Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-04
Umpire TIM HURST
DIES OF POISONING
AT MTVERSVLLE, PA.
Famous Sport Figure
Stricken With Acute In
digestion, Which Devel-
oped Into Uremic Symp-
toms.

r,r, Hurst the former American League
.r,rlre and referee Of many OF the great
s1,,o hattles in this country, died Of acute
"s,sos,,on today at Mlnersville, Pa,
No. he had gone to attend the funeral
relative. The death Of Hurst marks
~. nessIng of ono Of the most famous
s.,res of the national game
tI,rst WAS probably the most popular
"a vet the most feared umpire ever
eonnected with the natlonal RuHlc
~ nopular because of his remarkaple
WI IA feared because Of his prowess
VIZ lie fats Hurst always tried to
WIZ W. aeht with wit, but when that
Ua,ied he took things In his own hands
lN',e~, ,e~,,,roeded to fight the offending ball
player. .,. .,,,,,tro Hurst bad
,,ore physical clashes with bail play
nan any other man ever connected WIN
me game. and ii has often peeh sald
~, no was the only official who could
e,a game properly when the famous
rni.in,orc orioles and Cleveland Spiders
. ntaytnr These teams were noted
tor ibeIr scrappy playing, and they did
not mind roughing an oppohcn. OF settihg
INTO brawls with spectator.
Inrst,s pugnaclous disposition was
.,,antuollv the cause Of his undolng, as
no was discharged from the American
Teegue staff Of umpires In l1J Tor spit
fling in the face of Eddie Collins ana
splking him on the foot at shioe PARK
sor nrotesting a decision In o manner
tbot was not pleasing to Hurst. The
samous official regretted this act. as he
realized that Collins is one Of tho clean
sst plavers i'm the game. He would nor
anoloqize to save his position. but as soon
as he was discharged he went to Collins
and offered an apology. which was ac-
cepted. II was typical of Hurst who
was always defiant of both players and
league officials Hurst would rather lose
a position than admit he was wrong,
but would willingly admit ms mistake
short time after,
Hurst was born at Ashland, Pa, on
June SO 1865. and started his career as an
umpire in the Pennsylvania State League
IN 1883 In 1889. he went to the Southern
League, which, however, dsbanded in
July and he finished the season as an
umpire in the Western Association. In
1890 he was engaged by Minneapolis as
manager Hurst had n fight with one of
the owners and quit this job Mt the close
of the season. Nick Young, president Of
the National League, signed Hurst as an
umpire i'm 1891, and he continued as a Ma
tlonal League umpire until 1895 excepting
In 1896 when some of the clubs objected
TO him because he had refereed several
boxing matches during the winter In
1895 he umpIred in the Eastern League
under p. T. Powers, now president of the |
Newark Federal League Club. In the |
spring of 1898 he was engaged to manage |
the St Louis Browns, known as one of .
the toughest clubs the game has ever
known, One season of managing was |
enough for Hurst, 1t is said that he
licked almost every member of the club |
during that season for dissipation and |
mutiny. He gave up the position in dis
gust and went back TO umprng i'm the |
National League. He remained in the Ma
tional League until August 1902 when he
again quit because President Pulliam OBJ
1ected to his acting as referee of the
Rubin fight. He returned to
the staff in 1908 and remained until the
close OF 1904. He was then engaged as an
American League umpire by Ban Johnson
IN 1900 He remained on the American
League staff until the Collins incident in
ivy Since that time he has refereed prize
hghts ana has been interested I'm six-day
bicycle and horse racing. He was reputed
10 be wealthy and has lived a life of ease
Tor the past five years.
When informed of Tim Hurst's death,
Aianager Mack of the Athletics, said that
tne game mad lost one of its greatest
characters and one who had done much
70 bring the game to its present high
standard
Hurst lost his head at times, and this
Was eventually his Lndoing" said Mack,
out he did more to stamp out rowdyism
man any other official l have known. He
was fearless and one of the gamest men
ahO ever handled an Indicator. In the
ia days, when an umpire had a harder
lass OF men to deal with, Hurst used
oree when necessary. and l never saw
I'm gel the worst Of an encounter with
! player And at the same time he was
ways friend of the player and l have
~ @'so seen MIN 20 to the aid of a player
,ho was being mobbed by a spectator
more than 1nce. l can remember one in
lahce IN particular where he took an
"lul licking from a gang OF blencherites
protect a player l am certainly
~. noekea 81, TO hear of his death, because I
aw asw MIN alive and healthy and full of
,a as own humor Just a few weeks ago.
ie game has lost great man in the
cath of Tim Hurst"