had secret,
warned Hang O'Day. in charge Of tn
SANE 70 watch for the play. and h'
the storm broke. lie was half way T.
second base from the home plate. and
completely surrounded by crowd. wher
he declared Merkle 20 be out Tmme,4i
ately, he was the TARGET 81 bottles an,
cushions. and ~ was tough hght foi
him and the police 70 reach shelter AN
merits Of that decision hut I want \,
say that DO called ~ az he saw ~
tngush he was entirely euncshcd boz q
body of hostile home ru1fcra. who vrrr.
ready ~ tear him limb from tree ir
important same That was = tough test
II Empirical honesty
Before thc iaet worlds serlee nom,
~ us Flarfe llkrd Tommy" ConuoIft
the American League umpire any fo.
Vol some of ua did not EXPECT an, oi
hind the plate and chile faciirr wa.
Irohahly founded ON prejudice alone
,towsyer' We were All skerticsl vher
We INST battle pf the series vcul
against ue ana Connolly was 90 have
charge ~ the second game
Then came that ninth inning with tbs
three Athletics on the bases ana non.
g9t Win just thc one run needed for q
runner dn trird base one "a tbc &C.,,
men o. Connie Macks team Whef
{ns pres lnF situation arose % looked
IKE tnn break uf the battle. and fh.
NeW h'rE inf'ld gathered around m.
Tor conference
Hemembrr. sfrunk o. fast man
flar in close ana got the bail awns
quick NJ there ls a. chance for - play Il
TIE plate r told them
iapp. % VIII Do recalled. hlt f1 Wits,
Who made an eEtrHordluarv good stop
shoot it heard Uerz0E velu be-
niud me ir hiH rifrrIrg tones. ne 0 FOL
loved The ball with mv eye.
Wlifee made bic throw. and uu eri
VS. fastened on Mclean. the Sew YufI
catcher
-trrnt vac close un 10 Die goal DO
Tore fhe hHll arrived Mclean grabbed
~ arl stabbed FOR fHr sliding runuer
~ loofcd fD uf Ha f rfrInE hfI scored
HNd Then Thought of Connolly THO
nfNf D Know Hf NHrIfd
You rU nuft
'Did Enu ref hIm"' ratrd .rarr,.
"hru reached fHf base
kcIFan
Connolly o. au right ADDED Mc.