| Show S YOURE i And 0 U And 17 And Ti Then ft the Alibis r I ri Bit L S F y 1 ILL L Ag C UT rA r 0 er I f w y r b 4 fa f y p J i S r r r r A a ais Si e i J fJ is J j i ij 2 1 f M 1 t J N li JI n l 1 h 1 5 M y J q r Ja N J r f rya ryar r q J rit f L Ll A l lc f S. S 55 Yg Walter Valter J Johnson c manager of the he S Senators Senator do and erstwhile pitcher proved himself a a square shooter te when he backed up l McGowan's McGowans s 's decision against the Washington team H HERE ERE comes cones r F February aneZ and there go the fie ball halt players Down South to the training camps where the crack of the bat against the ball ucIl shortly be heard presaging the opening only a short time hence of another baseball season And here is the popular al' al American League umpire Bill I with a baseball baseball base base- ball bal yarn that will interest all the fans and anel set them on edge for or the 1980 1930 season rBy r- r By William A. A McGowan American League Umpire IN N EVERY game on the calendar sports- sports has Its moments In baseball baseball baseball base base- ball it crops up hundreds a of times On the other hand players have used In Its stead the old alibi All ball pla players ers love their base baso hits It Is the foundation of oC their livelihood They hate to be called out on strikes or lose a close decision at first base that might have been credited as a base knock The good hitters and the weak alike step up to the old pan take tale a couple o of balls foul a couple then stand there with their gun sun on their shoulder while a pitched hed ball breezes over the plate for a perfect third strike Yer out outI goes up the cr cry of oC the umpire Instantly the batsman batsman batsman bats bats- man snarls gives the umpire a black blacklook look Jook and kicks up the dust as he star starts that long long journey back to the bench That ball w was s a foot outside he tells the manager manager as he dips for a drink from the water faucet In his heart he knows the ball was down the alley somehow or other but It Is the nature of a ballplayer ball ballplayer ballplayer player to alibi In such cases It has been done so many times that It seems scentS to come comeby comeby comeby by instinct Take for instance the batter balter who has hasbit haslit lit hit a grounder to deep short He hustles away from the plate hoping that he can beat the fielders fielder's peg to the bag He puts his all aU Into that dash An infield hit means as much in the records as a drive against the fence On close pla plays s 's at first base basc the umpire Is all set for a decision The ball arrives a fraction of a second ahead of the runner Taking his last step for the bag he will ill often yell ell at the thet t top p of oC his voice olce No NoI I No Nol No Nol meaning that the ball did not beat him Yer out from the umpire Then the fun fUll starts on the bench The runners runner's teammates teammates teammates team team- mates take up l his s fight for Cor him You were ere safe kid Iid but old Blind Tom hasn't called one right for a month Or one of oC the jocke jockeys s 's will mil hand the thc umpire this one Get out your our cup and dog and Ill I'll get you ou a pair of oC sun glasses As an umpIre umpire umpire um um- pire you ou arc are a perfect blind man i arc are not al a always s 's correct In ht U UMPIRES J their decisions Neither are arc all the ball pa players using the umpire as an alibi nUbi There are arc any number of oC players in the American and National Leagues who register protests on decisions only when hen they feel they have a kick coming The t type of or player on whom the umpire bears down and watches most Is the id- id low who will handshake Josh and kid before a game or when everything is going smoothly but when the old pinch comes the tight spot he will throw the umpire down to protect l himself by pulling the alibi There is one player on the As A's for whom I have a great deal of at respect His honesty honesty honesty hon hon- esty in a tough situation once saved my neck from the angry mob Yes sir III Ill take Joe Boley's word any time And that goes for the pinches too The Baltimore Orioles led by the late Jato Jack Dunn Duan won seven straight pennants In the International League Joe Boley held down shortstop In ill all 11 seven seasons I 1 umpired five years ears In that circuit I 1 will never forget the 1921 season The Orioles closed the year with twenty-five twenty consecutive victories Prior to this string of or wins they hey were going great guns winning winning winning win win- ning about eight out of every ten games Jack Dunn loved lo to win He would have o 0 be been n glad If It his team won every game game on the schedule despite the fact that attendance attendance at attendance at- at at l his s park was decreasing with every victory scored by his team The Buffalo club led by George Willse old Giant pitcher and first baseman was J playing la ing a Sunday date at Oriole Park The home team held a 2 to lead when Buff Buffalo lo came in for its last Jast turn at bat With one out Gilhooley Keating and Sheridan filled the bases with a 2 walk and two infield singles The