Evening star., 1941-04-16
Umps Declare Griffmen's Case
Fastest in History Running
From First Base to Third

stayed low enough for umpires to
view low pitches easily. That the
catcher who now should be the
easiest man to work behind actually
is the toughest. He's frankie Pytlak
of the Boston Red Sox. He's the
smallest catcher in the American
League, but he's poison for the
umpires because he receives while
standing almost erect.
That the greatest ball and strike
umpire that ever lived is the Ma
tional Leagues Bill KLEIN, but that
National League umpires on the
whole are pretty futile They stand
to one side of the catcher, instead
of employing the American League
system of calling 'em from directly
behind the catcher. BY doing that
they're initiating KLEIN, who ap-
parently can't be copied. Ninety
per cent of the minor league
umpires, though, use the National
League style.
That major league umpires admit
many Minor League arbiterS are as
good as they, but the turnover is so
small they may never have a. chance
to prove it. That sgd Cohen, the
former pitcher, is sure shot to be
an excellent umpire, ditto Bob
Burke, another eX-hurler, Bob toiled
last season in the Provincial League
and sgd is starting out this season
after attending an umpiring school.
That the National League is a
pitchers paradise because umpires
in that circuit allow larger strike"
zone. That rule book says it's strike
if the ball crosses the plate be-
tween the knees and shoulders, but
in neither league do umpires fol-
low the rule book. In the National
League a pitch three inches below
the knee and ovei the plate is a
strike but in the American League
the pitch must be four inches above
the knee to rate the same decision.
Washington pitchers who have la
bored in the National League say
that's true.
That the ratio of close plays at
first base in Griffith Stadium is 4 to
over any other American League
park because there's slight down.
hill slope from the plate to first
base there, enabling runners to
arrive at first that vital split
second sooner. That, incidentally,
is no drawback to the club which
owns such as Case, Cramer, Chap
man. Lewis and Archie. Conse-
quently. umpires hate that first
base assignment at Griffith Stad-
ium more than any other.
That the unforgiveable catching
sin, in an umpire's opinion, is to
hold called ball" in position for
two or three seconds so that it ap-
pears as a strike to the crowd. That
few catcherS do it because they
don't want the umpires against
them.
Dutch Leonard admits Umpire
KLEIN nearly scared him to death
wher Dutch pitched his first major
league game with Brooklyn in 1888,
when Leonard mad nothing what
soever to do with KLEIN changing
a decision.
KLEIN strolled out to the mound
and said, Sonny, you baked" mo
Mr.. Klem," countered Dutch, Il
stepped back off the rubber"
Sonny" said KLEIN, Il will prove
the point. I will ask the first base
umpire's opinion Of your motion"
The first base umpire said Dutch
hadn't baked, and the infuriated
and embarrassed KLEIN turned. to
Leonard and beloved, Listen, you
busher, if you ever do that to me
again I'll throw you out of the
game
What the umpires don't say-that
individually some of them are swell
fellows, but as q group they're oos-
ing with Jealousy and eorceit.