Billy Evans, Umpire
February 20, 1917 Fitchburg Daily Sentinel (Fitchburg, Massachusetts)
"You Haven't the nerve to umpire" said fan; then Billy Evans started on road to fameBy Bill Purman
There is perhaps no more interesting figure in baseball than Billy Evans, the American league umpire and author of the Sentinel's great baseball problem.
In his first big league game he got into a bad hole when he made a close decision on Kid Elberfeld at Second base.
The kid was a fiery, peppery little bundle of nerves in those days, a veritbale umpire baiter.
That a kid umpire, fresh from the bushes would have nerve enough to give him the wrong end of a close decision was the height of impertinence, Elberfeld thought, and he started to rag Evans.
Elberfeld, disregarding the fact that Evans outweighed him 50 pounds and had it on him in height and reach, began to ride all over Evans.
Billy listened to him for a while.
"Train down to my weight and I'll take you on," he grinned.
Elberfeld regarded him an instant and burst out laughing. Afterward they were great friends.
That incident cemented Evan's position in the American league. Players learned that he would not be bluffed, also that he was not the "hard-boiled" type, then so common. They afterward learned that he was eminently fair and that he knew baseball as well as the man who invented it.
There is perhaps no more interesting figure in baseball than Billy Evans, the American league umpire and author of the Sentinel's great baseball problem.
In his first big league game he got into a bad hole when he made a close decision on Kid Elberfeld at Second base.
The kid was a fiery, peppery little bundle of nerves in those days, a veritbale umpire baiter.
That a kid umpire, fresh from the bushes would have nerve enough to give him the wrong end of a close decision was the height of impertinence, Elberfeld thought, and he started to rag Evans.
Elberfeld, disregarding the fact that Evans outweighed him 50 pounds and had it on him in height and reach, began to ride all over Evans.
Billy listened to him for a while.
"Train down to my weight and I'll take you on," he grinned.
Elberfeld regarded him an instant and burst out laughing. Afterward they were great friends.
That incident cemented Evan's position in the American league. Players learned that he would not be bluffed, also that he was not the "hard-boiled" type, then so common. They afterward learned that he was eminently fair and that he knew baseball as well as the man who invented it.
THE DAY January 20
One Time When the Tobasco Kid Met More Than His Match.
Baseball has been purified to a powerful degree during the past ten years. Umpire baiting, a practice that was so common and many times so amusing in years passed, is now almost unknown for present day arbiters are strictly business and the slightest response in the form of criticism meets with banishment.
The baiting process, even though not relished by fans who take no interest In heated repartee, recalls some of the really famous baiters of past seasons. Kid Elberfeld, formerly known as the Tobasco Kid, while with New York, was perhaps one of the ringleaders. This diminutive infielder, never lost an opportunity to pull some kind of a stunt that would tend to humiliate the umpire, for the Kid disliked to have a decision rendered against him, especially
where it was close and he had a chance to think himself entitled to the shade.
Billy Evans had a clash with Elberfeld when the former broke into the big league as an arbiter, that caused Elberfeld to let him strictly alone. Evans umpired a game between New York and the Chicago White Sox at the latter's park one day when he had occasion to call Elberfeld out on a close decision at second.
The Tobasco Kid made the usual remonstrance, to which Evans, then a real youngster, walked away. EIberfeld went to the first base coaching box and engaged in a conversation with the bleacherites nearby regarding the odiferous qualities of catfish that had long been removed from water. Occasionally Elberfeld would put special stress on the fact that the odor emanating from said catfish was simply distressing-. The conversation was for Evans' benefit.
After letting Elberfeld talk for some minutes, Evans stopped play long enough to walk to first and chase the kid to the bench. As Elberfeld started his slow march to the dugout he informed Evans that be should have punched his jaw when he was called out. Evans said nothing and the kid came back with a threat that he would yet do it. "Well, when ever you think you can get away with It just start," said the umpire and he proceeded after Elberfeld; at the same time removing his breast protector. Elberfeld hastened his steps for he had seen Billy fight—Copyright 1914.
July 16, 1911 - The Pittsburgh Gazette Times - UMPIRE BILLY EVANS tells how he tamed scrappy Kid Elberfeld. Elberfeld was the first player Evans had a run in with when he umpired his first big league game. Evans called Elberfeld out at first on a close play. Elberfeld ran at the young umpire and said: "I'll punch you right in the jaw if you make another decision like that." "And if you do I'll punch you right back in the same place," Evans told him. The crowd advised Elberfeld to commit all kinds of terrible acts, but Elberfeld walked up close, put his hand beside his mouth, and said: "In the meantime, Mr. Evans, will you kindly train down to my weight." After that Elberfeld was one of the most agreeable players Evans had.
