• Author:
• Editor: B2331
• Newspaper: The Umpire volume 2
• Page Number: 2
• Date: March 26 1913
• Tags:
• sports
• baseball
• advice

Now when we are on the verge of ‘another base ball season, the time is most seasonable for us to address a few re- marks in the shape of advice and warn- ings to our friends, who will be fortunate enough to have the privilege of seeing ‘and enjoying the games. This article is indited principally for the edification of our recent initiates, who have no line or precedents to guide them, and who may unconsciously, and possibly through no fault of their own, fall into error and bring trouble to themselves. With regard to the old heads, they surely must have profited by our constant appeals to them in the UmMPIRE of last season.

Firstly, we wish everybody to under- stand that -the great privilege of playing base-ball, was granted us by our chief executive under certain conditions, and secondly it is incumbent upon us to obey these injunctions to the letter, because ‘““walls have ears’’, and certain people in the outside world of puritanical disposi- tions, take umbrage at the very idea of us poor mortals being granted one hour’s relaxation from the regular routine of discipline, which they think we are en- during in ‘‘durance vile.”” Complaints have arigen in the past, and unless we maintain reasonable quietude, they may increase, and there is no telling what results, disadvantageous to ourselves, may occur. Therefore it behooves us all to regard ‘‘silence as golden’’ during the process of the games.

Right here, we have the most impor- tant condition and rule, which we urgently commend to the careful consi- deration of the spectators, and we trust it will be devoutly adhered to, and re- spected by them at all times.

We agree, that during the course of the season there will be times, and situa- tions will present themselves, which will cause the excitement to become ex- tremely intense, and it will require almost superhuman power to keep our- selves under perfect control, but you will find with a little cultivation this self-control can be attained.

The officials on the field, from the highest to the lowest, have always treated us as ‘‘Bohemians’’, and it is up to us to demonstrate to them that we are men like unto themselves, with impulses, passions and instinets, which we can and will hold in check when we make up our minds to do so.

At any time, when any one of our friends, through thoughtlessness, be- comes over enthusiastic on the field, and for the moment ‘‘loses himself’’ in ap- plause, it would bea good idea for the

gently administering a reprimand to his next door neighbor ; say, something in this way ; ‘‘Steady yourself old chap, steady !,”” then we ghall find that good order will be the result.

Now with reference to the men who will participate in the games ; they will receive their instructions from their re- spective managers, but for their further information we wish it to be explicitly understood that no ‘‘horse play’’ will be tolerated for one instant. It is much the best thing to commence as we intend to go on, and it is only fair to all the men, that they should be fully acquainted with what is to be, and what is not to be. :

The E. S. P. Base Ball League, thanks to its promoters, is now firmly founded on a rock, and whatever may have been its shortcomings in the past, we feel con- fident that perfection has now been attained.

Every objection or protest must be made by the manager, and him alone, and no matter what an individual play- er may think, it will be well for him to keep his mouth closed; it is' quite possi- ble however, for him to obtain his point if he goes the right way about it, that is through his manager; but let it be clearly understood, that brawls of any nature approaching rowdyism, will only cause loss instead of gain to the party implicated.

Also let it be understood, that the

slightest sign of hostility of any kind

will be promptly suppressed, and the offender or offenders may be closely “‘confined to barracks’’, for a more or less protracted period in consequence of his unruly conduct. We feel, and we sincerely trust, that the necessity to enforce these rules will never occur. Nobody on earth could have been more

considerate for our welfare in the past than our respected Warden has been, and now the time is ripe for us to show him that his kindness is appreciated.

Now we come to what has hitherto been the toughest question in the whole situation, namely—that of UMPIRE.

In the first place, we wish to point out that the utmost care will be exercised in selecting the most qualified men to fill these positions, and we do beseech every- body to work in accord with us to that

'end. more level heads to adopt the plan of | "

Most of us are men in every sense of the word, and are not devoid of honor, and the men who are selected to UmpiRE should be looked upon by us as men of that calibre. Pray don’t commence at the outset of the season, to regard them as your mortal enemies, or entertain the idea that they are a set of ‘‘welshers’” who are out for your scalps. Better by far would it be if you would sympathize with them, and begin to know that theirs is a most arduous and thankless job, when they are expected to perform an absolute impossibility, which is to please everybody.

In the last issue of the UMPIRE, it was announced that the Cubs were to be managed by ‘‘Jimmy’’, of the Writer’s Room, but unfortunately for the Cubs, this gentleman had been signed as a player by the Library, previous to his contract with the Cubs. However, ‘“‘Marty’’, a member of last year’s Stogies, has accepted the berth, and if he exhibits as much enthusiasm in playing the game as he does in securing equipment to play with, the Cubs will not have lost by the change.

¢Dick,”” in the Tin Shop, has entered a claim for six ginger cakes against the Ninth Block, for service rendered.

“Fingersand ‘‘Ducky’’, of the Stockino Shed, are out to duplicate the record of the Shed’s team of 1911----quite a job, boys ; but confidence is half the battle.

SITUATION WANTED. Ball player, steady, sober and honest, can furnish

best of reference. Apply to ‘“Whitie’ at the E. S. P. Library.