The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-25
SOLDIERS AFRAID
 0F UMP|R|NG JOBS Heroes of War Fear Wrath of Fans and Martins
 Offer Begs
Hv BOB PIGUE

Memphis. February 24.-Desplte the fact that Go. applications have been received by President John Martin or the Southern league for jobs as um- pires to date there has not been ohe single. solitary wounded soldier-player who has shown the temerity to risk life and limb again as judge of baseball play in the Dixie major this year.
 The plan of President Martin to give wounded soldier ball players chance to earn good salary as base umpires in the sunland organization this year is most worthy one, but unless some thing out of. the ordinary comes np, unless some of the wounded soldier ball players apply for the jobs which are open to Uncle Sam's fighting men, the league head will be forced to se- cure other men to fill out his staff of umpires for the 1919 season.
 The baseball year of 1919 is swiftly approaching and there are many things remaining to be done before all is in readiness to start off properly. Chief among these is that the staff of arbi- traitors has not been definitely decided upon The list would have been com plete had the wounded soldier ball players applied for the jobs as base umpires. but evidently they do not care for the perilous assignment and are biding their time until they can get something less like the front line of trenches on the western front.
 Four veterans of last season are, be- ing lined up for duty in the Dixie ma jor Dan Pfenniger has sent in his signed contract and Billy Carpenter is expected to forward his shortly. The ;C xir1cr Ia n k n ind Bill Brennan, neither of whom have been heard from. and is confident that these high-class handlers of the indicator will be present at the roll call This quartet will serve as un- pires-in chief and will work behind the bat in every game, their decisions being supreme and not subject 70 change by anybody, even themselves. Frank Rudderham. who was in the league several seasons ago. is again after a berth and may be taken on if the soldier ball player proposition caves in.
 Of the 65 applications for jobs as umpires in the Southern this year. President Martin is most favorably i'm pressed with letters from Harry John- son and c. H. Pfirman, both of whom were in the International league last season They have recommendations from many club owners and are ap- parently well qualified to handle the indicator in the Southern.
 The staff of umpires is to be com pleted by the middle of March. and every possible effort will be put forth to carry out the soldier-umpire propo- sition. but if the plan falls through owing to the fact that no applications have been received. President Martin will then select his staff of umpires from the list of applications he now has on file. After all eight umpires have been placed under contract there will be no chance to alter the situation, the point of which statement is that any wounded soldier ball player who is figuring on taking advantage of the Southern's offer will be obliged to get a move on before the seats in the Dixie bandwagon are all taken. It is the plan of the league president to have all umpires travelling two to- gether all season. Fod instance, Kerin and Rudderham would start the season at New Orleans. They would travel from city to city all season. and when one would change the other would go along It is believed that this plan would prove feasible and more satis- factory to all concerned.