Baseball in the nineteenth century had little in common with the game of today. For starters, stadiums were much smaller and constructed of wood, making them vulnerable to fire. During the latter half of the 1800s, at least four big league ballparks were consumed by flames. In the earliest days of baseball, stadiums were lacking the most basic amenities, such as dugouts and clubhouses. Players and umpires alike were left unguarded against insults and projectiles hurled by disgruntled fans.
Strategies were far different in the days of old. Baseball guru Bill James once described nineteenth century tactics as “violent” and “criminal.” Umpires often worked alone and were charged with the daunting task of covering the entire field by themselves. As can only be expected, players got away with murder. Before rules were developed to prohibit specific forms of negligent behavior, infielders were known to trip base runners or grab their belts to restrain them from advancing. If an umpire’s attention was drawn to a play in the outfield, runners were known to cut directly across the diamond toward home instead of rounding third base.
Umpiring could be extremely hazardous during the first century of major league play. In addition to frequent streams of verbal abuse, the men in blue were routinely assaulted by players and fans alike. At the end of his career, umpire Joe Rue asserted: “I’ve been hit by mud-balls and whiskey bottles and had everything from fruits and vegetables thrown at me. I’ve probably experienced more violence than any other umpire who ever lived.” Baseball historian John Thorn remarked of the early days: “In the late-1800s, a player who had a pugilistic background might be better equipped to handle a rowdy player than a banker or a doctor or a dentist.” It should come as no surprise then that Billy Mclean, the game’s first professional umpire, was a skilled boxer.
Player protests often led to assorted unpleasantries. According to Thorn, the familiar cry of ‘Kill the Umpire!’ was a very tangible threat. “Home team fans typically claimed that the umpire was in the fix. Kicking dirt on an umpire’s suit took on a kind of symbolism. The idea is, by kicking dirt, you attack the institution, you attack the partiality of the umpire.”
In a compelling anecdote from baseball’s Deadball Era, umpires Bob Emslie and Frank Dwyer had their hands full in a game between the Boston Beaneaters and Brooklyn Superbas at Washington Park in New York. When the game ended in favor of the visitors on a controversial call at home plate, nearly half of the spectators (numbering around 6,000) rushed onto the field. Surrounded by hostile fans, Dwyer was jostled roughly while Emslie was punched repeatedly. Both were peppered with dirt and stones before Boston players—some armed with bats—came to their aid. Police eventually escorted the arbiters to their train platform, where more fans had assembled to greet the officials with assorted insults and epithets. Dwyer lasted just two more seasons before retiring. Emslie—ever the warrior—continued as an umpire into the 1920s.
Over time, fans learned how to behave and umpiring became a more civilized profession. Recognizing the need to properly instruct suitable candidates, NL arbiter George Barr opened the first training school in 1935. Barr’s American League counterpart, Bill McGowan, opened a second academy for umpires a few years later. The schools dramatically improved the quality of the game. Not only were graduates more cognizant of the rules, but they were taught to be impartial and professional as well. Umpires with fiery temperaments were gradually rooted out of baseball.
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