War on the Basepaths by Tim Hornbaker

Author:Tim Hornbaker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sports Publishing
Published: 2015-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

The baseball community as a whole was horrified by the news from New York on August 16, 1920, that popular shortstop Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians had been hit in the head by a pitch and critically wounded. Suffering a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain, he succumbed to his injuries overnight following an unsuccessful surgery at a Manhattan hospital. At the time, historian Frederick G. Lieb wrote, “The biggest tragedy that major league baseball ever has known in nearly fifty years of operation befell the great American sport this morning” when Chapman passed away.53 His death marked the first fatality at the big league level, and, of course, there was an immediate response from the public, officials, and players to reprimand the pitcher at fault for the high and inside ball that caused his mortal wounds—accident or not. The attention was now on Carl Mays, the controversial hurler for the New York Yankees.

The Tigers were in Boston, and Cobb was sound asleep when he received a late night telephone call, informing him of Chapman’s death. A journalist wanted an instant reaction, and Cobb offered a few words. But the next morning’s paper included statements attributed to the Detroit outfielder that Ty insisted he didn’t make, specifically comments that he wanted Mays banned from baseball. In fact, Detroit and Boston players were said to be organizing an effort to sit out any game Mays was scheduled to pitch against them. New York pressmen recited the remarks reportedly said by Cobb and fans were eager for the latter’s arrival at the Polo Grounds on August 21. The huge throng of over 30,000 people bombarded Cobb with jeers, boos, and taunts, letting the Detroiter know just how they felt.54

“This hissing of Cobb is the most unjust thing of his career,” Hugh Jennings said after the game. “He certainly does not deserve it, as he absolutely is guiltless of doing or saying anything to hurt Mays.”55 The rough treatment motivated Cobb at the plate on August 22 and he went 5-for-6 with four singles, a double, two runs, and two RBIs in an 11–9 victory. Years later, Jack Stevens, host of The Inside of Sports for the Mutual Radio Network, remembered the incident, and recalled how Cobb responded to the booing. “Ty kept grinning and pounding out hits,” Stevens said. “He hit five in a row and then the boos gave way to cheers. After Ty had slapped his fifth hit, the stands fairly rocked with applause, the gathering of 40,000 giving him the greatest ovation he ever received” at the local stadium.56

Cleveland, with the spirit of Chapman in their corner and the sympathy of fans nationwide, won the 1920 American League pennant and then captured the World Series title from Brooklyn, five games to two. The Tigers were 37 games behind the Indians in the race, finishing in seventh with a record of 61–93. Unstable pitching was a central problem, as the team’s top five hurlers, Hooks Dauss, Howard Ehmke, Red Oldham, Dutch Leonard, and Doc Ayers each had a losing record.

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