Henry Steamboat Johnson umpire with the ladies
One of the most famous umpires in baseball history was the colorful Henry "Steamboat" Johnson. Tough and witty, he was never at a loss to know what to say or do in defense of his dignity and authority -except once. It happened when he was assigned to officiate in his first Ladies' Day game.
On that memorable day, when he arrived at the ballpark, he was amazed to find it packed to the rafters with a wild crowd of screeching females. When he swaggered out on the field to begin officiating behind home plate, he was startled by his reception. For almost all the women in the stands stood up in a body to jeer at him.
Amused by his hostile reception, Steamboat Johnson walked up close to the stands, boldly faced the hooting mob of shrieking females, silenced them with a courtly bow, then boomed at them in his most gentlemanly voice: "Why, girls! I don't think we've been properly introduced."
Whereupon a huge and husky woman leaned over the grandstand rail, and broke her parasol over the famous umpire's head, as she shrieked with delight: "Well, we have now, Mr. Johnson!"
