The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-22

This young Richard Robertson IS apt to resent with his fists language ad dressed to him which he deems inn proper. He staged a brief battle at Redwood Field yesterday afternoon when he came to blows with Thomas Tennant, the Gull recruit first base man, who was on the coaching lines
 Robertson claimed that Remnant had been riding him all during the game, and that as he walked from the box he addressed him as yellow, and added an epithet for which it is hard to cen sure a red-blooded man resenting. This is Robertson's side of it. Charley Schmidt Mobile manager, declined to say anything regarding the affair, and Umpire Rudderham refused to put Tennant off the field despite the stren- uous protests of Molesworth.
 AS to what words passed between the two men, the sporting editor of The Age-Herald is unable to say. He can only testify as to what actually hap pened as he was looking at the entire battle. Robertson walked out of the pitchers box and as he crossed the first base line he stopped and looked at Tennant, who was coaching. Some thing was said upon which Robertson walked over and without preliminaries planted straight left to the visitors jaw, following it up with right and left to the face. Tennant covered up and attempted to catch Robertson's fists, but did not strike back. The two men mixed 1t for perhaps two minutes before they were separated by the rush of players to the scene.
 Immediately there was an uproar. Robertson was seized by two police man and hurried to the clubhouse. Cops sprang up as if by magic from everywhere and the free-for-a all which might have developed was averted. The game quieted down and Ponder took his place to warm up. Tennant, who had been taken out of the gates by the police, returned to the coaching line, whereupon Molesworth protested until he grew black in the face, but with out avail. He contended that Ten nant should be elected as we'll as Rob ertson, as he was equally guilty, but Rudderham was adamant, and when Molesworth, contrary to his usual cus- tom, continued to protest, Buddy beckoned to the police and directed them to escort the manager from the park. Moley retired to the passage way to the dressing room, from which point he could still see the game. Rudderham discovered his perch in a ont nd t0 ss0 tn ha clubhouse upon pain of forfeiture of the game.
 Various angles of the controversy are given in the following statements;
 By Manager Molesworth: This Ten nant is noted as vitrolic coacher and uses vicious language at every opportunity. Robertson had warned him the inning previous to moderate his language, and when he came out of the box the Mobile player not only repeated his remarks, but added the fighting word upon which Robertson lost his head and swung at him.
 T was chased becatse I main- tained that inasmuch as Tennant had used the language he did he ! should have been elected from the par along with Robertson, He was as much to blame as was the Baron, as he had egged Robertson on and had invited the occurrence. I do not deny that Robertson was wrong, but think that we did not receive fair treatment at the hands os the umpire
 By Umpire Rudderham: q did not eject Tennant because so far as I could see he had done nothing. had heard him say nothing to Player Robertson which justified any such action on his part and upon appeal to Umpire Bernhard, who was frequently standing along first base, he said that he had heard nothing. So far as could see Tennant made no attempt to return Robertson's blows Under which conditions, could not see the merit of Manager Molesworth's conten- tion that Tenant should be sub- jected to penalty. Under instruc- tions from the league president to maintain order I directed that Manager Molesworth leave the park when his protests grew too vigorous and continued after I had warned him."
 Robertson quite probably feels as much regret over the. occurrence as is possible and those inclined to roast him should remember that there are limits which, trans gressed, draw down the resentment Of even the meekest of men, and Robertson certainly would not he termed meek. The fight was re- gretabie, and Managtr Moles- worth should take steps to see that it does not occur again, as sim lar outbreaks by Grimes de- prlved the Barons of one of the ssessssssssssssssssssssss