"Many baseball fans look upon an umpire as a sort of necessary evil to the luxury of baseball, like the odor that follows an automobile"

This quote by Christy Mathewson is a humorous way of describing the role of an umpire in baseball. He compares the existence of an umpire to an unpleasant odor that follows a vehicle. This implies that while an umpire is essential for the game of baseball, they are not always invited by the fans. Mathewson is suggesting that umpires are viewed as a necessary evil, as they are needed to make hard decisions and enforce the guidelines of the game, but are frequently met criticism and disapproval from the fans. This quote highlights the value of umpires in the game of baseball, while also satirizing the reality that they are not constantly valued.