 Editor's Note: Above news item states Dutch began umpiring after he was released as a player in 1909 ("last year"), contrary to the 1916 Sherman account of him beginning his umpiring career in 1911. Sherman Daily Democrat Thursday, July 13, 1916 pg.3 UMP MYERS Sherman fans like "Dutch" Myers, who has been working the last 8 games at Lyons Park. He is quick and nearly always right. He is one of the best judges of balls and strikes ever on the Sherman diamond. He is a chaser of the "crabs" and keeps order at all times. His baseball career is full of interest. He started on the sand lots at St. Joe, Missouri, his native town. He played at nearly every station as a boy and was considered a good second sacker when a mere boy. At the age of 16 he went to Leavenworth, Kansas, in the old Missouri Valley League, where he played the keystone station. The next year, however, he went behind the bat and since that time has been a catcher until he began his career as an umpire. He has played with St. Joe of the Western League, Little Rock of the Southern League. In 1910 Owner Jack Hallon sent him to Falls City, Nebraska, where a new league was being organized, and Falls City won the pennant that year largely through Myers' catching and hitting ability. Along in June 1911 Myers grew dissatisfied with Falls City and jumped to Hourn, South Dakota, which team was in an outlaw league but the pay was very attractive. After the July 4 game of that year, however, his sins were forgiven him and he went back to Falls City. He did not join the club, however, but went out to the park to see the game and the "boys." The umpire did not show up and the managers of both teams asked "Dutch" to act as arbiter. The president of the league was at the game, but "Dutch" did not know it. All went well until the sixth inning when "Dutch" made a decision that did not suit the home team nor the fans. Now "Dutch" is a boiler maker by trade and is muscled like a Missouri mule and he soon had the going back to the grandstand. The president of the league went down on the ball lot and said, "Mr. Myers, you sure can have a steady job of umping." It came very near to paralyzing "Dutch" to be called "Mr," but he has been in the umping game ever since.  In 1912 Myers went to the Western as an umpire, where he worked until this year. President Hill securing him for the Western association. He has never had a game forfeited, none thrown out and none protested. He works fast and everything is strictly business from the time he calls, "b-a-t-t-e-r-e-e-s" till the last man is down in the ninth, and angry fans and hot baseball players all look alike to him. He has the distinction of having worked the fastest nine-inning baseball ever played, the official time being 48 minutes. It was the last game of the season between Wichita and Lincoln, in the Western League, and caused Myers to be written up in all baseball literature. At Sioux City one day Myers chased the mayor of the town and the president of the league out of the park the same day. Later, however, both men acknowledged the umpire was right about it and were men enough to tell him so.  Editor's Note: In
the first sentence the writer makes the mistake of assuming that Dutch
Myers, the Western Association umpire, is the same person as Dutch Meyer,
former football player at Waco High School and currently on the
coaching staff at TCU. Earlier newspaper reports state that Myers
the umpire was a native of St. Joseph, Missouri, and already playing
professional baseball by 1909. Meyer from Waco was not born until
1898, which would make him 11 years old in 1909.  Sports Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message |