Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-06-07

dent NJ. L. Justice has ruled against
one of his umpires. In decision for
warded to President F. NJ. Wilbur, OF
the local club, President Justice rules
that the game Of May -. at Muscatine,
protested by Manager Egan. shall be
thrown out. The game in question was
Won by Marshal!town. and the protest
was based on the retirement Of Pitcher
Flanagan, of MuScatine, at second
base, which resulted in an alleged fight
between the pitcher and Shortstop
Blank. Of Marshalltown.
The umpire ruled that Flanagan had
been put out by Blank, but Justice
rules time should have been called and
play suspended. allowing Flanagan his
base.
Contention Of Manager Egan.
Manager Esan contended that Elan
agan was struck by Blank as he
crossed second base, and that Elan
agan was drawn from the base to de-
fend himself; that while off the base
Blank touched him with the ball and
the umpire declared Flanagan out.
In support of his contention Egan
cites section ,, Rule "a, which reads:
In case of an accident which in
capacitates him (the umpire) or
player from service in the field, or in
order to remove from the grounds any
player or spectator who has viola ted
the rules, or in case of fire. panic o.:
other extra ordinary circumstances"
Boyle Side of Case.
| Manager Boyle declares that Elan
agan was touched out by Blank be-
fore Flanagan had reached second
base; that in tagging the base runner
Blank put the ball" on Flanagan with
force. and that Flanagan then pursue1
the PLAYER over the base and swung
at him In his attack on Blank Elan
agan spiked the shortstop, the latter
returning TO this city with a wounded
leg.
1t is also asserted that Flanagan
; came 70 the Marshalltown players
bench after the affair had been quoted,
and said to Blank:
( I'm sorry I struck you, kid.
/ shouldn't have done it."
Question Of Jurisdiction.
/ Insofar as the umpire was con-
cerned his ruling is considered by the
local management to have been cor
rect, for the following easons:
! Blank touched out Flanagan before
he had touched the base. This in it
self was sufficient TO have put the
play beyond question. for what fol-
lowed mad 10 bearing on the play, even
tho Blank had been the aggressor.
! Flanagan was the aSsailant Had
Blank not touched him out before he
reached the bag, he should have been
removed from the game for attacking
the MarshalltOwn player.
Setting aside the question of the
legality Of the play, or giving Musca-
! tine the benefit of the doubt and con-
ceding that Blank had failed TO tag the
! base runner. the rule invoked applied
! to Flanagan rather than Blank and he
, should have been removed from the
game for leaving his base to attack a
player.
Blank in Role Of David.
I 1t was felt that the attack was pro-
Iyoked by the retirement of Flanagan
at a time when Muscatine stood
! chance Of winning a close game, rather
| than from the fact that Blank was not
gentle in touching out Flanagan with
the ball. Blank. it would appear from
/ E,gan's contention. was the David in
| this incident, as Flanagan is a giant il.
/ comparison. Blank is small man,
much inferior to the mighty Flanagan
in physique. Unquestionably he is no
match for the Musky pitcher Elan.
agan bore no mark of combat. while
Blank returned home with his. legs
marked with spike cuts. Flanagan ac-
knowledged his fault and took the re-
j sponsibility for the battle, going SO
far as 10 apologize to the injured
/ shortstop.
Justice Reverses Himself.
. Mr.. Justice has repeatedly refused to
reverse the decision of his umpires and
has replied in meetings of the league
10 the protests of decisions by the
! MarshalltCwn team that he would up
hold mis- umpires, and has declared
! that Marshalltown has been prone to
find fault with his officials.
According to Umpire Schiller. Elan
asan was fairly tagged out. He did
not find any necessity for putting
Blank out of the game for the rough
ness incident to a close play. Rather.
he took Mr.. Egan's version of the at
fair. and failed to give Manager
! Boyle's side of the matter the same
consideration.
Ruling by Justice.
Mr.. Justice in his letter to President
Wilbur. says:
From investigation I find that the
umpire made a mistake in calling the
Muscatine player out in the game at
Muscatine on May %, in which Player
Blank attacked Flanagan, and Elan
agan, in order to defend himself was
obliged to leave the bag and was
touched with the ball by one Of the
Marshalltown players and the umpire
called him out. At the beginning of
this fight the umpire should have
called time and removed both players
from the game. Under the circum-
stances believe that this game
should be played over and have so
ruled
Inconsistency Of Decision.
In his ruling Mr.. Justice finds that
the umpire should have removed both
lplayers from the game" If the evi-
| dence was such as call for the re-
moval of both players it is difficult to
understand why Blank should have
been placed under suspension and
Flanagan was permitted to continue to
play with his team. To the local man
agement the case appears to have been
decided with prejudice.
4 Will Annual From netis;on