Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1887 — THE WORLD OF SPORT. [ARTICLE]

THE WORLD OF SPORT.

Matters of Major and Minor Importance in Base-ball Circles. The All-important Umpire Ques-tion-Bob Carruthers. [CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.] Robert Cartuthers, the famous pitcher of the Browns, has returned to Chicago from St. Louis, bnt at last accounts had yet not signed a contract to pitch for Brooklyn next season. When asked by a Chicago leporter, however, which club he would probably play with next season he said: “I think with Brooklyn. * “Would you rather go there than to Cincinnati?” “No. My preference is Cincinnati, but Von der Ahe will not release me to Cincinnati.” “How do you know?” “He told me so. He said that he would refuse any offer Cincinnati might make, and that $20,000 would be no inducement.” “Then yon will go to Brooklyn?” “Yes. I think 1 will sign there within the next three days. 1 would have signed in St. Lonis had it not been for my mother’s strenuous objections, and I, of course, could not disregard her wishes.” “Why does she object to your going to Brooklyn?” “I guess she thinks the company down there is a little too fast for my health. You know I am far from strong," said Bob, with a grin. “Von der Ahe won’t have mnch of a team left, will he?” “Oh, yes. He showed me a list of the men that he expected would make up his regular team next year. They are King, Hudson, Knouff and Devlin as pitchers; Milligan and Boyle, catchers; Comiskey, Nicholson and Latham on bases; Robinson at short; O'Neil, Mann and Holliday in the onttield. Then he has two or three good new men. ” “What show will St. Lonis have next season?” “Not the walk-over we had this year. If I could go down to Cincinnati I think Mullane, Smith and myself could do our share toward making the rest of them hustle to keep up with Cincinnati. But I guess I won’t be there. If Byrne sticks to the $5,000, Von der Ahe sticks to his expressed determination not to let me play in Cincinnati, and my mother gives ber consent to my going East, I will put my name to a Brooklyn contract before many hours.” A question of growing importance among professional base-ball clubs is that of securing good and capable umpires. It iB being demonstrated more and more every year that the smooth progress of a game depends more upon the manner in which an umpire renders his decisions and enforces the rules than upon any one else connected with the game. Several baseball men were discussing this question the other day in Spalding’s Chicago store, and among them was Harry Palmer, the Chicago base-ball writer. “The position of an umpire,” said Palmer, “in a championship game between clubs of such reputation and importance as that enjoyed by those of either of the big organizations is without doubt the most important to be filled upon a ball field. A competent man can handle almost any class or grade of players in such manner as will insure the smooth progress of the game, while an incompetent, rattleheaded, or unscrupulous man can create chaos, disorder, and disgraceful quarrels at will.

“One thing that makes me hot,” continued Palmer, is the failure of club managers to back up and sustain the action of umpires in demanding respect from players and enforcing the rules upon the field. I believe that there was many a fine imposed last year which was never collected or heard from afterward. A player who receives a high salary and plays an important position may get the big head, for instance, and once he attains that degree of mental deformity it is safe to bet that he never loses an opportunity to bluster and bully and make a spectacle of himself for the benefit of the grand stand—and, I may add for the information of these fellows—much to the disgust of the grand stand. ‘Me?’ he will say to the umpire; ‘Me? Jess wait till de game is over, cull, an’ I’ll settle wid yon.’ Now, if I was an umpire, I would fine a man so fast and heavy that he would shut up and crawl back to his position with mighty little of his bluster left if he gave me any such talk as that. More than that. I would tell' the club management that if they did not sustain me in my action they could have my resignation, and after that I would lose no time after the game in hunting up my man and giving him all the chance he wanted to ‘settle wid me.’ lam in favor of giving tbe umpire absolute control upon a ball-field. Let there be no appeal from their decisions by any man on either side—captain, or any one else. Make it compulsory for the umpire to fine a man not less than $lO nor more than $25 for questioning a decision, and pnt it ont of the power of the club to remit that fine, save where it can be proved beyond all doubt that it had been unjustly administered. Of course, any player would have the right to appeal and the right to demand investigation, after the game was finished, but under no oircumstances should he be permitted to open his lips in protest of a decision while a game is in progress.” The firm of A. G. Spalding & Bros, last week gave the largest order for bicycles ever given by any house in America. Their order was for 1,500 Victor bicycles, valued at $195,000. Chicago is to have the wealthiest and toniest toboggan clnb in this country or Canada. A party of millionaires have just organized the “Onaway Toboggan Clnb,” and will erect a magnificent private clnb slide near the north end of Lincoln Park. The slide will be the finest ever built in America, and will be 1,500 feet long, with handsome clnb-honses, lookout-houses, and waiting-rooms adjoining. Thr e hundred members will be admitted. The club costumes will be especially rich in design and color, and the famous * Star” toboggan will be used. ' Charles Snyder, the veteran catcher of the Cincinnati Club, bnt now with the Clevelands, has retained to his home in 'Washington to spend the winter. He looks the picture of health.