Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-05
.UMP|REs ARE CLAssED AS
HUMAN BEINGS BY Lands
High Lord Of Baseball De-
clares Missiles Should Not
Be Hurled at Official.
ENDEAvon TO rEnFonM DUTY
VIII Deliver Decision Soon In Case
OF suspended Umpire Who "Wnl-
i"pcd" Fan for Tossing "a nottio
mt Him.
by Alexander r. Jones.

United News STAFF Correspondent.
CHICAGO. Dec. 4.-After a half CEN
fury of disbelief on the part of hun
dreds OF thousands of fans, Judge
NeneSaw Mountain Lands, high lord
of baseball. has officially ruled that
umpircs arc human beings.
To throw a bottle or brick at Bill
Klein is fraught with as much legal
unpleasantncss as similar offensive
against ones landlord would be. and
is not as justifiabic, according to the
Judges astounding Interpretation.
Instead of being out there DELHI
erately trying TO cnragc the home
folks, by giving unspcakablc dcci-
sions against the local pets. umpircs
arc trying to do their duty las they
see it," Lands states
Call Plays ny They See Them.
That the average umpire cannot
see anything. as any fan can tell
YOU. the judge does not attempt to
deny. He simply says that MIR. Bren-
nan and his playmates call ii as
they see it," and let's it go at that.
The judge has sometimes been ac-
cused of being unique in his view
Oil Company s2?.00o.o0O and now lc-
Eally establishing umpircs as human
beings.
The case came upon when Umpire
William Guthrie, of the Western
League. waliopcd "a fan who. in right
ful indignation, had bounced "A bottle
Oft his dial in a game at Tulsa. Okla,
last summer. Guthrie had made 4
decision ut third base. which every
attempt to heat the home lads.
There was the usual shower of bot
ties. bricks. cushions and other oh,
1ccts hurled In Guthric's direction as
has been the custom since time inn
memorial. OF disapproval. One of tho
notifies hit the umpirc's skull so SOL
idiH mat the echo could lie heard, it
is reported over in the next county.
Guthrie "SIuES" Fnn.
While friends of the lucky fan
we're concentrating him. Guthrie.
showing turbulence beyond under
standing. spotted him and after tho
game actually slugEcd him.
There was great Indignation among
the fans and Guthrie was suspended.
In dealing with the matter" saws
.andis. lit is to he horne in mind tina,
the umpire engaged in an alteration
with tho man who he thought had
struck him. after he had been a..
ga ilcd with missiles in another mart
OF the field. all as penalty for MAX
ing righteous decision.
Having in mind that umpircs he
long To tho human family (mark this)
mat they call ii as they see IT, and
mat 100 frequently as in this case
thcH are made the victims nf ont
raErous verbal and physical assault
i"r honest discharge of their dutjos
!IauEhtcr). it is not strange that once
in while an umpire fights back"
with this viewpoint. the fans c,n-
NOT even imagine what may he the
uecision in the anXiously awaited
Babe Ruth case.
Ihe judge has got this decision
locked up in his safe, and will give
u out when he gets good and ready.
lie was on the point OF releasing II
one day last week. hut ncwsponcrs
announced that he would do 80 with
our ms consent. and just for that the
decision remained in the safe.
me judge doesn't like IN have tho
reporters make his decisions for him