Clipping:Umpire behind the pitcher 5

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Date Wednesday, May 2, 1888
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[from the Baltimore correspondent] He [umpire Gaffney] occupies the usual position when none are on bases, but the moment a player reaches first he stations himself behind the pitcher. He is then in a favorable position to watch the movements of the pitcher, the position of the ball when it passes over the plate, and to be at either base by a short spring whenever the ball is thrown there. When a play takes place at a base he is actually on the spot, and is almost infallible in decisions at that place of most contention, second base. There is actually no cause for a murmur of disapproval from spectators, and indeed, you see there is none, for the very fact of the umpire's being immediately at the point where the play is made is convincing that he has the best means of deciding the result of it. If this feature is adopted by all the umpires, it will be very much better for themselves, the public, the players and the game. The Sporting Life May 2, 1888

The system was tried by Mr. Gaffney in the South last spring, and in the recent Baltimore-Brooklyn-Cleveland series, and Messrs. Byrne, Barnie, Williams and Von der Ahe unite in pronouncing it the best system of umpiring ever devised, and superior even to the two-umpire system—which received such a satisfactory trial in the last world's championship series—in that the expense is less, there is no divided authority and the results are equally good. In addition to the testimony of the above gentlemen, must be added that of the press and public, wherever the system has been tried, that it is a revelation in umpiring. With such testimony in its favor, there is every reason why the new method should receive a thorough trial at the hands of all the umpires of the Association, and the officials of that body are acting wisely in the step they have taken. All the clubs should, and doubtless will, sign the request. The Sporting Life May 9, 1888

Umpire Lon Knight, of the New England League, and umpire McDermott, of the Tri-State League, have adopted Gaffney's style of umpiring from behind the pitcher. The Sporting Life May 9, 1888

Source Sporting Life
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Submitted by Richard Hershberger
Origin Initial Hershberger Clippings

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