Clipping:Umpire Dick Higham expelled
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| Date | Saturday, July 1, 1882 |
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| Text | A special meeting of the Board of Directors of the League was held June 24 in Detroit, Mich. They went into secret session to try Richard Higham, the well-known professional umpire, on charges of “crookedness” preferred by President Thompson of the Detroit Club, who alleged that Highahm had given “pointers” to gamblers on the results of the League games, and backed up his accusation with a letter purporting to be signed by Higham, offering to tell a well-known Detroit gambler how to bet on the games he was going to umpire on the Detroit’s last Eastern trip. The letter signed “Dick” is said to be addressed to James Todd, and proposed to arrange for cipher-dispatches, whereby Todd will know whether to bet on Detroit or their opponents. The letter was found either in the street or at the hotel Higham was stopping at in Detroit, and was handed to Thompson. Higham was heard in his own defense, and vigorously protested his innocence, denying that he wrote the letter; but it was alleged that four experts had compared it with other letters of his and pronounced the writing identical. Freeman Brown, manager of the Worcesters, testified that Higham was seen in the society of a gambler when in Worcester, Mass.; and Manager Bancroft was also called as a witness. The Board of Directors decided by an unanimous vote to expel Higham from the League and the list of umpires, and the result of their deliberations, which are supposed to be secret, was sent to N. E. Young, the League secretary, for official record and promulgation. It is but justice to add that Higham has many friends who refuse to believe him guilty. New York Clipper July 1, 1882 The directors of the League held a special meeting on the 24th, when the Detroit club presented charges against Richard Higham, one of the League's umpires. Letters and dispatches from Highham were presented, showing that he was in collusion with gamblers, telling them what clubs to bet on when he umpired. The charges were declared sustained, and Higham was expelled. In our opinion the League did a very sensible thing, for Dick has been under a cloud for some time, and should never have been chosen as an umpire. The letter upon which Umpire Higham was expelled read as follows: Detroit, May 27, 1882. Friend Todd—I just got word we leave for the East on the 3 P.M. train, so I will not have time to see you. If you don't hear from me play the Providence Tuesday, and if I want you to play the Detroits Wednesday I will telegraph in this way: “Buy all the lumber you can.” If you do not hear from me do not play the Detroits, but buy Providence sure—that is, the first game. I think this will do for the Eastern series. I will write you from Boston. You can write me at any time in care of Detroit B. B. Club. When you send me any money you can send me check in care of the Detroit B. B. Club, and it will be all right. You will see by that book I gave you the other day what city I will be in. Yours truly, Dick. The Philadelphia Item July 2, 1882 |
| Source | New York Clipper |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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