Evening star., 1916-02-27
Player Praises New Umpire.

1ldyGr fTd1SeS new
''Fine decision. young fellow" said the
star as he got on his feet and started to
dust off his clothes. "You won't have
any trouble making good up here. All
you have TO do is to give them as you
see them and pay no attention to the
roaring its disapproval, for the decision
had gone against the home team.
AT this stage of the game the first
baseman. who had been frantically yell
attention of the third baseman. 1 knew
in a moment what was coming up. Since
the ball was hit to right field, from m?
position back of the plate l could closely
observe the ball and base runner. l no.
ticed that the batter who had hit the ball
missed first base at least foot in round
ing the bag. Whether he had done so in
tentionally or simply because he was not
to say, but I do know that he missed the
base by a wide margin. The third base
man threw the ball to the first sacker,
who Immediately touched first base. The
base umpire, who had also observed the
infraction of the rule on the part of the
hatsman, Immediately reversed his de-
cision, and declared out thu runner who
a moment before he had called safe. The
change in verdict caused the runner to
rush at the new umpire in a wild rage
Changes Praise to Sarcasm.
You won't be in this league month
Let the crowd get to you. Lost your
nerve already
The player also said some other things
about the official. 1t wasn't but a very
short time before most of the players
team mates had surrounded the new UNI
pire and were telling him what they
how nf hi obi -trrI,f
in anything but complimentary terms.
After short wait, it seemed that the
argument was getting worse. I knew the
new umpire had rendered a perfectly cor
for me to butt into the debate over when
a man is out or safe Walking down to
where the players had surrounded the UNI
pire. l remarked:
Well, let's end the argument and play
ball: the crowd came out to see a game,
not to listen to a lot of speeches"
The player who had been declared
out began telling me what he thought
OF the decision ! stopped the line of
had been watching the play. that 1
had seen him cut first base. and that
the umpire had rendered the only rul-
ing possible under the existing con-
ditions. The player finally admitted
that possibly he had missed first base
by scant margin. 1t was at this
stage that he came forth with an ar
Sumenl tnat always gives me laugh
when I think of it.
Hated to Lose Base Hit.
IF he intended calling me out, why
didn't he call me out at third instead
of first?"
Simply because you were safe at
third, and out for your failure to
touch first
"I realize that" said the player, 'but
IL I had been called out at third I
would have been credited with a two
base hit. while this way the very best
get is time at bat"
The player down in his heart when
he protested knew that the umpire was
right, but the very thoughe of losing
that base hit, simply because Of his
own negligence, caused him to rave at
the official.
It is really remarkable the part the
base hit plays in the success or failure
of a player A batting slump affects
the entire standard of play of a great
many athletes. It is an oft-heard re-
mark that SO and so is a great player
when he is getting his base hits, but
only ordinary in all departments of
the game when he is failing to get
them safe. Base hits are the greatest
tonic in the world to ball player. Let
a fellow who has been in slump get
three or four in one game and over
night he is a different player. 1t
brings back the lost pepper and re-
stores the sweet disposition. Batting
slumps cannot be explained; there Is
no known remedy. SO it is only natural
that all players regard them with the
greatest of fear.
Copyright. 1916. by W. G. Esans.)