New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-20
COMMENT ON SPORTS
Baseball Stirred to Its Depth by
Strike of the Tigers.
WHERE THE FAULT LIES
News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.

News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.
Ty Cobb. baseball player extraordinary
has stirred up pretty mess in the Amerl
can League for the loss of his temper a.
American League Park on Thursday Whel
ne ran up In the grandstand and thrasheO
an onlooker who had been abusing HIM. OF
the next day he expressed himself as being
sorry for his action, but later on being sus'
pended indefinitely by Byron Bancroft John'
son, president of the American League, ne
declared that the punishment was an IN
justice. coming az II did without hearing
OR top of this his teammates rallied to his
support and challenged the authority oil
the chief executive Of the league by threat
ening TO strike unless the suspension was
lifted forthwith. TO complcate the stu
alton, they stood firm and refused to take
the field against the Athletics on Saturday
And the end is not yet
Cobb no doubt would have had good rea-
son under ordinary circumstances to take
the law into his own hands, but he could
have appealed to the umpire in chief, ana
through him 10 the club for protection. IN
view Of this, II is impossible 70 condone his
offence or offer a word In eXtenuation with
out jeopardizing the best interests or the
great national game. I agree with MIR
johnson that there can be no Jusuhcator
for a player climbing UP in stand ano
chastising a spectator, even though that
spectator was fully deserving OF SOUND
thrashing while there was recourse 10
other meas Under the circumstances
Cobb deserved punishment If for no other
reason than 10 establish precedent ana &c
prevent if possible. a repetition OF the OF
fence II Cobb had been excused IN TINS
case il would have opened the way 10 any
hot-headed player following his example
and the restraint so necessary in the con-
duct of clean baseball would have been
weakened. II not entirely DESTROYED.
Cobb Is not altogether responsible for the
disgraceful scene on Wednesday. The Ne"
York club deserves share OF the Diane
for not seeing that the special orcefS olo
their full duty in protecting those VINO Pd!
TO see q baseball game and not free nsnI
10 say nothing of protecting the players
who also are deserving of consideration i lie
cowardly pest, who, safe in the prolecuon
of tho stand, boldly insults ana ABUSES
nlaver who under ordinary circumstances
is under restraint and unable to retaiiate'
ia beneath contempt Unfortunately h'aio'
of this stamp are found in every city. 1heS
give EXPRESSION to their feelings IN "oIuS
which they would not dare say TO man
fare. and oftentimes are encouraged 10 CON
Time by those about them VINO iduSn' III
stead Of demanding prompt eJectiiieii =
Clean. fsirminded sportsmen must suol,l'
"a this ANNOYANCE day after day. slrnpiy
,ocousa the clubs will not enforce halo
ord fast rule 10 keep these selfish chlCheh-
laarted Individuals under control. II Is
,rnnossible TO feel sorry that one at leas'
ras nroperly punished, even while regret
,,np the blot on the good name OF paseoah
r.. aot,on of the Detroit players IN strlh'
NO was ill-timed. in my opinion. 1helr u.'
,-sYd for protection was just one ou' -
,.o,Id have been more forcible II less eN-
acting and hasty. The practice III oa9oO''.
~ Ip,nosing indefinite punishment lot o.
fences on the field Is bad one. and shoull
nc corrected 1t is unfair to the player anu
80 the club, and serves no Good emo II
cobb had been suspended for oehille
time. say two weeks or even longer t"e
effect 70 doubt, would have been dlHeleii'
and the present unhappy SITUATION "''e
not have hecn precipitated. one tHlns l.
settled the clubs must protect ire payers
else baseball opinion will support the pa!
ere IN a way to make a revolt something
TO be feared and dreaded.
With the money TO send a representative
tan, Of athletes from this country to the
OLYMPIC games at Stockholm Sweden com
ing in all too slowly it would be graceiui
thing if the owners Of the various cluos III
tho National and American leagues Wou!u
accent the suggestion to set aside one Gay
IN the near future on which certain per
centsge of the receipts would be donated 10
the fund. 1t is quite possible that such d
move would attract more than enough adui-
,onaI onlookers, 20 that 1t would cost the
clubs little or nothing, while earning for
,bern much good will. The time Is rather
,,ort as It would necessitate much red
+o,o 10 get the consent Of all owners, but /
ON told that an effort will be made.
The Yankees are pretty far down. but
,here is some comfort, cold though it may
he that they are only three or four
Games behind the worlds champions. There
il some consolation, anyway, In sharing the
misery Of others.
such work as the Giants have been doing
an the West. and really since the season
onened. Is causing wonder even from those
,rbo have the utmost confidence in McGiaw
and his men to win another National
League peunant. The Cincinnati Reds are
deserving Of equal credit They were right
on the heels Of the New York team "heh
,hav checked its mad fight on Saturday,
and interest is now added TO critical series
which will run through Wednesday.
Most anybody is welcome to my sen-lm-
posed task of trying to rate the leading
college baseball teams. Why should con-
t;nue 10 struggle over the puzzle Is be-
yond comprehension. The only reward Is
some slurrng. sarcastic letters from the
followers of those teams who think that
NV Judgment IS unsound and my reasoning
bad. Two weeks ago / carefully explained
that I was not rating the teams but SIM
ply expressing an opinion Of their relative
strength, but in spite of this l have had
a score of letters Directing TO my rank
ing" while even THE Cornell Daily sun
would not accept me at my WORD ana SAID