The Washington times., 1922-08-27
MANY ABSURD
CHARGES MADE
TO X. M. LANDS
Babe Ruth Testifies to Utter
Honesty Of umpires Work
ing in American League.
BY BABE RUTH,


His first 7s games this year,
His first rs games last year.
This date last year dn 124
games). 48 home runs.
NrEW YORK, Aug. 26.--I see
~ by the papers that Commits
sioner Kenesaw Mountain
Landis, the supreme dictator. OF
organized baseball, is receiving
many complaints about the UNI
piring in the major leagues this
season. The appointment and the
assignment of umpires is outside
the province of the commission
er's Office, yet, according to one
report, Mr.. Lands has received
no less than 10000 letters charg-
ing the arbitrators with every
thing from incompetence to preju-
dice in favor of certain clubs.
The latter charge may be dismissed
us, utterly absurd, for there Is not the
slightest doubt in my mind that the
umpires OF the American League at
any rate are absolutely honest and
'call 'em as they see EN-" regardless
Of the effect Of their decisions for
or against any club. .
OF course. I can speak from hear
| say only In regard to the National
League umpires, but II Is my sincere
belief that they, too. are above re.
proach In this respect.
That some Of the American League
gesticulators should be more efficient
than others goes without saying.
Bill Evanses are few and far between
and IL isn't to be expected that every
member of Ban Johnson's staff
should be as capable as he.
Umpiring Is Better.
Some of the others are not far
behind, however, and IL Is my
peculiar notion that the umpiring In
the American League this year In
better, on the whole, than at any
other time within the span OF my
major league experiences.
Evans has been called the perfect
/, umpire" and in my opinion he IL all
| OF that. He seldom makes a mistake,
in his judgment on strikes and balls.
his calling of plays on the bases is
Il ~
| In his case exceptional ability is
coupled with splendid tact and q
temperament worthy Of a diplomat.
Unlike some umpires i could
name, Evans will acknowledge a
mistake when he makes one, but does
II in such a way that II does not
weaken his hold on the situation or
impair the respect In which he 10
held by the players.
Want the Corners"
One complaint the Yankee pitchers
have registered against the umpires
this year Ii that they do not give"
them the corners this year as they
used to. They say they have to
groove" the ball to get a strike, and
declare that this is one reason why
some of the Yankee Fingers have
been less successful this year than
last.
This is one of the theories ad.
vanced in explanation Of Squire
Sam Jones failure to win as many
games for the Yankees as he did for
the Boston Red Sox. Jones never
has lacked for stuff. but much OF his
success with the Fenway Fusileers
was due to his control.
He seldom or never gave an OPP
posing batsman a good ball, and by
playing the corners Of the plate for
strikes forced them to hit at balls
that were good in the opinion Of the
umpire, but not good to hit at.
Now's He's Better.
This year. however, he hasn't been
able to do this, and his club mates
attribute his failure to the fact that
he hasn't been getting" the corners.
During the past six weeks Sam has
been showing to better advantage.
but whether this is because Of i'm
proved umpiring or increased con-
fidence in HIS own skill and ability
to weather the pinches I am not pre-
pared to say. ... -t-
AS for my own game, Il seems to
be subject to sudden Illustrations.
batted very well during the Yankees
second swing through the West, and
held the pace for a time after our
return to the Polo Grounds, but Just
when thought ] was all straight
ened out I ran into another slump,
and didn't get a hit in three con-
secutive games against the Cleveland
Indians. didn't allow my slump to
prey on my nerves, however, and
soon anapDed out of H.