The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-09

AS oOOA dS NlllldllS SIIuCh dG DldChj MT. Woodward, who had been on the bench during the game, grabbed the angry arbiter, who immediately turned on the magnate with threat ening air, whereupon Mr. Woodward
 planted solid left to the mouth, fol- lowing it up with right and left to the
 face, to the great delight of the fans,
 who immediately began climbing over
 the railings with the evident intention of assisting MT. Woodward in what
 they apparently considered a very de- sirable consummation
 The fight went further than the av- craze affairs on the baseball diamond on account of the fact that practically all the policemen had left the park following the end of the game
 The entire affair was preciptated
 by the poor work of Williams behind the bat While a spectator is by no means as able judge of balls and strikes as is an umpire, who is on top of the play, even though they are given special facilities, as are members of the press, it seemed to the writer that
 Williams was miles up in the air.
 VOLS GET EDGE Throughout the game Black received
 the hot end of the deal so far as could be seen from the press box. From down stairs it appeared the same. Ellis got
 every corner. while Black was forced
 to groove the ball to get the call
 This being the case had Black raved
 like a mad man and tore up the earth,
 meanwhile addressing unsavory re-
 marks to the arbiter the actions of
 Williams would in a measure have
 been applicable. Black, however,, all
 though he is not a man to submit tame ly to such treatment only spat in his
 hands and worked the harder without
 saying anything to the arbiter. Then
 came the battle precipitated by Will Hams.
 Black at the end of the game walk ed
 over to the Birmingham bench and stood with one hand on the cem ent roof, putting on his sweater. Williams walked toward him, removing his ! mask and protector. Black turned his head and spoke over his shoulder to the Iitcher. Williams does not allege
 that Black cursed him but makes the claim that the pitcher swung at him. The sporting editor of The Age-Herald was a witness to the affair and testi- fies that Black did not remove his hand from the bench and did not turn around.
 WOODWARD GETS IN However. Williams swung for the face and Black took the blow on his shoulder MT. Woodward had been standing beside the pitcher and when the umpire showed fight sprang be- tween them and seized Williams who was manifesting eagerness to strike again.
 Williams, believing for MT. Wood ward to turn him loose. attempted to turn on MT. Woodward. Kicks blood took fire on the instant and as both men were eager they went to it, MT. Woodward planted a solid right in the ! mouth which rocked the arbiter and drove him back with a left to the neck. Williams tucked and recovered and the magnate and umpire sWapped blows, the latter retreating toward the home plate.
 Molesworth had been a spectator to the whole affair and now attempted to get between the combatants and
 hold Williams. This he was unable to
 do as every time he went to step around MT. Woodward the magnate in Of md other lick to the umpire's body or face. He. in the meanwhile, did not escape, for Williams was anxious to | fight and not bit backward. Moles
 worth finally did get around the um | pire and arrived simultaneously with | q cop. The officers had practically all | left the park and it was only when the | joyous cries of the fans and the shouts | to Mir. Woodward to kill him apprised I them that something was amiss did | they know what was in progress. FANS WANT WILLIAMS 1 With the Woodward Williams go l ended the cops then had their hands | full with the crowd of bleacherites who piled down on the field intent or | getting their hands on Williams, whc | was alone in the crowd. Kerin must 1 have smelled mouse, for the instant l the game ended he proceeded to the | dressing room. He was pursued by a 1 jeering crowd of fans, however, for he 1 too, had incurred their wrath by his l decision in the eleventh in calling Nc l Donald out at first. From the stands it appeared that the third sacker was safe
 | But to return to Williams. He was
 pushed and jostled and showed, but aside from the punishment he receiv eG at the hands of MT. Woodward did not
 suffer seriously. Surrounded by police
 men and still followed by the crowd l he was escorted to the dressing room where it was necessary to establish q guard to keep the rabid fans from going inside and dragging them out They
 eventually left the park and, still un- der guard, were carried to Birming Iham
 l Williams statement follows
 l UMPIRE'S STATEMENT When I walked over to the Bir-
 mingham bench to take off my mask