Author's Note : These are just some of my notes on the umpires in the Class C Canadian-American League in 1937 from my book on the Smiths Falls Beavers. The umpire who made it to the majors was Arthur Gore, who Larry Gerlach informed me was commonly referred to as "Artie". I have tried to locate members of his family in the Boston/Cambridge area, so far without success. I would like to have an umpire's perspective on the Canadian-American league in 1937. Any referrals would be appreciated.
The Men In Blue
in the
Canadian-American League
in 1937
by Doug Phillips
There were eight regular umpires signed by the Canadian-American League in 1937. Two were Canadians - Gene Chouinard of Ottawa and Arthur Prince, 33 years old, from Montreal. Chouinard was the only Canadian-American League umpire to be retained from the 1936 season. The other six umpires were Americans. Roy Arthur, 35, from Maryville, Mo had been an umpire for twelve years. Leo Enger, 35, of St. Louis, Mo.had been an umpire in two other professional leagues. Arthur Gore, 30 years old, from Cambridge, Mass had umpired four years in the Catholic High School League of Boston. J.A. "Tex" McDonald, 38, from Princeton, Minn.had worked in the major league St. Louis Cardinals camps as an instructor and umpire. Ray Murphy, from Lockport, NY was a high school teacher in Buffalo. Frank Scanlon, 32 years old from Scranton, Pa. had umpired for ten years in the New York City high school league, five years in the Scranton Pro Baseball league and three years at the college level. Bernard Hogan of Utica and Norman "Red" Collins of Carleton Place Ontario were given contracts as substitute umpires.Other names that appear as umpires throughout the 1937 season include Reiger, Padden, Cuthleno, and Raymondjack. The most promising umpire was Ray Murphy. He had been sent to the Can-Am league by officials of the International League and was scouted throughout the season. He had experience as an umpire "in the National Colored League and was umpire in chief of the Western New York Semi-Pro playoffs."
Umpires were paid $175 a month, an increase of $25 from the previous season. According to a story in the Ogdensburg Journal of April 15 1937, the umpires were individually recommended by a variety of sources, including the Montreal Royals, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Boston Bees, National League officials, college athletic directors, major league scouts, newspaper sports editors and Presbyterian ministers. Despite this, there is evidence of a lot of dissatisfaction with the work of the umpires.
The Ogdensburg Journal reported that a league game in Brockville on June 6 between the Pirates and the Gloversville Glovers "was delayed frequently thru disputes over decisions of the umpires, who were forced to call many close plays." On Friday June 18, the Brockville Recorder and Times reported that Pirate player-manager John Grilli delivered a solid smash to the jaw of pitcher Ace Lee of the Ottawa Braves, Grilli taking exception to a few of Lee's remarks. "Fistic engagements on the ball field are by no means a novelty, but Umpire Arthur's decision in this instance left room for criticism. Until Grilli let fly with a punch that staggered Lee, the altercation was merely a chewing bee." The umpire allowed Grilli to remain in the game.
On June 24 at a game in Ogdensburg there were a couple of"miniature riots" when fans and players milled around the field after a disputed home run by a visiting Oswego player. Umpire Leo Enger had to be given a police escort through a crowd waiting outside the clubhouse after the game was over. In his column of July 22, Jimmy Johnston described some of the officiating as "putrid." He wrote that some of the umpires blink too much behind the plate and miss the close calls. He did not suggest that the Beavers were especially harmed by the poor officiating. "The Umps have not shown partiality in particular. Every team had suffered."
On Monday July 26, rising star Ray Murphy offered to fight anybody in the stands during a game in Ogdensburg. Jimmy Johnston reported the incident in his typical colorful fashion. "Murph thumped his chest in Tarzan manner and challenged all the bleacher bozos to fistic combat." Murphy received a two-week suspension from the league. On August 30, Frank Mason, sports editor of the Ogdensburg Journal singled out "Tex" McDonald for criticism and observed that, "the fans as a whole are kicking on the umpiring on the part of two or three officials. It stands to reason that all the fans can't be wrong. The league would be better off if the weak officials were weeded out."
Beavers' manager Johnny Haddock was ejected from at least three games during the season for arguing too strenuously with the officials. In a game on August 5 in Perth, Haddock swung at umpire Roy Arthur, which resulted in a 10-day suspension and a $100 fine from Judge Bramham.
The editor of the Potsdam, NY Courier-Freeman, commented on a game played in September.
- "Saw my last baseball game of the season in Ogdensburg on Monday. The work I saw . . . was simply rotten and was not of the so-called sand lot order. The league pays these men good American money, more money than many of them have ever earned before, and it is entitled to get value received . . . (I ) have seen most of the umpires in action and with one or two exceptions the work of the umpires has been terrible - and the fans know it."
The paths of one of the 1937 Can-Am umpires and one of the 1937 Smiths Falls Beavers would cross in the major leagues a decade later.
Photo Credits and Information
Photo #1 - The batter is Art Horsington. The umpire is unidentified at present. The catcher is Artie Gore, who was an umpire in the National League, 1947-1956. 1937 was his first year as a professional umpire. The stands are empty, as there was no game going on. There are three other players in the background in front of the home dugout. Art Horsington was a left-handed pitcher whose career in the Can-Am league lasted until 1941, when he was drafted. He served in the U.S. Army until 1946. He landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day. He is living in Marcellus NY, just outside Syracuse. He has sent me 20 photos of the 1937 season of the Smiths Falls Beavers - on the ball field, in front of their boarding homes, on the ferry crossing the St. Lawrence.Photo #2 - From left to right: Ernie Downer, Artie Gore, unidentified, Art Horsington. Ernie Downer was a 2-sport (basketball & baseball) college star at Cornell. He graduated in 1935 and was in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 1936. In 1937 he had a very good year with the Smiths Falls Beavers - led the team in home runs & RBI's, the only player to play in all 106 games, batted over .300, an excellent fielder. He never played professional baseball again. Art Horsington, his roommate in 1937, thinks that Ernie concluded that he would never make the majors & decided to leave baseball on terms of his own choosing.
Note the "V" that Artie Gore is giving the other umpire. Gore's full name was Arthur, but he was commonly called "Artie". I think this photo gives us some idea why.
Photo #3 - From left to right: Ernie Downer, Xavier Rescigno, Artie Gore, unidentified. Art Horsington is in front. Xavier Rescigno was the star pitcher on the team. He, like a lot of the Beavers, was in the Yankee organization at the time. He made it to the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates 1943-5. His major league record was 19-22. He was an effective spot starter and reliever in his first two seasons. At the end of the 1945 season, he was sold to a team in the Pacific Coast league. His professional career lasted six more seasons. He is living in Ridge New York on Long Island. He was the first team member I made contact with back in September.
Doug Phillips is a researcher, author and high school teacher at Smiths Falls District Collegiate Instituite. He can be reached at : sfdci@falls.igs.net.
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