New Britain herald., 1930-03-29

There is 8 note of pathos, touch- , ing on the heartstrings of every l baseball fan in the Eastern league l circuit, in the communication re- ceived a few days ago by Hugh Rorty of Hartford, veteran umpire and one of the most widely known and sincerely beloved sports officials in the country. The secretary of the league, acting during the illness of the president, has notified him that he will not be retained as an umpire during the coming season because of the poor condition of his health.
 The action comes not as a sur prise, but rather as an occurrence that could not be precludcd. Nobody would be better pleased than the league officials were it possible to give Hughie a rcappointmcnt, but he knows, z; do they, that the old timers day has passed, and the turn in the road as an active par ticipant in the officiating end of sports events is being rapidly and surely approached.
 Some time before the final put out is made in the game of life, the sports followers of the generation may have the pleasure of witness ing the progress of another career as brilliant as Rorty's has been, but it will probably never be their lot to see one that will outshine 1t. Whether they do or not, they will always have the satisfaction that goes with the privilege and good fortune of having lived in a time which saw one of the squarcst um- pires that ever donned the official garb. Of that there is no doubt
 Red His Cognomen
 Hushie Rorty has red hair and the complexion that always accom- panies it. That is why he has al ways been known as Red" a cog nomen he never objected to even when some fans and sports writers took great joy ill Mefxing Roar ing" It was q treat to see him in action behind the bat or on the bases. None of the majestic strut Of the late Tom" Lynch, New Brit tain's pride as a National league umpire and later as head of tn league, was h.. still there was something about his every move that stamped him as finished un,- pire, an official who had his wits about him whatever the situation that arose might have been, and on, who impressed players and fans alike with the undeniablc fact thai he knew what he was about ans would call the plays as he saw then whether anyone liked it or not.
 If all the "boos' and catcalls that were directed at him on the bal field were placed end to end there would be limited to the territory they would bound, but that is the fate of an umpire. That is wha Red' Rorty expected every time he put in an appearance, whether the game was in Hartford, his homo town. or Lawrence, Worcester. New Britain, Waterbury, Providence ol any of the other cities in which h, did his stuff during his long caree in the game. He never showed tht white feather. and he has know what 1t meant to be stoned and as saulted. Probably no official in tn, game ever had the police escort 10 the dressing room and then [, the hotel that Eorty needed in hi palmy days, but nobody ever hear, nm cry for mercy, and the me, who hated him most heartily wbel his decisions went against them. ad mired him the greatest for tn, gameness that characterized hi makeup.
 RepItcd As A Wit
 Rorty, 10 the last day he eve worked with the whiskbroom an, mask, had almost as great a. repu tatlon as wit as he had as square shooter, and many a. seriou situation has been tuped into happy one both for himself and tn fans by his sharp repartee. Holdin the Indicator behind the plate in a exhibition game in Brassco park i Waterbury one Sunday a decade o so ago, Rorty was in his elemen The Cincinnati Reds, with Bill hopf of New Britain at shortstor were the attraction against an a star aggregation, and q dclegatio or New Britain fans were on han to see kopf presented with a toke CT the esteem in which his locf friends held him.
 Rorty was doing his best 10 kee the crowd in a happy mood and dc liberately made himself the targ, TOT the good naturcd sallics thf were not long in finding their mar one moment he affected q hoars, ness, and the next pitch he callo was sung out like d grand oper prhllant, accompanied by a gestu mat must have been capable of 4 tracting favorable attention of
 sculptor on the hunt for posing m, terlal. Want drink, Red? q Ri m the bleachers sang out aft. horty called one in d hollow r,Imb that sounded as though it starte rom the soles of his feet "1 like a drink and 1 wouldn't que tion the color" he shot back wifi cut so much as turning his head.
 No Sting to Quips
 X little later Prince Hal" C'bas as nifty first bascman as has ev, speared wild throw, took him task for calling d strike that he d not swing at. "Whatsa matter. II old lamps getting dim?" the big be snarled. Don't worry Hal. you never be drafted" was Reds com back in roaring monotone tn echoed through the park. The qu had a snap to it but it did not stin for in those days everyone unde stood that prospective soldiers WI