Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 238, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1919 — WOULD PUT STOP TO ROWDYISM ON FIELD [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WOULD PUT STOP TO ROWDYISM ON FIELD

President Heydler Would Stamp Out Umpire Baiting. Considers His Group of Arbiters Effident Men andlntends to Back ~ Them to Limit—Players —— Are Given Warning. President Heydler of the National league in an interview announced that he would not stand for umpire baiting or rowdyism on the ball field. He at- ■ tended a game between the Cardinals and Giants on the Polo grounds, where it is claimed certain Cardinal players behaved in a disgraceful manner. Heydler said: . g -- “Baseball is too great a game te permit such tactics as certain players have employed in recent games to show their dissatisfaction over decisions by umpires. I do not contend that the umpires always are correct. It would be humanly impossible for th em al ways to give the right decisions. But it is safe to say they are rightlnine-ty-nine times out of a hundred. Eyen if a player dtffers with an umpire over a decision it behooves him to recognize the authority of the official instead of indulging in disorderly conduct. “Baseball is a clean'game. Spirit is essential, of course. Rivalry makes

for faster competition. But spirit and rivalry must not be mistaken for guttersnipe tactics such as throwing handfuls of dirt at umpires and cursing, as some players have done. The fans in the stands—that is, a big majority/ of them —certainly do not approve of misconduct such as that: “I consider the National league um-_ pires a group of effictent men. and ta* tend to back them to the limit. Players who persist in breaking the rules by misconduct on the field will be severely dealt with. JLet this serve as a warning to them." K

President Heydier.