The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-09-05
Seeing Big League
BASEBALL,
" |
BY BILLY EVANS
SPortswriter, Big League Umpire
and General Manager of the
Cleveland Indians
BY BILLY EVANS

permitted the player to remain in the
game after using verbal epithets that
would just about cost the umpire of
today his job unless he met them with
drastic measures. When the player
gets rough, treat him much rougher,
was version much employed in han
ding situations in the old days. The
late Tim Hurst was a past master at
this style of umpiring. Tim was never
at loss for words and there was
tObaScO flavor to everything he said.
1t was Tim Hurst, who, years ago,
when President Johnson, peeved at
the way the American league games
were being delayed, wrote his umpires
for suggestions as to how they might
be shortened, replied:
Dear Ban-If you are really in
earnest about shortening the games,
why not try seven innings?" AS far
as | know, Tim Hurst was the only
umpire who ever addressed Mr.. John
son rs Ban. Likewise, such a reply as
sent by Hurst would have been funny
w LllC <ALIClINCll ICClSuC lICGlN llO AAO
umpire other than Hurst.
In a game at New York one day,
Hurst was umpiring the plate, and l
was working the bases. Jack Ches-
bro was pitching for New York, Jack
Kleinow catching. Jim Delehanty,
then with Washington, was the bat
ter In those days Chesbro had fast
breaking spitball. With the count two
balls and two strikes, ChesbrO threw
a splitter that Hurst ruled a ball.
Both Chesbro and KleinOw disputed
the decision, Catcher KleinOw taking
Hurst seriously to task. Hurst, more
to end the argument than for any 9th
er reason. said to KleinOw:
1--WE will put it up to Delehanty.
Where was that last one, jim"
Right through the heart of the
plate. Calling that one ball estab-
liShed the belief that you are blind"
Hurst was in a rage.
Hit the next one, for you're out,
no matter how high, low or wide it
may be-" he fairly beloved. Catcher
Jack KleinOw knew that Tim Hurst
was a man of his word, also knew that
Tim was mighty sore. Despite the
fact that the count was three balls
and two strikes, he signaled to Ches-
bro for a waste ball. Not quite COM
pretending Kleinow's intentions, Ches-
bro shook him off, but he came back.
with the same sign. Chesbro threw a
ball foot wide of the plate, and as
Delehanty started to jog down to first
base, sure he had received a base on
Strike Three and that's what it
was, despite the strenuous protests of
the entire Washington club.
Tim Hurst, a New Yorker by birth
and desire, was one of those who fig
ured you were just existing when not
in the big city. The idea of staying
overnight in Philadelphia, only 90
miles from New York, was the height
of folly to Hurst. So when umpiring
in Philadelphia he always made it a
point to get an early train out of
North Philadelphia for New York. The
5:17 was his favorite and he invari-
ably made it.
In those days Sunday ball was not
played in New York. 1t was a Sat
urday afternoon and ST. Louis was
on Sunday, getting the 5 II on Satur-
day meant that Hurst would not have
to come back to Philadelphia until
Monday at noon. When the Athletics
came to bat in the eight inning st.
Louis was beaten about 13 to 2. Jack
Powell, who was pitching for st.
Louis, noted that Tim looked at his
watch as the inning started. That
gave him an idea.
Don't worry about the 5:17, Tim,
you're not going to make it today.
I'm too wild" Hurst realized that
Powell was purposely passing the bat
tiers in order to make him lose his
train. The next three batters were
"Topsy" Hartsel, Rube Oldring and
Danny Murphy. Hurst called them out
one of them was within a foot of the
plate. TOpsy Hartsel roared, but Old
ring and Murphy, wise to what Tim
was doing, gleefully watched Tim call
them out. He made the 5:17.
Umpires may be a necessary evil,
but no one connected with the game
is more deserving of credit than the
men who pioneered as umpires. In the
old days one man handled the ball
game, now in some games there are
three umpires, and in world series,
four of them. Baseball owes much
to such veterans as Bob Emslie, Hank
O'Day, Tommy Connolly, the late Jack
Sheridan, silk" O'Loughlin and Tim
Hurst