Baltimore infield played in In hopes hones of oC cutting of off the run at the plate Ed Barney slashed a wicked wicket drive between third base and shortstop It appeared to be a sure hit Fritz Maisel lunged for the ball but could not reach it Joe Boley with a sensational dive and anda a handed back-handed stab smothered the balland ball balland balland and fell feU to the ground He arose and tossed the ball to MaIsel at third as the runner had gone In ht when the ball was hit Maisel Mals l stepped on third completing what he thought nought was a double play the players play play- ers of or both teams started for the clubhouse clubhouse clubhouse club club- house thinking the game over The fans had been pouring out a of the grounds When the ball hit Boley's glove glo and he fell to the ground his body covered from sight the fact that he had dropped the ball I was umpiring on the Ule bases and consequently standing in a perfect position position position tion to see Boley drop the ball baU but regain It It instantly I stood there yelling No with my palms down MaIsel rushed up to me the matter what's the matter The TIle game is over Boley caught the ball and ande we e doubled the fellow who was vas on tl third rd he lie yelled By this time the Buffalo players sensed that something was wrong Manager Wiltse came back on the field of oC play and asked what the trouble was The game is not over yet bo boys s I said Boley dropped that ball Youre crazy youre you're out of at your head Baltimore players were howling as they ran to and from each other carrying the news that I didn't allow Boley's catch caleb Jack Dunn leading about fifteen of oC his players out on the field came up and demanded de demanded de- de to know what hat the reason was forme forme for me roe calling the men back on the field whenever when ever everybody body In the ball baU park knew the game was ever Dunn went up In the air waving his arms frantically His next move mo meant a a. lot Jot to me mc as the fans were now half haIr crazy The entire ball park was In III an uproar Walking over to Boley Dunn asked Joe did you drop that l Ball Yes doggone it I dropped it but I dont don't think anybody In ht the ball park saw It but the umpire who called It it When the Ule smoke had cleared Buffalo had runners on first and second the score was tied and two were out The man who was on second was forced out at third when Boley tossed the ball to MaIsel The next hitter Don Donaldson hit the left field fence and cleared the bases with willi witha willia a triple Baltimore went out in order in Its half haIr Police Pollee officers saw me to my dressing room WHEN rv EN I broke into the American League as an umpire In 1925 Johnny great little outfielder of the Cl Chi Chicago cago sago White Sox was coming into his own as a real star The Washington Senators Senator were playing at Comiskey Park on a a. Sunday It was and my first visit to Cl Chicago cago b. b Just insa a Natural aura W Weakness ea ness Indulged iZ u In ty lr by All to Protest a Decision and Offer OfferAll OfferAll t N Nin All Kinds Kindl in s o of Excuses Excuses- r f r f Yet e in Defeat e ea Y Your our 1 A Average Baseball r Player Displays True rue R. R it C y Sp Sportsmanship hip r a J 1 s y A j f i w a d y 1 r rI rV V I I r. r t I. I J r r. r f w J F J. J w f 7 1 d' d e r IJO 0 tN y i r y Y rr v s r r Joe Athletic shortstop proved his fine a E sportsmanship tir Ur McGowan r The score was tied at all 4 in the sixth inning ng with on second base I Iwas Iwas Iwas was working at third Johnny was BS getting a nice lead off sec sec- ond With the pitch he was off for third Muddy Ruel Ruei catching catchIng catching catch- catch Ing for the Ule Se Senators heaved the ball to third a trifle ahead of the runner Ossie Ossle Bluege received the peg and stabbed at as he slid id for forthe forthe the bag I 1 called out The moment moment moment mo mo- ment my hand went Into the air Indicating indicating ing he was Ras declared out I felt I had made a mistake The crowd In the stands were on their toes waiting for a aUp tip Up from be before before be- be fore forc handing me a arousIng arousing arousing rousing je Jeer Jumped to I his is feet b brushed r us h e d the dust from his pants and L' L 1 fl when he lie played J with wilh the Orioles rr- rr 1 S w f i f I tr r i r c 4 L 0 ef ry J jT Many Ian of the thc fierce arguments between 1 players and the umpire arc start started cd by a 1 runners runner's protest against a close decision He lie seeks s an all alibi at nt the umpires umpire's expense went to the bench without looking at inc me That was a funny spot to be in for an umpire I called the f fellow out but my myse se second ond guess was that Bluege had missed him Still Stilt the runner didn't s say y a word He surely would have ha told me I 1 booted the play 1 If I was wrong Maybe I thought to myself Bluege did nip him after alL The crowd did not boo me tae as they surely would have done had as much as glanced at me Two Tao innings later the boy who seemed destined to fill Tris Speakers Speaker's shoes as the champion fly chaser but whom fate fat seemed to block passed third base