Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-09-29
Johnny Evers
WasNo Crab
With Umpires
He'd Chat With O'Day
TO Uphold Reputation
By wEsTBROOK PEGLER


AT ONE World Series several
"A years ago ! happened to sit
next to Johnny Evers. After
several days up there in the
working press I got nicely ac-
quainted with the spidery little
man who in his playing days
had been known TO one and all
as The Crab because OF his
many conflicts with the UNI
pires, who often found IL neces-
sary in the interests of decorum
to heave him out of ball games.
Mr.. Evers was such a pleas
ant and friendly person that at
one point in the proceedings
when some athlete came up out
of the dust around second wag-
ging his jaw at the umpire in
apparent rage over a close de-
cision I flicked him lightly on
what I thought might be a sensi-
tive subject. namely his own
temper.
Mr.. Evers laughed and said
yes, OF course, he had had some
wrangles in his time, but went
on to say that after he had
acquired his reputation as The
Crab he sometimes imposed on
the customers just to make
them howl.
DOINTING out to the player
4 who was now stamping and
jerking his arms at the umpire
at second. Johnny said 1t was
no sure thing that he was pro-
testing at all, although the
patrons were booing him on the
assumption that he was.
Sometimes. Mr.. Eyers said. he
would 60 into the bag in a
slide, knowing he was out from
here to yonder and pop up like
a terrier and stick his chin out
in Hank O'Day's face and with
sharp, ierky motions OF his
head yell:
Henry, you're dead right.
was out q mile"
Mr.. ODay would turn his
back in that majestic way Of
umpires, walk few steps with
Johnny pursuing him, and then
would whi1 on him with a
measuring gesture Of his arms.
would say:
yes, John, he had you by
that much"
EVERS would stomp the
~ ground and. with wider
gesture OF his arms, would yell
in Henry's face:
ooh, more than that Hank. At
least twice that. I didn't have
q chance"
BY this time the crowd would
be all over Johnny for his very
poor sportsmanship in Grabbing
over a decision which. even TO
the naked eye OF the customers
and from distance, was obvi-
ously fair.
Johnny would start away,
busting himself of and then
whirl and walk back 10 Henry.
Hank" he would say, "how's
the folks: Everybody well I
hope"
"Fine, fine. couldn't be better"
Henry would say. towering over
John and shaking his head.
Everybody OK with you"
mo complaint, no complaint,
thank the good Lord" Johnny
would say.
John would start away again,
stop. pick up little dirt from
the baseline, wheel and, flinging
the dirt TO the ground. again
would stick his chin into Hanks
face and say:
Mighty glad your folks are
well, Hank. Mighty glad to
hear IT,"
Running out Of small talk, Mr..
Evers presently would drag him.
self back TO the bench, turning
once or twice on the way TO yell
back at Henry little remarks
about the folks and the correct
ness Of the decision on him just
now.
Johnny said il was very
- funny the way crowd
could be monkeyed with and
touched off into RACES without
cause.
The customers, especially IN
New York. would want him
thrown out of the game for
grabbing but Henry, or whoever
the umpire was, couldn't very
well heave a man for agreeing
on decision and inquiring after
the family in the friendliest way.
The umpire might turn his
back and try to shrug him off
but a player must be allowed
little latitude on the field
and the mere turning OF the
back wouldn't stop Mr.. Evers'
courteous praises and inquiries.
The alternative was to enter
into the spirit of the thing and
jaw back at him in the same
cordial vein as thousands jeered.
L.