Author Topic: An old rule that needs to be reinstated  (Read 4787 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline ncwingman

  • *
  • Posts: 1269
  • FAN REACTION: +72/-13
  • Without officials... it is only recess.
An old rule that needs to be reinstated
« on: May 22, 2015, 02:34:15 PM »
My random internet perusings today let me stumble across this gem from mlb.com:

10 bizarre baseball rules you won't believe actually existed

Aside from the Buzzfeed-y title, I think #6 needs to be reinstated:

Quote
6. Umpires in the 19th century had it made

The plight of the umpire is a difficult one: You try tracking a small white ball traveling at ridiculously high speeds, with a stadium full of people and the entire Internet ready to castigate you if you're wrong.
Being an umpire at the turn of the 20th century, though? That actually sounds pretty great: They were chosen from the crowd prior to first pitch -- they were often prominent members of the local community -- and rather than spend all that energy to squat behind the catcher, umpires were given easy chairs in the general vicinity of home plate. And that was just the beginning of the perks. From Ohio's Marion Star newspaper in 1916:

"The old time umpires were accorded the utmost courtesy by the players. They were given easy chairs, placed near the home plate, provided with fans on hot days and their absolute comfort was uppermost in the minds of the players. The umpire always received the choicest bits of food and the largest glass of beer."

Sign us up, please.

Probably slightly apocryphal, but I'd work any game you want if you're also giving me free beer. Who's with me?

Offline Atlanta Blue

  • *
  • Posts: 3781
  • FAN REACTION: +160/-71
Re: An old rule that needs to be reinstated
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2015, 03:46:27 PM »
"The old time umpires were accorded the utmost courtesy by the players. They were given easy chairs, placed near the home plate, provided with fans on hot days and their absolute comfort was uppermost in the minds of the players. The umpire always received the choicest bits of food and the largest glass of beer."

Is that not the way it is where you live?  It's pretty close to what we have here now.  FlAg1

Offline Ralph Damren

  • *
  • Posts: 4654
  • FAN REACTION: +864/-28
  • SEE IT-THINK IT-CALL IT
Re: An old rule that needs to be reinstated
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2015, 01:05:11 PM »
Seems as I recall a ole' picture of an ole' time ump being perched in a cage that was dangling over the frenzied masses. The caption read "KILL THE UMP" as an assorted collection of debris was being hurled in his direction. His cage sorta' resembled a lobster trap, so it may have applied to the regional treatment of umpires ....or it may have just been a nightmare..... ???

Offline Atlanta Blue

  • *
  • Posts: 3781
  • FAN REACTION: +160/-71
Re: An old rule that needs to be reinstated
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2015, 06:42:59 AM »
Just because you asked:


Offline Ralph Damren

  • *
  • Posts: 4654
  • FAN REACTION: +864/-28
  • SEE IT-THINK IT-CALL IT
Re: An old rule that needs to be reinstated
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2015, 09:22:42 AM »
Thanks, AB tiphat:! I guess someones "Kill the ump" is another's "Umpiring made easy" ;D. I appreciate the drink holder as the beleaguered ump in the drawing would probably need something stronger than Koolaide :thumbup.