The Reach Official American League Guide - 1912
A STAR UMPIRE'S SUCCESSFUL METHOD
Umpire Billy Evans, of the American League umpire staff, tells how he tamed the scrappy Kid Elberfeld. It appears that Elberfeld was the first player with whom Evans had a run-in while umpiring his first big league game. Evans called the Kid out on a close play and the latter, rushing up to the umpire, said : "I'll punch you in the jaw if you make another decision like that !" "And if you do I'll punch you right back in the same place," retorted Evans, coolly. The crowd advised Elberfeld to do all kinds of terrible things to the husky young umpire, but the Kid, getting closer, remarked : "In the meantime, Mr. Evans, will you kindly train down to my weight ?" And ever since player and umpire have been on friendly terms.
A STAR UMPIRE'S SUCCESSFUL METHOD
Umpire Billy Evans, of the American League umpire staff, tells how he tamed the scrappy Kid Elberfeld. It appears that Elberfeld was the first player with whom Evans had a run-in while umpiring his first big league game. Evans called the Kid out on a close play and the latter, rushing up to the umpire, said : "I'll punch you in the jaw if you make another decision like that !" "And if you do I'll punch you right back in the same place," retorted Evans, coolly. The crowd advised Elberfeld to do all kinds of terrible things to the husky young umpire, but the Kid, getting closer, remarked : "In the meantime, Mr. Evans, will you kindly train down to my weight ?" And ever since player and umpire have been on friendly terms.
February 9, 1944 - Chattanooga Daily Times (Chattanooga, Tennessee) - Umpire Evans Donates to Memorial Fund
May 10, 1909 - The Buffalo Commercial (Buffalo, New York) Mon Page 9 - BILLY EVANS, the umpire who was hit on the head with a soda bottle out in St. Louis and who immediately afterward became, as has been explained before, a sporting writer, was one of the umpires at the Yankee's park when Tim Hurst and Kid Elberfeld came together. Evans is of the opinion that the Kid is not a hard man to get along with. "Naturally, before breaking into the big league I had often heard a lot about what an umpire baiter Elberfeld really was," says Evans. "The first game I was assigned to work was with New York and Boston, and very early in the game I was forced to call the 'Kid' out on a very close play at second base. I was working the bases that day, and by the time I reached my place at first base was not the least surprised to find that Elberfeld was hot on my trail, vowing vengeance.
"'Well, you big stiff, you must be blind. I have a good notion to take a punch at you just for luck.' said the Kid. "Naturally I was more or less perturbed, but I made up my mind that I would have to make some kind of a reply. " 'Come right along and make good," I replied, 'but before you start I want to assure you that it will be the unluckiest lucky punch that you ever took.'
"The Kid looked at me for a minute as if surveying me from head to feet, and then started to laugh. I can assure you that his smile relieved me quite a little.
" 'All right, young fellow," he replied, I guess we'll postpone the fight until you get down to my weight.' I only weighed about forty pounds more than the Kid, so we have postponed the affair indefinitely.
"That was over three years ago, and since then as an umpire I have had little or no trouble with the Kid, whom most fans regard as an awful rowdy. He is an aggressive chap, and is bound to fight for his rights if the umpire tries to get the better of him, but handled properly he is just as easy to get along with as any other player."
"'Well, you big stiff, you must be blind. I have a good notion to take a punch at you just for luck.' said the Kid. "Naturally I was more or less perturbed, but I made up my mind that I would have to make some kind of a reply. " 'Come right along and make good," I replied, 'but before you start I want to assure you that it will be the unluckiest lucky punch that you ever took.'
"The Kid looked at me for a minute as if surveying me from head to feet, and then started to laugh. I can assure you that his smile relieved me quite a little.
" 'All right, young fellow," he replied, I guess we'll postpone the fight until you get down to my weight.' I only weighed about forty pounds more than the Kid, so we have postponed the affair indefinitely.
"That was over three years ago, and since then as an umpire I have had little or no trouble with the Kid, whom most fans regard as an awful rowdy. He is an aggressive chap, and is bound to fight for his rights if the umpire tries to get the better of him, but handled properly he is just as easy to get along with as any other player."
