men make better umpires than others, exactly as
some men make better ball players than others, but it is also true that
if the men who find it the hardest task to become the most expert
umpires would be given a little more encouragement they might be a
little more successful.

To the staff of umpires of the National League and the American League
it is but fair to render a compliment for their work of last season.
Some of them made mistakes but the general average of work on the part
of the judges of play was excellent.

There was less tendency on the part of the umpires to render their
decisions without being in a position to follow the play correctly. They
were occasionally willing to concede that they might have been wrong
when an analysis of the play was brought to their attention and they
were firm in asserting discipline without becoming overheated on their
own account.

To the mind of the Editor of the GUIDE, in the general light of
observation, the most serious blunders committed by the umpires in 1912
were in making decisions before the play took place. This did happen and
more than once. To illustrate, by an example, the Editor of the GUIDE
had exhibited to him some photographs taken during 1912 in which a
player had been "waved out" before he actually had arrived at the base.
Granting the desire of the umpires to be alert and ready to render
decisions promptly, it is equally apparent that giving decisions in
advance of the completion of plays is likely to imbue the spectators
with an idea that the umpire is either partisan or incompetent.

Young umpires, in their haste to "make good" in the major leagues, are
apt to overdo rather than fail to be on time.

While it is not a pleasant subject to discuss, it is a fact that some
umpires had been accustomed to use the very language to players on the
field that they were presumed in their official capacity as umpires to
correct. The writer knows of instances where this took place.

It has ever been the policy of the GUIDE to stand for clean and high
class Base Ball. Twenty per cent. more women attend ball games now than
did ten years ago. Eighty per cent. more women spectators are likely to
attend five years from now. To encourage their attendance every effort
should be made to eliminate all disgraceful conversation on the field.
Wherever it may be ascertained that an umpire has used profane or vulgar
language on the field the editor of the GUIDE believes tha