Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-20
r. W. MAXWELL
Some Inside Stuff

You know It's great to get chubby with
the ump after the game and allow him to
clip you some inside dope. AS rule, UNI
pires are the most perfect persons in tho
world, so we noted the effect OF our terribly
direct question and anxiously awaited the
answer.
'cMistakes7" ouerled Evans as he looked
up Guess pulled couple, but L got
away with them. You gotta make mistakes
or you're not good umpire. Why shouldn't
you miss ono now and then? Take Dali
player, for example. II he has % dozen
chances in the field and boots one the papers
come out the next day and call him hero.
His mistake is overlooked, But take the
case of the umpire. Suppose he boots one.
Everybody roars for his life Applause is
unknown to him. The best he gets Is
silence
Some More Dope
Don't think 1 am Offering any alibls,
because 1 am not am Just trying to
show you the difference between the work
of an umpire and n player. Ten chances
during n game. outside of the first base
man, is considered a good days work.
How many chances do the arbiters have?
In an average gamo we'll say that 60 bat
ters come up-that Is, on both sides. In
GLIDING balls, strikes and fouls five balls
are pitched to each batter. That totals
800--a conservative estimate, Then take
tho decisions on the bases. Perhaps there
are 80, which brings the total to $50.
Now, just figure it out for yourself
Three hundred and fifty chances In one
camel And what happens when one is
missed? You know the answer. Why, the
fans would shrek with joy II they could
have us shot at sunrise or chase us out
of the lot They call us blind mon and
things like that, but we should worry. We
do the best we can and leave the rest of
It to the fairness of the fans-and the
fans are not SO bad they are painted"
Bill then donned his light suit of clothes
--he wears dark one when things break
badly and he has to leave the park under
cover of darltness-walked out in the open,
jumped into a waiting automobile and was
whizZed to his hotel.
Eleven Years an Umpire
Evans Is considered the best umpire In
the American League and never has trouble
on the field. He is respected by players
and fans alike. and his decisions seldom
are questioned. Bill broke into the league
in 1906 when he WAS a mere child, and after
IL years of service is the youngest and also
the odest-in eXperience-on the circuit.
Bill's remark about being called blind
man recalled to us an experience of his
about six years ago, when the young UNI
pire really thought his eyeslght af
fected and was ready to pull the blooie-
blooie stuff. This is how 1t happened:
In 1910 Chubby Charles Murphy, OF the
Cubs, unleashed n vitriolio verbal broad
side against umplres OF the past, present
and future, called them everything he could
think Of. including blind old ladies. and
demanded that each and every Rrbiter in
the National League be examined by an
expert oculist. This caused quite q stir in
baseball circles, and Tom Lynch who then
was president, notified all of the umpires
on the staff to be tested Immediately and at
once.
Enter Charley Rigler
About this time Charley Rigler. who al
<rnNyd 40 NUa ~ ha
baseball team at the University of Virginia.
He received notice and acted on the spot.
He went TO an oculist in Charlottesville and
asked how they tested eyes.
He was told that the patient stood about
is feet from card and read the letters
thereon.
'what kind of card do they user"
asked Charlie.
This is the one," replied the ocullst,
as he pulled one off the shelf
Rlgler purchased IL, took 1t home and
studied It religiously until he knew every
letter by heart, from the big ones at the
top to the fine print at the bottom. Need
less to say he passed the test.
Now we bring Bill Evans back into the
scenario.
The Plot Thickens
About u month later Rigler was walking
down the street in Cleveland and stopped
before a store window. There was nice
blue suit on display and it looked like an
ideal umpire's uniform. Charley looked IL
over, noticed the bslt the two buttons on
the coat and, hest OF all, the g '.ce-S16.50.
Then he started walking again
He travelled about two squares when he
ran into Evans. You know Bill and
Charley vote in the same precinct,
"Hello, Bill I" hailed the representative
Of the National Lea 4e. Glad to see you
just got back from Washington, where l
had my eyes examined. Specialist said
n IuAa r,rfnu aft,aA
Nothing like that in our circuit an
swered Evans Ban doesn't believe in
those nut Ideas. My eyes are all to the
good, anyway"
Glad 10 hear IT," retorted Rigler Then
he looked at the store window he had just
left, which was three squares away, and
said
see that store7 The one with the yellow
front What do you think OF the suit in
there? Great for umpiring See it?"
Bill Is Suspicious
Hey, what are you trying to pull on
me?' Bill said. disgustedly. See the suit? |
Why, l can hardly see the store. Do you |
mean 70 tell me that your eyes are so good |
that you can see something in the win
dow?"
"surest thing you knowc replied Charley |
aIt's a blue suitH-and he looked more In |
tenty-"with belt, two buttons on the coat |
and"-buslness OF looking some more-"it |
costs only $3.50, can see the tag"
can you imagine a person standing at |
I1th ana Chestnut street and describing the |
coatents OF one Of Wanamakers windows1 /
Well. Evans thought the same thing but to |
make sure. be suggested that they take q |
walk past the store and take look
When he found that Rigler had the right /
dope and the suit was exactly ~ he describ- |
ed II. Bill couldn't believe his eyes and |
grew worried Charley sympathiEed with /
him however. told him not 70 take L 50 4
hard but have his optics examined as soon i
IS possible.
lns. but ~ Was thinking pretty hard. sud- |
denly they turned into an arcade watch /
Nas 800 leet long-1eo safds-and Charley }