Clipping:Working the umpire
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| Date | Wednesday, June 3, 1885 |
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| Text | In the “good old days” it was considered dishonorable for a player to claim he had put a player out when he knew he hadn't. Now every player is expected to make the claim or bluff, as they call it, and if they can work the umpire so much the better. This is certainly a most reprehensible practice, as it has more to do with putting an audience onto an umpire than any other thing. It is a common thing to see a player make a bluff at putting out a man and throw down the ball, and the whole side start in as a matter of course. If he belong to the home team and the umpire should disallow his claim, then there is a terrific howl. If he belongs to the visiting club the decision is greeted with cheers and jeers for the visitors. Again, it is a common occurrence for the captains and members of the different teams to claim men are out or not, as their interests may dictate, and when they fail to get the decision they want they make remarks or motions indicative of disgust, as much as to say “we are being robbed of the game.” All such are taken up by the audience, who make anything but friendly demonstrations if the decisions are adverse to their pets. Indeed, it is not very uncommon for captains to try and intimidate the umpire by putting the crowd onto him in this way. Managers and club officers are largely responsible for such conduct on the part of the players; they all wink at it and some of them openly encourage it. I know of more than one club official who last year told the captain of his team to kick and he would pay the fines. In my opinion this is certainly anything but good policy. It can not be advantageous to have riotous proceedings on the grounds of a club, nor to encourage the hoodlum element to be boisterous and threatening. |
| Source | Sporting Life |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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