OCR Text |
Show FED UMPIRES WILL . GO MWM President Gilmore Orders Arbiters to Go Through Course of Sprouts. NEW YORK, Feb. 7. Spring training for the umpires of the Federal league has been ordered by James A. Gilmore, president of the Independents. The innovation inno-vation embraces a ten days' stay at West Eaden, Ind., during which period, just prior to the opening of the Federal league season in April, William Brennan, chief of the umpiring staff, will go over the rules with the members of the staff and lead In the physical conditioning that the league president insists upon. , Umpires signnd for service in the Federal Fed-eral league include Bill Brennan, Barry M c Co r m i c k . F. W e s t e r v o 1 1, Junnis Johnstone, John-stone, Harry Howell. M. Firmeran, W. Fyfe, O. Anderson and Wi1lla.ni Shannon. Johnstone is a former National league umpire, who "conirs back" after a season sea-son with thf American Association, in which the big- arbiter showed the eamc keenness and power which made him one of the best- modern rulers of the game while serving in the pioneer major league. Barry JJcCormlck. Harry Howell and ".Spike" Shannon are old-time players who have been polished up in tho minors for duty as umpires. Westervelt and Finneran have had major league experience, experi-ence, and before going to the new league 'C; lief" Brennan was a National league arbiter or splendid rating. In a letter to the eastern office of the Federal league Gilmore says that eperi-ences eperi-ences of the past and first season of the Federals will aid in tho establishment of a system in control that will make for the highest type of discipline. Federal league players will have to conduct themselves them-selves us gentlemen and behave in a clean and sportsmanlike manner at all times, explained Gilmore. Furthermore, they will have to keep in the best of physical condition if they want to draw salaries. "More than 90 per cent of the players realize what the Federal league has dCne for them," said Gilmore. "A comparatively compara-tively small percentage have a mistaken idea that, owing to the fact that we took them from organised baseball, lrresoec-tive lrresoec-tive of what they do, they will be taken care of for the full term of their contract. con-tract. Whether or not the Federal league has a long contract with a player does not signify that we vail tolerate unruly actions of any nature. I do not think any court would uphold one of our players' contracts if the player himself did not fulfill his end of it in abiding by regulations regarding being able to give his best services. "In my opinion, the Federal league staff of umpires is a,n especially competent com-petent one and the trip to West Baden will provide an opportunity for them to be prepared to enforce rules. I am convinced con-vinced that the public likes activity and aggressiveness, and under a bonus system sys-tem I expect that these two characteristics character-istics will show prominently in all our games. I 'have been considering a system sys-tem to determine the three most aggressive aggres-sive players in the Federal league during 1915 and have awards made for tire men chosen by a committee. It would be distinctly dis-tinctly understood that anv ball plaver failing to run out an infield hit or high fly would be eliminated from the possibility possi-bility of selection. In all my years as a fan nothing displeased on 9 more than to see a ball player "pull up' on the way to llrst base." Umpires and managers will attend the schedule meeting of the Federal league in Buffalo next week, when "Chief" Brennan will formally announce the completed com-pleted list of officials and give out instructions in-structions regarding the umpires' training trip. |