Show Hot flot Under C Collar ll r hi hii FRANK K BAKER I Of all on sports fans the baseball bug I believe is the strangest of the He knows exactly how many hits Babe Ruth got in 1927 and will wUl bet you 5 youre you're oure wrong when you recall that Cincinnati won the world series of 1919 Hes He's sure cant can't hit an Inside ball and Just as certain certain tam tain that Dinwoody ought to be in right field Instead of Pearce From Prom his perch on the back row of the grandstand he can see ee e that Ryan was safe at second by a n. mile and he knows for tor a a. fact that the umpire behind the plate plath doesn't know a ball ban from a strike Mister Baseball Bug buys a a. ticket to the grand crand stand for lor a a. bit of diversion from the humdrum of this workaday life He comes away more fussed than he was when he slapped his hat on his head and dashed out of ot the office because his stenographer couldn't spell Cincinnati without two ts Is The grand grandstand stand ducat Is a I. I game license to 0 him permitting him to lo open fire tire on players managers umpires and spectators who dont don't see things his way The season Is always open The signal nal I for the fireworks Is most any anything a a called strike a base on balls or a bunt that fails faDs If It doesn't suit his momentary whim Ics Ijes hot under the collar and hr hp proceeds to 0 tell the whole hole world about It Blood Pressure Withstands Sonic Some Severe Punishment I I. like this whimsical creature the creature the baseball fan fan even even if he does does term storm fuss and fume until I fear his blood pressure will burst every vein rein eln in his face lace Ive I've seen him go purple with rage over a base b on balls until you'd think he had been compelled to sit through one of Huey Longs Long's speeches Spectators usually become more wrought up over a game than the players do Perhaps its it's because sitting on the sidelines Is like standing outside a restaurant and watching somebody else devour a great big piece of watermelon Theres There's the urge to get in there and do the same thing yourself Theres There's no physical exertion to holding down a grand stand t seat though so with no exercise to burn up his excess steam Mister Baseball Bug has to get rid of it vocally I have only one real quarrel with the baseball fan That ThatIs Is when he lets his sentiment get awa away with his better judg judg- ment The sp spectator in my opinion is just as morally bound to tobe tobe tobe be a good sport as the men on the field Rivalries are often most bitter but keen as competition can ean be theres there's no room in amateur sports for the exchange of personal unpleasant des rles among the fans any more than there is on the field r j The umpires have been the Ule target for considerable abuse from the fans In recent games between Salt Lake City's amateur teams No one is denying that these umpires make a few tew errors of judg judg- ment The man b behind blud the bat has bas to call from to decisions In a nine Inning ball game What If he does make a couple of bobbles bobbIes bob bob- bles bIes lie He stilt still has an enviable batting baWn average I overheard a couple of fans fam take great pains last week to tell an n umpire how he be had missed em cm In a n. game at Community park The ball players had committed six errors but the spectators forgot for- for got ot all about the misplays In trying to lo blame the be umpire for lor a teams team's defeat Fans All AIl Excited But Players Felt Everything Was Fine The fuming fans had hadl barely tromped out of the park when a member member member mem mem- ber of the losing team am came along He Ie spoke to the umpires es You boys did a a. fine tine Job he said If we had bad played ball like we should we might have won CS I have always felt that the umpiring here Is Just as good as the playing plyIng It is common knowledge that excited spectators often follow rt the h leads leada given them by y the players that their lack of confidence In I the officials can be influenced by players and leaders In the game For that reason I should like to see these agencies do more to prove they're solidly behind the umpires I have waited eagerly forthe forthe for lor the day when some minded fair manager will seize the dramatic opportunity opportunity to drive home the sense of ot sportsmanship to toa a a baseball crowd 3 I saw haired gray Tom Davis a former bi bit big leaguer do It most o day A close decision had bad gone pone against the home team at a crucial point Pandemonium broke loose Abuse fell feU upon the umpire Davis w was as manager of the home team cam He Jle ran out to home plate and motioned for silence Come on on folks folk he lie safa ud This umpire Is doing good Dod work n lies He's i ins ns as honest and sincere a as any of us Were We're here for a good time not to 0 get ref mad at one another Lets Let's nil all be good sports There was a deathly silence and then a great ovation The game rame went on and I never saw saw that group of fans be like again |