Arizona republican., 1915-06-01
Manners at Ball Games

Complaint was made to The Republican. long after the organization of the Rio Grande league ot the apathy of the Phoenix audiences at ball Ealne~ Evidently this paper misfnformed at that time else there has since been a reform ln that respect for. If noise is sign of healthy interest. the crowd present al the Albuquerque Phoenix same sunday intensely interested This was it should be. \ baseball team can 1arow more vim into it's plays if it is appraised from time to time that the people in the grand stand have not gone sleep. Even new records on the race tracks made in the presence of record-hreallns crowds. Sympathy lends some Jhns the speed of d horse
 But the audience at a ball game should be antellisentlv eTuberant and some of the members or the audience at the Riverside grounds on Sur day For instance. in the first inning Iie Phoenix pitcher did strike his accustomed stride, things broke badly him \ favorite when the umpire announced the battery became in Ten minutes the object of derision by several ill., bred and unsportSmanlike members of the crowd 'Taae him out.' yelled some. .rin the pitcher" cried f young man in a raucous voice. We strae that his fingers were cigarette stained We were about to diagnose his ailment fatty degen- erston of the brain, but, on second thought there could have been that youth such a distressing affliction. This young probably had never seen d league game, but he had read if he can read, in the funny papers that hoodlums that way at league games
 u is not eoo6 form abuse the players. The real sport, the well-br sport. does not do it. partly because he is well bred and partly because he las sense enough perceive only effect his abuse produce upon q player further throw him Q foI;u. Ty Cobb once. and many otl.er players have done time to tine. severely beat hoodlum for being abusive.
 The captain of team always knows better than idiot the grand stand or on the hieachers when take a player out of the game The captain Of also has greater interest in winning the game than any occupant of the grand stand the bIeachers Leave it to the captain
 Popular criticism umpire is not to be commented. though human nature may sometimes uc offered in it. and other tribunals then. sometimes with cause. but frequently. without cause. The best sporting authorities decry abuse of the pire practice calculated interfere with sport by the destruction of confidence in it.
 Sometimes umpires unfit just as judges unit, but umpires. rule. Co be fair They cannot afford be otherwise. for their bread and butter depends upon their record. first, fairness and after that for good Judgment and prompt arpli- cation of rules of the games. An umpire who lacks any these qualities does not last long.
 But the practice of throwing empty pop bottles other missiles the umpire and the players cannot he strongly condemned Fortunately, this disapproyal is rendered impossible at the Riverside grounds by a wire screen placed of the grandstand. primarily for the pur- pose Of keeping fouls it. If it could also be made keep fools out. joy and sense of security would be complete and unalloyed. The Management could double the price of admission get away with and fill the grandstand.