Evening star., 1920-02-29


because there was always action TO
any ball game in which Byron was in
charge. There was n lot or color 10
Bill Byron. In many ways he was the
successor of the late Tim Hurst Like
Tim. he did things just little dltIer-
emily. Sport writers Will miss blii.
for he was always good for a story
when things We're quiet.
Byron was original. Possessing a
keen sense of humor. he was seldom
bested in repartee with athletes.
Scores of good stories have been
printed in which Byron figured.
When Bill starts ball game every
thing must be in apple pie order ana
remain SO. That is proper. as often
some of the biggest disputes arise out
slight techniclity. These little diff
culties cannot always be ironed out
in a minute. Often rival managers
cannot agree on the same interpreta-
ton. Usually the umpire is MADE tne
target for the delay in starting
game. when it makes no difference TO
him what the ground rules are, Just
so as they are acceptable to both
teams.
Byron Makes AerOplane Ruling.
Some years ago Byron was umpire
in 4 chief in an important series at the
Polo Grounds. There was considerable
argument among the two managers
as to how a play in which a spectator
leaned out of the stand and got a fly
ball in his hands and then muffed 1t.
so that the ball dropped into fair ter
ritory. should be decided. One man
ager argued it should be home run.
He argued that since spectator in a
stand. which was the legal distance
from the plate. had the ball in his hands,
such ball should be regarded as hav-
ing been hit into the stands, emitting
the player to home run. regardless
of the fact that the ball later dropped
into fair territory. The other manager
argued that in most cases the ball
would have not come close to going
into the stands had not the spectator
reached far out into playing territory.
Just what ruling was finally decided
upon l do not recall. but the next
day the umplres were criticised for
the delay. 1t was pointed out that a
lot of valuable time was wasted argu-
ing over nothing.
Aside from being original, Byron
has a keen sense of humor. At an
amusement park near the Polo
Grounds it was customary for an
aviator to do a series of stunts. Usu-
ally the aviator paid the Polo Grounds
visit before landing. On this oc-
casion he flew unusually low over the
grounds so that it was easily pos
sible to see him greet the big crowd
with a wave of the hand. Evidently
to the criticism of the day previous
unjustly heaped on the arbitrators for
what was called needless delay. In
all probability he decided to give the
boys something worth while to write
about. Calling time and turning to-
ward the New York bench, he ad
dressed Manager McGraw of the
''If the bali hits the airplane. John.
while it is flying over fair territory.
it is good for two bases. If it lands
in some part of the machine and stays
the runners shall stop at the base
last touched when such thing occurs.
If the ball lands in some part of the
machine while the machine is outside
playing territory. it will be good for
home run. Play"
laughter. could only reply by an af-
firmative nod of the head. The writer's
fell off their chairs. Byrons retort
courteous to their slam had not gone
over their heads. Every one admitted
that ground rules were as old as the
game Of base ball itself, but all ad-
mitted It was the first time it was
ever necessary to stop a game and
formulate a code of rules that would
govern happenings In the air. Bill
surely gave them something to write
about the next day.
Freak Homers Decide Games.
Freak home runs that have decided
many ball games have been made
in about every way other than
through the medium Of having the ball
secreted in an airplane and carried
away. The unusual thing that can
happen was brought to my attention
last summer, when within a week
three freak home runs played big
parts in the results of as many games
Steve" O'Neill in a game at Cleve-
land started the run OF unusual home
runs by hitting a ball down the left
field line. that passed through a hole
in the wire fence in left field, just