Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-07-01
.UMP|RE'S JOB IS
NO PARL0R GAME
Organized Baseball Makes Him
Outcast; Leads Nomadic
EXistance.

In recent article dealing with the
lives and troubles Of professional base
ball umpircs. II. Perry Lewis OF Phil
adelphll said:
In this generous world. which, de-
spite pessimlsts and gultur, we believe
prone to discount the mistakes OF his
fellows. Our prisons are no longer
punitive establishments, but are now
founded on the principle Of reformn-
ton. our employees Nf we are ior-
tunatc enough TO have themN arc
forgiven when they err; our employers
overlook our mistakes (sometlmes)
The business or professional man who
slips up is an object of sympathy; the
calf is still killed for the prodigal son;
the errors of the ball players are for
gotten. Nerily, mankind is patient
and forgiving to all but the baseball
umpire
Here Ia the man around whom tho
whole games reVolVes. He IL the
arm OF authority which dignifies the
sport: his Is the voice which decides
the fate Of ball clubs in which are
invested millions of capital. He can
make the game n spectacle lit for thu
tN'N bi our UlblHtINs HlNItTNt WIVES
and sweethearts. or by his weakness
allow it to degenerate into riot be
smirching tho fair name OF sport.
Surely much rests on the shoulders
OF the umpire-the much vilified, con-
stantly abused umpire.
Life of Umpire Hard.
You would see the umpire out there
on the ball field with apparently moth
N d, do uta nd lao h., .a a..
clad in nice cool mask and pro-
tector and call the balls and strikes.
or assume n Napolconic attituGe on
the bases and occasionally make a
decision, pause for a moment and
consider the duties and the life OF an
umpire.
For about seven msnths of the year
he leads a nomadlc life. journeying Z
from city to city and never knowing
four days ahead what his next move
will be. One thing he does know, ana
that is that unless he calls them
right" 90 per cent of the time his
next move will be out OF the league.
with absolutely no chance of working
his way back.
His position Is unlike that OF the
ball player. The latter spends half
OF the playing season on the road anu
half in the town in which he is play
Ing. Therefore he has chance to
make his home whore he Is employed
and of being in 1t half of the time.
Not so the umpire. For seven months
tho only opportunity he has OF seeing
his family is by having them meet
him somewhere on the road, usually
at considerable expense.
Must Keep Troubles TO Self
Six days in the week he must be
on duty at the ball park when working
In the east, and seven days wne,i
working in the west. He may be suf-
fering from n headache, and the hot
sun may burn his tired eyes but new
ertheless he must be out there "call-
ing them right" He doesn't dare 20
tell the ball players no is not feeling
right: neither can he announce M,
trouble to the spectators. But it he
slips up once or twice, of IL some ball
player makes II look as tho he had
slipped up, woe to him. Thousands
OF otherwise normal human beings
will stand on their feet and plead for
his gore
As a matter of fact there isn't much
an umpire can tell any one. The
league heads frown IL he so much as
appears to be fraternizing with the
players. He Is not supposed to stop
at the hotel patronized by the Oall
clubs nor travel on the same train
with them. IL II can be avoided. Or
ganized baseball. therefore makes him
"a baseball outcast, and such he must
he TO hold his job.