STL All Sports

One hot afternoon umpire Bill Klem was behind the plate in a tight game being played between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The bases were loaded, when George Grantham of the Pirates was called out on strikes. Angrily, the player turned on Klem and roared: "Bill, you're blind. That ball was outside a mile."

Being in a good mood,. the witty Bill Klem smilingly replied: "I'll leave it to the Dodger catcher to say what it was."

Whereupon the Dodger catcher, Johnny Gooch, stood up and sneering ly said to Bill Klem: "Alibi your own lousy decisions. I've got troubles of my own."

Bill Klem lost his good mood, turned on the catcher and bellowed: "Another word out of you, and out of the game you go."

"I hope I. do," replied catcher Gooch. "I've been trying to tell that dumb manager of mine that I've got a sore foot, but he won't listen."

Bill Klem didn't kick Gooch out of the game.