Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-27
Had Competent Man Been in
Charge, Yesterdays Forfeit
Would Not Have Occurred.
GRIFFITH WIRES A LONG
REPORT TO BAN JOHNSON
League President Is Likely to Stand
By His Arbiters-Engel's
Motion in Dispute.
BY J. ED GRILLo.

for allowing the game to be forfeited
yesterday, such thing could not have
happened had competent umpire been
in charge Any one who has witnessed
major league games has often seen an
umpire pull his watch when dispute
was or. yet this is the first time in the
history of the American League that a
game has been forfeited. Chill. after
waiting the stipulated minute. did not
go through the usual process of asking
the disgruntled players whether they
were ready to take the field. Instead
he made the announcement that the
game was forfeited.
Engers delivery in the fourth inning
was no different from what it was in
the previous sessions. If it was illegal
in that round. it was so in the first,
yet Chill did not make any complaint
until the bases were full in the fourth
Griffith made the followinci statement:
When Chill began to call balls on
Engel, with Oldring up l walked out
10 Engel and told him to stand per-
fectly still on the rubber to pitch. which
he did The ball cut the plate but Chill.
nevertheless. called it a ball I know
that that one ball was delivered accord
Ing to the rules. and Chilfs decision
was absolutely incorrect.
Griffith sent q lengthy report of the
incident to President Ban johnson last
night. in which he made vigorous pro-
test against Chill and Sheridan. The
chances are that there will be develop
ments in the case some time today.
Joe Engers position on the rubber when
delivering the ball was the cause for the
forfeiture of the game yesterday. Chill
warned him as early the second in
ming that he was violating the rules but
he did not hand out any punishment I'M
til the fourth after the bases were full
Then he called strikes balls. forced in
s.Vnd feyr TO fn~o in
another when Griffith ran up to him to
demand an explanation. Chill immedi-
ately pulled out his watch. and. walking
around behind the plate, suddenly yelled
out, game forfeited AS a rule. when
an umpire pulls the watch on a team he
gives one final warning before he forfeitS,
but Chill failed to do this.
The score at the time stood to 0
in favor of the champions. but, with
Bush pitching. this was by no means a
safe lead. and there was good chance
to overcome il before the game was
over. All chance of this. however. was
eliminated when the forfeit was made,
for the teams then left the field, and
the official records will show that Phil
adelphia beat Washington. to 0.
Just why a combination such as Chill
and Sheridan furnish is allowed to UNI
pire in the American League is not
known. Chill is generally regarded as
incompetent. is too small to stand be-
strikes. SO takes a position just about
three feet to one side. Incidentally, he
does not seem to be familiar with the
rules, and apparently lacks the ability
to rule correctly on balls. This was
demonstrated on several occasions yes
terday, to the satisfaction of the parti-
san crowd. which hooted. One of his
glazing mistakes came in the ninth in
ming. when Bender had three balls and
no strikes on Milan, the first man up.
The next ball pitched was outside and
on the ground. and yet Chill called it
strike: and Milan. instead of walking,
was thrown out at first on a ball he
hit to Collins. Chill missed strikes all
day for both teams.
His side partner, Jack Sheridan, was
retired five years ago because his eye
sight was failing. He was thought to
have been Densioned, but was renovated
to make the world tour last winter, dur
ing which he was missing several oc-
casions, yet he is allowed to offieate at
championship games with an apparently
Incompetent man as assistant.
If memory serves right. this is the first
game to be forfeited in the history of
the American League. There is heavy
fine in the rules imposed on the man
ager who allows this to happen, and for
this reason no one ever INDUCED in the
practice until yesterday.
1t Is, of course, exasperating to have
a game deliberately taken away by some
umpire, but the situation is not going
to be helped by simply allowing the
umpire to make legal gift of the vic
tory to rival. Surely there was no
chance TO pun the game out of the fire
after the forfeiture. But Griffith was
mad as a wet hen and refused to order
his players to their positions when told
to do so. Chill did the unusual when
he failed to give final warning that
he would forfeit the game before taking
that action
&1,i1Y -i,<,
make any protest against Engers way
of pitching until the bases were loaded
In the fourth. 1t was while this con-
dition existed that Ira Thomas. the vet
walked over to Chill behind the plate
and called his attention to EngeTs way
Of pitching. Right there and then Chill
began to call strikes balls. regardless OF
where they were pitched.
Engel had walked McInnis to star,
the fourth. and Strunk had come
through with hit. Barry sacrificed
and il was thought best to walk
Schang. who looked dangerous This
came out all right. for Bush struck
out Then Chill walked Murphy, and he
had Oldring three-quarters of the way
down TO first by calling three strikes
balls. when Griffith and his players
protested.
The forfeited game, of course goes
against the Nationals. to o. and gives
the Athletics that much more of an edge
vi inc lOT, 1rlIIlti
has protested, there is not apt to be
anything done by Ban johnson, who is
sure TO stand by his umpires-
What Doc Ayres does not know
about pitching to Frank Baker would
I'LL volumes. The Doc" made the seri.
Gus mistake yesterday of growing the
ball twice on Macks slugger and two
long home runs over the right field
fence resulted. On both occasions there
was a runner on and Two out, and the
two clouts netted four runs. Later or
Baker drove out long fly, which al
lowed another runner to score. thu.
doing more than his share of the run
producing for his team.
Growing the ball in the pinches is
fault which several of Griffith's pitch
ers have. Ayers undoubtedly jeopardizet
himself by doing this with Baker up
and Boehling was guilty of it in tn,
tenth inning of the second game when
with Strunk on second. he grooved tn,
first ball pitched to Schang with til,
result that hit to left followed which
won the ball game
Douglas Neff broke into the gam
for the first time yesterday. taking Nc
Brides place at short in the ninth an,
tenth. after Williams had been sent 4
bat for the captain in the ninth. Nef
had but one chance that of high fl,
Collins popped up for him. and he neve
got to the bat.
Though there were just about ZOO
paid admissions at Shibe Park yester