El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-03-28
Empires Often Help Win As
Well AS Lose Close Games
Most Teams, However, Think All Close Decisions Go
Against Them and Blame Umpires Accordingly;
Connie Mack Is One Who Believes Breaks
About Average Up For the Season.

Il AIPIRES get credit for losing
Il many bah game hut never win
ming one Did you ever near a
m4uager come out boldly into print and
say that poor decision by the umpire
made it possible for MIN 10 WIN L
never did. Few have ever read OF now
the visiting team was robbed, when a
close decision which might have been
given either way, went IN FAVOR OF inc
home club. The umpire decides as
many games for the home team, as
against il. through the medium OF us
puted decisions. Connie Mack is one OF
the few managers / ever heard say
that on the whole the breaks about
evened up. Most leaders VIII frankly
tell you that they never got close Ge-
cisiOn in their life. There is no deny
ing the fact that there are lot OF
close decisions, ana surely some ono
must get them. The trouble Us lhaL
most managers think they are getting
what they deserve, when a close decls-
ion is rendered in their favor,
Close Decisions Are Often Costly.
1t is really surprising the very I'M
portaut part certain rulings play
which at THE time appear very ordl-
nary decisions. Very often the ruung
out of a player allows the substitute
TO come through with an exhibition
that proves the determining FACTOR N
the game. Very often when q CRUZ ap-
pears to be getting the worst OF
break. the umpire is playing right
into its hands. I once heard a mana
ger rave for a week over ruling that
was given against him, when as a mat
Ter of fact the decision of the umpire
was directly responsible for his team
scoring victory in a very important
game.
In the game in question, the score at
the close of the seventh inning stood
2 to 1 in favor Of the visiting team. In
the first half of the eighth the visitors
added another to their total. making
the count to ] in their favor. Since
the visiting pitcher was moving along
smoothly, the tWO-run lead looked IKE
a mighty good margin to work on. In
the last half Of the eighth the flrst
two men up reached first because OF
errors on the part Of the infield. me
next batter, in attempting to sacrlIlce,
struck out Another error on the part
~ fine inffeld filled the bases. instead
of the side being retired, as II snOulo
have been, the bases were 1llled Win
only one man down.
Manager Came Up for the Pinch
The batter to step to the plate at
this very important moment was tnG
manager Of the club. He was a IelloW
prone to hug the plate cIoselS- ~
first ball delivered was a fast one on
the inside The manager tried ms very
hest to get out of the way or the pan.
1T hit either the bat or the batter IL
was one of those plays on Wnleh me
umpire has to be ~ulded largely ey NE
way the ball Travelled. OSuaill' u -
ball hits the batsman, 1t dOesn trdNe1
very far If it happens TO sIrlAe lIe
"a
occasion the ball went on a fly against
inc wire netting of the grand stand
1t seemed certain that the bali must
have struck the bat The umpire
reached such a conclusion and declare95
SC a foul ball The manager processes
sfrenuouslv. showed where the ball hit
him. and raved in general While 4 l.;t
denying that possibly the pan ola ei,,I nli
some Dart of the hand, the umpire ruled
that it first struck the bat.
A long kick resulted the manager
Insisting that he be sent to first
which would have forced run over
the plate. making the count to 2, VITA
the bases still filled and only one out.
The game was finally resumed, and on
the very first ball pitched the mana ana
bft for q triple. scoring all three runs
ners and putting his team in the LEAD .-..a
by a score Of 4 to 3. The next Two
batters struck out Had the umpire
granted the manager first base, 70
which he claimed he was entitled De
cause of being hit by the pitched BAN:
his team would have scored one lnstead
Of three runs and instead Of leading