New Britain herald., 1924-08-28
Score Is l.3 at Close Palmer and Umpire in
 Clash-lll Feeling Mars Otherwise Good Contest

tsrday afternoon at Hanover park,
 Msridsn, and which resulted in' 2
 victory for Meriden by a one run
 margin. The game was played out
 sfter Chief William c, Hart of the
 New Britain police department ans
 nounesd in the seventh inning that
 the New Britain team would play
 the remainder Of the game under
 protest. The game was hard fought and we'll played throughout. the op- posing pitchers. Palmer for New
 Britain and klins for Meridsn hold ing their opponents we'll in hand in practically every inning.
 The umpiring throughout the Eams was of q poor quality. and on one occasion the two sreiters were in an argument between themselves. In the early part of the game. Feeney wss at bat and hs hit a ball that sp- psrsntly went directly over the in- side of nrst base, The ball was caught and Feeney was called out at first by corkens. who declared 1t to bs a fair ball. Tn the meantime. the umpire behind the bat had call ed . strike on Feensy, declaring it 10 be a foul ball. The umpires had few words. but the umpire-in- chief had the last word and Feeney went to bat again.
 In the seventh inning a decision was made by Umpire Corkens in the field that almost resulted in the for- fe!ting of the game to Meriden, as the New Britain team was called off the field by Chief Hart who an- nounceA that if the game was to be resumed 1t would be under protest. Heated arguments were held all over the lot and many fstic en- counters were narrowly averted. but the Meriden officials finally agreed to complete the game under the pro- test entered by Chief Hart
 The decision was made after Hig- gins of the Meriden team had sim gled and advanced to second on sacrifice. Baer lifted fly to center field. Higgins had been playing well of second base and with the pitch had advanced about half way be- tween second and third. When he saw that the ball had been batted in the air and apparently into Rouskie's hands, he started back for the base. The ball hit Rouskie's glove and bounded out again, but after fumbling it few seconds. Rouskie mansg ged to hold 1t without letting it drop to the ground. He threw the ball to Blanchard at third and although Blanchard was able to make | play at third he ran up on the ball and carried 1t to second base, claiming double play. Cor kens, unnpiring in the field, declared the runner safe at third. The New Britain cohorts were to their feet in a minute expressing their disapprov- al, claiming that Higgins had not gone all the way back to second base and that he had not touched the base after the ball had first touched Rouskie's glove.
 The protest of Chief Hart was en- tered on the play and the game was resumed with Higgins on third. He scored when the next man up hit. If the play had been . double out, the final score would have been even at three runs for each team.
 It remained for the final inning to produce the play on which the de- cjsion of Corkens led to a nstic en- counter between Palmer, the visit ing pitcher and the umpire. Palmer had been chafing under what he considered to be a "raw deal" throughout the afternoon and his feelings boiled over in the first half of tho inning.
 Palmer opened the inning with a single and on the next pitch was off for second base. Boldt threw to Slater who swung around in an at- tempt to tag Palmer. who was just | swery1ng behind him. Corkens, who was standing back of the, second | basenaan, called Palmer out, and | there was an immediate howl from the New Britain rooters. Without | stopping, Palmer turned around and | rushed back at the umpire, making q punch at him with his left fist and | then both men were preparing to battle further, but the other players separated them before any blows were struck. Several other near bat ties started during arguments on the play. but they were squelched be- fore any hard blows were struck.
 That there was reason for disput- Ing the play was without question, for the Meriden first baseman said that he saw plainly that Slater did not touch Palmer, and others along the first base bleachers claimed the same. The crowd that had surged onto the field was herded back, and the game continued.
 At the banquet that followed the game, Chief Hart announced that the decisions of the umpires would be taken up at q meeting of the athletic officials of the New Britain department, and until then. he could not say anything as to the policy the New Britain team would pursue in the2future. Chairman David L. Dunn of the New Britain police com said that he felt that baseball games should be left on the baseball field, and that any unpleas- ant occurrences during game should be left there also, and not { carried to mar future friendly rela- tions. {
 Commissioner Edwin A. Parker l of the New Britain police commis- { lon said that he felt that the games were taken too seriously by the re- i spective police departments and that { ns felt this should not be so. He t the fact that the games f ire conducted for the benefit of the ( pension funds of the departments, md for the development 0 ia spirit [ md for the development of a spirit a Ind New Britain police departments. a