Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 226, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 September 1919 — UMPIRES MAKE GAME SOUR AND LISTLESS [ARTICLE]

UMPIRES MAKE GAME SOUR AND LISTLESS

Frown on Enlivening “Stunts” by Contestants. Arbiters Allow Absolutely No Talking Among Opposing Players and Take Much Aggressive Spirit Out of Men. Funeral-like baseball obviously Is what the umpires in the National league are trying to force on the fans, judging from the way they curb the players in their efforts to put a little excitement in the games. They allow absolutely no talking among the opposing players to liven hostilities and by enforcing this rule to the letter take much of the aggressive spirit out of the, men. Some ball clubs and manr agers can get away with almost anything on the field, but the Cubs dare not open their mouths, says a writer in Chicago News. As soon as they do off the field they go with the umpires making all sorts of threats to fine and suspend them. In the second game of a recent doubleheader, which the Cubs won from the Pirates 7 to 0 and 2 to 1, the last game going 12 innings, Umpire Klem displayed his animus toward President Mitchell and the Chicago club. He gave an inkling of it in St. Tiouis by listening to the remarks made and finally chasing Merkle, Paskert and McCabe from the bench. In the Pirate game he hopped on Mitchell and sent him to the bench for protesting on a ball that struck fair, but was called foul by Klem. Then he ordered Coop-

er to pitch while Mann was.out of the box and not in the argument. Mann jumped on the plate and Cooper deliberatelythrew at him. A fight was expected to ensue and had it taken place Klem .alone would have been responsible for it. Officiousness among the umpires in the league is hurting the game. Fans ■do not like to see it. They are full of red blood and like to see a lot of activity on the field. Of course they do not go to the parks to see the men come to blows or use their spikes, but they do like to see them in conversational battles and bump one another round on the bases. When the tumpires check this they take the spice out of the competition and most players perform with more perfection and spirit when they are allowed to give vent to their aggressive feelings. But the teams, especially the Cubs, do not get away with anything of this kind, because umpires like Klem and Byron run them out of the park almost before they start.