Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 156, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 June 1912 — BUGS ARE HEARTLESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BUGS ARE HEARTLESS

Baseball Fans are Fickle and Have No Mercy.

Veteran Umpire and Sporting Promoter, Timothy Hurst, Tells of Troubles Awaiting Former Umpire Hank O’Day.

“Baseball fans are fickle, but that isn’t all,” said Timothy Hurst, veteran umpire, referee and sporting promoter, as he took part in a fanning bee the other day. “They have no mercy. The bugs out in Cincinnati who used to ridicule and abuse Umpire O’Day are now praising Manager O’Day without limit. But if the Reds do not keep up with the Leaders, just see if these same rooters don’t make Hank’s life miserable. That’s the way it has been going on for years in the big and little cities where baseball Is played. “I speak from experience, by the way, because after I had run the gantlet for several years as umpire, Chris Von der Ahe engaged me to manage the St. Louis team. This was a funny stunt, because the year previous I had been mobbed In the Mound City because I did not give all the close ones to the home team.

“But, as the manager, I was a king until the season got under way. All of the'nice things said about me were forgotten, and I couldn’t pick up a newspaper without burning my fingers. If I had been the least bit sensitive I would have been sent to some retreat, but I made up my mind to worry through it until my contract was up. Did I kick at the umpires? Bless you, no! My team was so weak that we couldn’t have won three straight games if all the decisions had been in our favor. “The merciless attitude of the fans has broken more than one man’s heart. I’ll never forget the case of Tim O’Keefe. He was one of the greatest pitchers that ever curved a ball. It was his great work that helped the Giants to win the world’s championship In 1888 and 1889. “Keefe was like Matty—a public Idol. If he had run for ptfbllc office he’d have been elected. Crowds followed him? home from the Polo grounds, and wherever he played be was a hero. When Keefe could not pitch any more he was Induced by President N. E. Young to umpire tn the National league. He came to the Polo grounds in this capacity and received a rousing welcome. In a grilling battle between the Giants and the Bostons, however, Keefe, absolutely

honest, made several dose decisions against the New Yorks. Before the game ended Keefe was the target for a volley of abuse. He was hooted-and hissed and finally a mob tried to handly him roughly as he made his way to the dressing-room.* “Believe me, boys, Keefe actually broke down and wept The admirers of former days had turned against him in less than two hours. His old spirit had gone and he soon resigned from the umpire staff. The same treatment would be accorded to any of the star ball players of today if they turned to umpiring. _ Their achievements on the diamond would be forgotten in the wild rooting for the home team’s success. “Did I ever lose my nerve while umpiring? Well, not exactly. But some nights I didn’t sleep well, because X »lfqs dead sore. I’ve taken on thirty "pounds since I quit the business.”

Hank O'Day.