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DEADLY ENEMY OF THE UMPIRE KID ELBERFELD ALWAYS GETTING INTO TROUBLE WITH THE INDICATOR MEN. COLLECTING DATA FOR BOOK
New Manager of New York Highlanders Expects to Write Treatise on "Why ls an Umpire ?"—Famous Player a Graduate of St. Louis Vacant Lots
No ball player in the business today has the trouble with umpires that has Kid Elberfeld the little aggressive shortstop and new manager of the New York Highlanders. The Kid can he found every day on the coaching line for a while, until the umpire sends him to the bench. He has been summoned before Ban Johnson, the president of the league, more times than any other two players. Every time the New York club goes to Chicago Elberfeld is brought on the carpet of Johnson's office for his regular spanking.
This has been going on for the last five years and every time the Kid gets in a row and is summoned to appear before the big boss it seems that he surely will suffer a severe penalty; yet he invariably comes out of big Ban's office restored to good standing. The rebukes of Johnson have become so regular now that the Kid and Ban are really good friends. When the Highlanders go to Chicago now Elberfeld doesn't wait to he summoned to Ban's office. He goes voluntarily the first thing when he gets to the city, and after he has been given his regular spanking he and Ban sit together and have an hour's pleasant chat on things in general and umpires in particular.
Before Elberfeld became a famous baseball player and a renowned umpire baiter he was a St. Louis boy, playing baseball every day from spring to fall on the vacant lota. That was where be acquired Ms aggressive wit and his fighting tactics. Those were the days when the boys won ball games by licking the other team if it was necessary.
When Elberfeld finally got into the big league he went to Detroit and from there he was taken to New York, because Clark Griffith wanted just such a scrapper for his team. And Elberfeld is a most admirable scrapper. Don't ever trample on his toes. He would fight Jim Jeffries just as quickly as Tom Thumb. He fears no man, still less an umpire.
Tim Hurst Is one of his greatest ad. mirers, and Tim is the one who Is al- wars getting the Kid in trouble. One day last summer up in Chicago Tim was the official at the home plate and called the Kid out after he had made a beautiful slide for the plate that meant the tying run with the White Sox. "You're out," and Tim motioned with his thumb.
"I'll show you," fairly hissed the Kid as he sprang from the ground like a panther. He rushed in upon Tim and dug in about 17 shortarm jabs In the ribs before Hurst could get his mask off and the other players prevent a fight.
One of the Kid's favorite tricks, and one which causes his benching much of the time, is to get out on the coaching line at first bane and whisper insulting things to the opposing pitcher. If he knows any private affairs of that pitcher he'll tell him all about them and get him rattled.
Up in Chicago the other day he attempted to get the great Ed Walsh feazed by telling secrete. But Ed paid no attention and fanned the first batten Hurst was the official at first base and was standing by the Kid, waiting to send him to the bench if he did not desist. Once more the Kid began on Walsh.
"Better shut up, Kid, or he'll fan 'em all out," sneeringly remarked Time, and the Kid closed.
When ELberfeld gets beyond baseball playing, or when his joints stiffen, he hopes to be a sporting editor. Can you imagine the things he will say about the umpires? He is writing a book too, that is he is planning one now. He expects to think about it for five year yet, and then be able to write intelligently on the matter. The subject of the book is:
"Why Is An Umpire?"
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