Judge, 1914-07-25 · page 9 of 24
Judge — July 25, 1914 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes widespread public dissatisfaction with baseball umpires' decisions by proposing an absurd solution: letting a jury of fans make the calls instead. The image shows a courtroom scene where a formal jury delivers a verdict on a baseball play, with spectators and officials packed into the jury box. The satire targets two things: first, the chronic complaints about umpire competence in early 20th-century baseball; second, the American tendency to solve problems through formal legal/democratic processes. By treating a baseball call like a serious court case—complete with jury, witnesses, and formal verdicts—Judge magazine ridicules both the intensity of fan complaints and the notion that democracy works for everything. The cartoon suggests that while fans constantly criticize umpires, a jury system would be equally impractical and absurd, implying umpires, flawed as they are, remain necessary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
GENTLEMEN OF THE: WITHOUT LISTENING TO ANY FURTHER EVI- DENCE IT 1S OUR UNANIMOUS VERDICT Me BASEBALL BY JURY if mete rine vou 8 conte: As there is so much dissatisfaction with the work of our umpires why not let a jury of fans make the decisions? my head, but grew more meaningless as it boomed. I went to the head of the local Shakespeare Society—an old friend of mine. He stuttered ao, and stammered when he *B_ tried to explain why care ar had a sleeve ‘and why £ that sleeve was raveled. Finally we almost came to blows when I said ol \V bluntly that the line was just like a good many ~ other blank-verse lines that we read—formed for purposes of sound only. “Finally I interviewed a famous actor, who was playing ‘Macbeth’ during his one-night-only appearance inourtown. I asked him about the line which had worn me to a shadow, and inquired if he would please explain its meaning. He puffed out his chest, strutted up and down fora fall minute, and then he roared out, “Blank verse should be considered as a thing of form and not substance, sirrah. Begone, for thy impertinent questioning wearies me!’ “I bewent in a hurry, and, on getting home, I had seven tons of blank verse loaded onto a truck and sold the lot toa secondhand dealer for four dollars and eighty-seven cents, I consider that I was ahead of the game at that. Since that time I have never read two consecu- tive lines of blank verse. If any verse shows signs of blanking, I put it aside immediately, even though it may be the most beautiful thing of its kind ever penned. I'll not run the risk of assimi- lating any more unexplainable lines and thereby disarranging my entire mental and physical system.” “But just let me quote a few lines from Stephen Phillips,’’ cajoled Mrs. Bean- fugle. ‘‘I’m sure you’ll adore him.’’ “You just keep busy unpacking that delicatessen product, woman,’’ said Colo- nel Beanfugle testily. ‘And next time you buy this Swiss cheese, get a kind that is shot full of holes with something smaller than Dreadnought armament.”’ Buying a Dog Blanket “What's the matter there? Can’t you please that lady in a dog blanket?’’ “I can please her, all right,’’ answered the clerk; ‘‘but she wants the dog to indicate his preference, and he’s one of these blase pups that doesn’t seem to care for anything.’” Wail of Anywoman PRITHEE, Strephon, close your eyes! Or precede me up the stair! Do not dare to look around! I'm a sight, I’m well aware! Entering a limousine Or a high-step trolley car, Painfully I realize In the ballet I could star! Loud I cry for woman’s rights— Vow she’s but a slave, oppressed; But no serfdom on this earth Beats the way in which I’m dressed! Shackled by this narrow skirt, Glance not at me! Well I know, When it comes to climbing stairs, I must be a holy show! —E, A, Fanning. Circumstances Alter Cases Tess—I thought you told me you didn’t take any interest in the yacht races? Jess—But that was before I thought I would have a yachting costume. , Sharp Cat Little Pauline came in, bringing a scratched finger for salve and sympathy. “I cut it on the cat,’’ she explained. comicbooks.com