MovieChat Forums > Elmer, the Great (1933) Discussion > The Umpires' Apparent Ignorance

The Umpires' Apparent Ignorance

posted 8 years ago by montgomerydou55
3 replies | jump to latest

When Elmer bats in the ninth, and the pitcher and catcher conspire to pretend to pitch to him, the plate umpire must be quite stupid not to notice that no pitch is made--twice (if the three pitches called as balls are not counted). It would seem to me that the umpire could call two balks and two runs would score, or--once the ball was found hidden behind the catcher's chest protector--the umpires could have forfeited the game to the Cubs, 9-0, which would serve the Yankees right.

[–] movieghoul 8 years ago

The catcher who came up with the ploy correctly assumed that the umpire would never suspect they would pull something so outrageous, plus that the umpire would never admit that he didn't see a pitch in such a crucial situation. '
'
But it's interesting that even after Elmer exposes them by jumping in front of the plate, the umpire still doesn't take disciplinary action.

With the score 3-0, probably the best legitimate strategy would have been to give him an intentional walk and take their chances on the next batter.

[–] montgomerydou55 8 years ago

And that (the umpire failing to keep track of the ball) is inexcusable. Umpire Billy Evans--one of the all-time best--came up with the maxim "keep your eye everlastingly on the ball."
The fact that the umpire failed to see "them two strikes" presupposed considerable stupidity on the part of the audience.

[–] darryl-tahirali 8 years ago

The fact that the umpire failed to see "them two strikes" presupposed considerable stupidity on the part of the audience.

Yes, because Elmer, the Great is only a notch or two below The Natural in terms of mythical baseball drama. Or realism.

Before that scene, wouldn't Elmer's having to fish out the baseball from the huge hole underneath the large puddle in front of him near second base constitute a stoppage of play? By the 1930s, most of the sandlot aspects of the game that defined play in the 19th century and early 20th century had been remedied; certainly Ray Chapman's eventual death from a 1920 beaning by Carl Mays ushered in the replacement of the baseball once it had been marked in any way. (And thus the "live ball" era was born.)

I suspect that audiences regarded Elmer, the Great as a farce--using that word in its meaning of mockery and foolishness--even at the time.

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