on his way to the dugout Coming close he said quietly Mac you ou missed that play on me at third base Bluege hasn't touched me yet et His remark stunned me That was vas a fine bit a of sportsmanship and Ill I'll never forget Johnny for it IL Incidentally would have ha been the greatest little outfielder of or all time I believe c but at the height of his career while the team was as in ht training at Shreveport Shreve- Shreve port La an unfortunate tragedy occurred wherein Johnny Insanely tried to dispose of his life lIe The he baseball world was shocked b by the news When he lie returned to the game he was given vociferous ap applause applause applause ap- ap in each of the eight American League cities It was feared at first list that was through But he This Tills boy from the lots Jots lotsof lotsof of Chicago was covering his territory in center field like Ilke a champion last year car carIn In Iii a game the White Sox played at Detroit early in July Johnny made three of or the most spectacular catches seen in inthe inthe inthe the pastures of oC Navin Field for years The next day scored on oil a J lilt hit t fr from m second base He slid lid across the plate Ills His spikes caught in the dirt and amI as I called him safe I heard a crack It was ankle He was vas out for the Ule remainder of the season He lIe was relea released cd to Toledo Teledo last month mouth b by the new manager manager manager man man- ager Donle Bush who favors younger er men but ball pla players ers and arc are hop hoping ng for his return to the majors TN N THE spring of 1924 I blew into St. St J- J IN Petersburg Fla to umpire a game be between between between be- be tween the Boston Braves and the Washington Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington Senators It was the year car before I joined the American League staff of umpires There had always s 's been keen rivalry rI between these clubs in the exhibition exhibition tion tilts There are many fans who labor under the impression that these exhibition exhibition exhibition tion games are arc all In fun That is entirely the wrong dope In late years the tine National National National Na Na- and American League teams take I Johnny 1 t former White While hite Sox fielder pow now with Toledo l accepted a decision against himself without protest just jut to be a good sport even though he knew it it was undeserved pride in ill licking their rivals The winning teams come in for a great amount of spring prestige on the sport pages ThIs Tills particular a regular big big- league engagement I 1 was working behl behind c the plate The game went along for eight innings with the score tied at 1 Walter Johnson Johnson Johnson John John- son was heaving them over for the Senators Senators Senators Sena Sena- tors and Muddy Ruel was behind the bat Everything was going along Jo lovely It It Ita ia ii iia a gorgeous da day for an all umpire when h hhas he has a tight battle on his this hands with little or no kicking I was patting myself on the back for breezing through this ht bitter struggle of or eight long innings and hardly a word of protest But in the last half hau atthe of at the ninth something happened The Braves loaded the bases Manager Dave Date Bancroft was up with two men out Bancroft Bancroft Ban Ban- croft and Johnson s staged a a. battle of wits wit until the count was three balls and two strikes The next pitch meant going extra rounds or the ending of or the game The great Barney tool took that famous wind wind-up He cut loose with wiLh his bIs fast last one Bancroft never stirred Rt Rusl Ruel l caught th the ball and amid started on the run for the bench Ball four I yelled at the top o of my voice alee What cried Ruel and aud in hi an instant I was surrounded by Washington pla players They yelled murder They were plenty angry Some of or the bo boys s 's crowded me as asI asI I 1 was walk walking ng off otI the field Held Those babies bables wanted to argue I 1 didn't Walter Johnson caught up with the gang cang and said Now wait a minu minute fel fel- fel lows I 1 know pretty much what Im I'm throwing up to the batters I have a fair fail idea of or what constitutes a ball and what is a strike I wanted that ball ball to tobe tobe tobe be a strike as much as any man on th the club If I 1 had been umpiring myself I would have called caned it a balL baIl It was was' a trifle outside Those words were welcome music to my cars ears aa as the pla players ers all pulled up short rt and gave ga me the All right then then- t Mac Mac ac Guess it was a a. ball Walter says it was Later that evening I 1 met Joe yip walking down 11 the street Hello he lie said roid How do you jOu feel after that one today Oh I 1 feel O. O K but Im I'm still thinking of or how swell n a guy Walt Walter r Johnson is Bet your our life you ou will never find another another an an- an other fellow to come conic through for an anum- anum um pire In a pinch like Barney did That That's ju just L one reason why everybody in blU baseball baseball base base- e- e ball loves lo the old master He Ile is a fair aIr and square shooter said Judge he In bu u Pub to Lcd er err r I n 1 |
