Salt Lake Telegram | 1938-08-27 | Page 10 | Backseat Driving

FRANK K BAKER TELEGRAM SPORTS EDITOR After watching a number of untoward incidents at various ball parks in the state for the past few years I believe the various public safety agencies well make mak more definite plans to service athletic gatherings Industrial league officials agreed a year ago to arrange to police their games but the result has not been as gratifying as it might be There are a number of outstanding examples F For r instance there here was the special officer who threw a visitors visitor's bat out of the park There was the case of two uniformed men failing to halt a encounter between two players at another city And there here was the incident in which a a uniformed officer failed to assist an umpire in sending two players to the dugo dugout t after they had lad become abusive to the arbiter Other organizations have also aIso had o occasions when hen th the presence of alert uniformed officers might have prevented distasteful incidents There was the general melee during the final game in the st state te Softball tournament last fall fait an occasion that brought out the riot squad Baseball umpires have had their troubles increased on several occasions by having to police the ball baIl park as well weIl as supervise the progress of the game A couple coupIe of incidents in which folks not in uniform have gone onto the field to o lecture lecture lec lec- lec ture the umpire and yank him around have been most re- re Even if these individuals are formally with the teams involved they have no place o on the the dia diamond diamond diamond dia- dia mond and the umpires should not have to defend them themselves Ives against them Handling a couple coup Ie of squads of uniformed players who sometimes let Iet their enthusiasm run in n the moments moments Vo mo mo- ments of tense competition is a pretty big assignment in itself If officers are to tobe be on n hand they should shoula I b be as s ready e dy to to help maintain order on the playing field as in the grandstand grand grand- I stand