Clipping:The AA and NL umpire problem

From Protoball
Jump to navigation Jump to search
19C Clippings
Scroll.png


Add a Clipping
Date Wednesday, July 13, 1887
Text

[from the Baltimore correspondent's column] With a capable president—one who was wise, honest, firm and independent, one with a determination to grant no special favors and to stand or fall by that motto—much of the present difficult with umpires would be a thing of the past. The umpire who receives an appointment on the recommendation of a manager feels under obligations to the source of his employment. He may be a perfectly honest man, but it is human nature to be somewhat biased in favor of one's friends. The other managers become suspicious and want to know, you know. They want to learn who recommended the appointment of umpire so-and-so, and when they do find out it is an easy matter for them to convince themselves by observation that that special manager is being favored by a certain umpire, and then comes the dissatisfaction, anger, charges of robbery, etc., and patrons in different cities take it up and then the umpire and the game suffers whether he is really guilty of partiality or not. If the system is continued it will soon be that every manager will own his own umpire. Each manager will assert there is one honest umpire in the Association, and the other three are robbers. No, sir, gentlemen of the Association, the umpire reform must be among yourselves. You have had good officials, but the great fault lies with a radically pernicious system. There are several things required to perfect the system. First, have a president in fact, whether that be Mr. Wikoff, Mr. Pritchard or Mr. somebody else, but whoever he is be sure that he is conscientious, independent and a good judge of character and men. Then he must be left entirely free and unhampered in his selections for the very important office of umpire. Then you must open your purse strings a little wider and give him the wherewithal to secure the best men. Why is John Kelly managing a base ball team instead of umpiring and subduing rowdy players and riotous spectators? Why—because you wouldn't make it to his advantage to umpire. Good men are almost priceless in this position, but poor ones are worth just nothing at all, because they are allowing the game to become more rowdy day by day, and in the end your financial interest will suffer. The very best financial base ball investment you can make is to get as near a perfect corps of umpires as possible. The increased popularity o the game among the better class will repay you fifty per cent. the second season after its accomplishment. You have not begun to reach the patronage that is open to you, and you never will until you sink unprofitable selfishness in this umpire matter, and go in for the general welfare of the game. The Sporting Life July 13, 1887

[from the Washington correspondent's column] The presidents of different clubs have protested against certain umpires, and request that they never be assigned to games in which their respective clubs participate. … Mr. Young now proposes to take matters into his own hands, and says “that hereafter no request of a like character will be heeded, and that he will send his men wherever he thinks best regardless of what others may think, and if the League is not satisfied with the appointments that they will be compelled to raise the salary of the position.” He is tired of this continuous complaint and says that it is impossible for him to keep competent men at such a low salary. … The situation is such that it will compel Mr. Young to show his backbone and nerve in the management of the umpires. The Sporting Life July 13, 1887

Source Sporting Life
Comment Edit with form to add a comment
Query Edit with form to add a query
Submitted by Richard Hershberger
Origin Initial Hershberger Clippings

Comments

<comments voting="Plus" />