Books and articles about George Hildebrand

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Some historians credit Hildebrand with inventing the spitball. Supposedly, while playing catch as a minor league outfielder in 1902, he discovered what a ball dampened by dew on the grass could do. Subsequently, CE x x he taught the pitch to Elmer Stricklett, who taught it to Ed Walsh. Of all his calls in 23 years as a ML umpire, the most controversial came in Game Two of the 1922 WS between the Giants and Yankees when he stopped play because of darkness in the 10th inning of a 3-3 tie. He was criticized at the time by many who believed the game could have been continued for several more innings. Commissioner Landis, sensitive to WS scandal two years after the Black Sox, turned the game reciepts over to charity. (RTM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 22, 1918: It's a hot day in New York, and umpires George Hildebrand and Billy Evans don't show up, so Giants coach Mike Donlin and Browns trainer Bits Bierhalter take their places. The game takes 15 innings to reach an inconclusive 4-4 tie. » September 24, 1921: Harry Heilmann is 3-for-4 against Walter Johnson, but Washington wins the game over Detroit, 5–1. Ty Cobb is so incense by the umpiring of Billy Evans that he challenges him to a fight. The two future Hall of Famers go at it with Cobb getting the best of Evans. George Hildebrand, the 2nd ump assigned to the game, reports the incident to American League prexy Ban Johnson. When Johnson fails to act, Commissioner Landis steps in and suspends Cobb, but allows him to continue as a non-playing manager. » May 25, 1922: Babe Ruth is suspended one day and fined $200 for throwing dirt on ump George Hildebrand after being called out at 2B while trying to stretch a single in the 3rd. Babe then goes into the stands after a heckler and is restrained by GM Ed Barrow. On his way to the CF clubhouse Ruth gestures to another heckler in RF. Babe gets stripped of his title as team captain as a result. New York beats the visiting Nationals, 6–4. » October 5, 1922: Bob Shawkey (20–12) goes the route, with the Giants scoring three in the first and the Yanks getting single tallies in the first, fourth, and eighth. A near-riot erupts among the 36,514 fans when umpire George Hildebrand, acting on umpire Bill Klem’s advice, calls the game, a 3–3 tie, due to darkness after 10 innings. The fans think there’s light enough to continue. It takes a police escort to get Judge Landis out of the park and away from the unruly mob. That night he bends over backwards to negate the public’s opinion that the game might have been called to provide an extra day’s gate by donating the $120,554 receipts to charities. Half will go to New York charities, and half to disabled soldiers.