UMPIRING. 65 



cannot always correctly decide a close thing. Indeed, 

 in many cases of off-side, when the question is one 

 only of inches, no one, except the Back and perhaps 

 No. I, can tell who is right and who is wrong. Be- 

 sides, infallibility cannot be expected from mortals. If 

 umpires be not treated with consideration, and always 

 given the credit of doing their best, it will become 

 very difficult to find men who will accept the office ; 

 in fact, as it is, we have very few really good ones. A 

 new rule has been passed, that it is the umpire's 

 business to stop the game without being appealed to, 

 in case of any dangerous riding ; but it is by no 

 means enforced often enough. Backs, especially, are 

 often allowed to cross time after time with the utmost 

 impunity. Many Backs continually cross in front 

 of the opposing No. i to hit an ordinary back-hander 

 instead of leaving the line of the ball clear, and taking 

 it on the near side. 



Two umpires are necessary, as it is impossible 

 for one man to cover the whole ground in a good 

 match. The best way to divide the work of 

 umpiring is to quarter the ground in the manner 

 shown in Fig. 23. The umpires should keep to 

 their own respective sides of the ground ; the one 

 remaining more or less in quarter H B G F, the 

 other in quarter E F K D, so that neither will go 

 near the other's goal line. In this manner they can 

 both obtain a good view of the game, and there 

 will always be an umpire handy to give a reliable 

 decision on a close point. If, on the contrary, 

 the two umpires get down to one end of the ground, 

 and the ball is kept travelling up and down, cases 

 needing their decision may occur at points too 



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