Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-29

graphing IN one DAY than l did in a
week. But I had the reputation, and
one word from me was worse than a
hve-minute GRAFTON from another
player.
IF two men were held up in front OF
this hotel tonight, what would happen
The detectives would find out just how
the Job was done, and would start out
to hunt suspects. They might come
across Hold-up Pete in the neighbor-
hood. and he would go behind the bars
away from the scene of the hold-up al
the hour when it occurred, he would
have small chance to escape. He had
! the reputation, and he must suffer.
That's the way with me. They lab
eled me Human Crab When the
field am blamed, although I may be
recently Gowdy and Schmidt argued
| with an umpire and ] was miles away
the occurrence as more of the dis
graceful Evers tactics.
Umpires Forewarned.
"In recent years three umpires who
joined our league proved to me what a
reputation will do for you. A close
play would come up, and before l had
chance to look in the direction of the
| ump he would say: I've heard about
you, Evers; not a word out of you, or
out you go!' In other words was
convicted of being crab by len on
hearsay. They didn't give me trial
And all three jumps. used virtually the
same words.
Let me ask you something: Did you
ever hear a man say that Evers as
much as laid a finger on an umpire:
If he said that he lied. This is my
fourteenth season in the National
T Nd I how oh
as tapped an umpire on the chest pro-
tector with my foreffnger, the way
some of the players do.
Find me q ball player who will say
that 1 ever Intentionally hurt an OPP
ponent. They come into second base
spikes first and cut me until the blood
runs into my shoes. l don't say a
word. l don't resent it or crab. about
1t. ! go to the bench when the inning
is ended. have the cut dressed and con-
tinue to play, and most of the time
nobody knows l am hurt-not even the
player who cut me.
Il never touch an umpire and I never
engage in physical combat with a
player; yet they call me the Human
Crab and when the Boston team fights
clubs do, they refer to 1t as 'Evers'
tactics It's tough, l think"
Evers particularly resents the volume
Of criticism which has descended upon
him in the last month. largely because
of the quarrel he had with Umpire
Quigley in Boston and the spat with
Fred Clarke in Pittsburgh. This was
learned when mention was made of the
fact that he said he never touched an
umpire or player, and yet he was
fighting with Clarke.
Yes, it makes no difference what
happens; if Evers is in it it is roWdy-
ISM" he declared. Now. l did not
\ - yaI
They said l stepped on his foot and
cut through his leather shoe. 1t really
is funny when you stop to consider
that since l have broken my leg twice
/ have had my spikes filed down until
they are quite short and have fiat
|. surface. l offered to let President
Tener wear any pair of base ball shoes
l owned and walk on my face and bet
money that he would not break the
skin. Then l asked him how he expect
ed me to cut through pair of heavy
leather shoes. such as an umpire
wears. AS matter of fact, Quigley' s
shoes already had been cut by another
player and because l am known as the
The Clarke-Evers Row Discussed.
The alleged fight with Clarke was
nothing more than a little fiare-up.
and it did not happen on the ball field,
but under the players bench. Fred
was kidding me and l was kidding
him. Then we both became serious and
finally he grabbed me by the throat.
We were separated before we ex-
changed a blow, and the 'disgraceful
fight that you read about in some of
the newspapers was nothing more than
a verbal exchange and threats to do
more.
Personally, don't mind these criti-
rl,, Il, II
My business is to win ball games. and
just SO long as my conscience is clear
and know / have done no man a
wrong. l can forget what they say
about me. But when magnates in our
league begin to say that Johnny Evers
Is a disgrace to the game, and rowdies
of his type should be banished from the
national pastime. then | am going to
CHI fhppn SOnefhfpg TIL give them