Evening star., 1920-01-04
ny BILLY EVANS.
American League mpire.

American League Umpire.
Why when catcher is hit with :
foul tip and, apparently, is suffering
does he get the sympathy of the
crowd?
Why when the umpire is similarly
hit with a foul do most of the fans
give vent to their feelings with much
laughter?
Don't ask me. I am an umpire.
Why do fans readily forgive and
forget some poor play on the part of
the player the moment he puts over
some clever play?
Why do fans blame the umpire for
the loss of a game in which he has
made perhaps one costly mistake al
though the team that lost made half a
dozen equally costly blunders?
Don't ask me. | am an umpire.
Mr.. Webster very kindly lists an
umpire as one chosen IN "A game 10
see that the rules are enforced. To
those who regularly attend games the
umpire is a disagreeable indlVldual
who is always giving their faNorlte
team the worst of il. He is supposed TO
possess keen eyesight, but who in their
opinion is far binder than many OF
the street beggars who depend on
nance. He seems to dote on reach
ing conclusions directly opposite to
those entertained by fandom
Some years ago the congressman
from my home distriCt-a red-blooded
America a regular fellow, an honest
to-Coodness gentleman--introdu
me to a prominent United States SEN
ator Unfortunately for me my con-
c.-cs-.1aa friend hoping to make me
look better in the eyes of the senator.
mentioned that l was an American
League umpire.
Would Rather BE m Umpire.
oh said the senator, showing in
of h %
sumpire before" Then he took me in
from head to feet. and having hn-
ished. he looked me over in the op-
posite direction. Under his scrutiny
I felt 7 must be very unusual crea-
ture | was hardly embarrassed, just
a trife self-consciouS that the SEN
ator should put me through such
minute inspection. After giving me
everything but the N-ray, ne per-
mitte-l me to speak a few words. so
that I might disclose my species. said
a few words in return. shook my
hand, and concluded by saying he
was asreeably surprised. L nave
never been able to figure whether
the senator was trying TO pay me d
compliment or not. But ! have lost
considerable respect for the senatorial
toga since that meeting. When a
boy | aspired to be senator, pos
sibly the President, but a senator
sure Now | am rather satisfied that
i
, No. the modern umpire doesn't have
to be a Jess Willard in physique TO
be successful. Neither is it necessary
that he know the rudiments of box
ing 1t is essential that he has some
brains and that he use them. 1t is
also necessary that he have good eye
sight, keen judgment and common
sense Also. it is very important
that he has plenty of nerve. and that
he render his decisions without fear
final inning
over there should be 10 aftermath
II trouble has come up on the ball
field of serious nature, an 1mm
are report must be made to Presl-
handles the situation. The umpire
need not give it another thought
, There is no need of meeting some
athlete at his hotel to engage IN com,
bat to preserve your integrity ana
maintain discipline. If you weigh
scarcely 1873 soaking wet you need
have no fear that some 1e0-pound
athlete will break in the door of your
dressing room, indignant over your
treatment of him on the field woe
TO him who does. for President Johh-
son hits 1000 in such cases.
Many Reforms in Business.
The business of umpiring has un-
dergope many reforms, even since L
came into the American League IN
1906 The change for the better had
been going on five or six years when
! made my major league debut 10
no one man more than Presldehl
johnson. are umpires as class in
debted for the many reforms and IN
noyations that have been made to
their decided advantage. The upl1ft
of the umpire has been one OF the
important epochs in the life OF Presl-
dent johnson. He has stood for strict
enforcement of discipline on the bail
NfAC-n n
the dictates of the umpire. While
Mr.. Johnson has insisted On good be-
havior on the part of the players as
essential to the uplift of the game,
he has demanded the same of his
umpifes.
Discipline is the last word with
him. Mr.. Johnson picks his umpire
staff with care. He then places the
men on their honor. makes no rules
or regulations, other than that they
be gentlemen on and off the held,
although i must admit there are
times on the field when it becomes
an effort to so conduct oneself. In
way, the umpires are the main
springs of President Johnson's execu-
tive policy. He must rely on their
reports to form an opinion in many
situations. Believing members OF his
staff are honest, he accepts their ex-
planation as final in molding his opln-
ion. An inaccurate report or an ex-
aggeration lays President johnson
open to criticism.
No one in base ball appreciates the
difficulties of the position of the UNI
pire more than the head of the
American League. He knows that,
regardless of an umpire's ability or
reputation, he is bound TO bump into
trouble, render decisions on close
plays that are sure to cause protest,
ana often find it necessary to remove
players from the game. Some UNI
pires believe that to put players out
Of the game is work of poor UNI
pfrfng. That is erroneous. Often a
correct ruling on some unusual or
hlose play is bound to create a dis
ppte, and disputes usually result in
some one making use of the clubhouse
exit.
Cites Instance of Recruits.
Several years ago the American
league tried out a couple of recruit
umgires. one broke into print every
now and then by requesting some
player to HE 10 the clubhouse. The
other went along without breaking
Il L no