Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-20
BY j. ED GRILLO.

Drastic action is sure to be taken by
the American League against the revolt
ing members of the Detroit team. who.
because one of their number was sus-
pended. violated their contracts and re-
fused to play on Saturday.
The league must prevent. at any cost,
repetition of this offense, and the play
ers who foolishly took their stand are
sure to suffer a result. Instead of
making a dignifed protest the Detroit
players made threat If Cobb was Sc
verely punished there were other ways of
seeing that he got justice. for the
ton of the players has not helped Cobb
in the least. but has inflicted heavy
financial loss on the owners of the De-
troit club. who have undoubtedly been
generous to their men.
There is no way to smooth over the
violation of contracts. For the league
to make a single concession would es-
tablish dangerous precedent. Ban John
son has done only what the laws OF base
ball call for and what the constitution
CT the American League insists on his
carrying out. There was nothing to be
gained by the sympathetic strike which
the players inaugurated, and they in the
end will be the sufferers.
How long is base ball to flourish If
every time steps are taken against a
player his team refuses to play? BY their
action the Detroit players have placed
the owners of the American League
clubs in position from which they can
not recede without plainly showing the
white feather and virtually turning the
conduct of their business over to their
employees. Base ball without discipline is
out OF the question, The game would
deteriorate in single season and be ex-
ttnct in few years unless the men TO
whom the welfare of the sport has been
intrusted prove themselves capable OF
crushing such uprisings as the Detroit
PLAYERS INDUCED in.
Public sentiment has been with Cobb.
but the public does not sanction the &C
tion taken by his teammates, because II
realizes that nothing is to be accom-
plished in this Way.
BY their action the Detroit players
have deliberately tossed the men who en-
ploy them. though they were in no way
responsible for the Cobb incident. 1t is
learned from good authority that Ban
Johnson intended to lift the suspension
of Cobb so that he would be able TO play
I'm Saturdays game. 10 give him time to
make an investigation, but the threats
made by the Detroit players put an end
TO this plan. where. If the subject had
been preached in a more dignified manner.
the entire affair would now probably be
ended Time will show that nothing IS
TO be gained in this manner by the play
ers, and the chances are that every one of
them will either be heavily fined or sus-
pended from the game for long period
One reform that the Cobb affair will
bring about is protection of the ball play
ers on the field. Abusive spectators are
sure TO lie low. for in the future such
safeguards will be adopted that the play
will not find IL necessary to jump
into the stands to protect themselves from
the vile tongue of some disgruntled in
dvidual Club officials. as we'll as UNI
pires. have been a trifie lax in this re-
spect heretofore and the time has come
for steps to prevent a recurrence Of
such affairs as took place in New York.
Don't tear up your tickets the Ath-
letics yet. There's a bare possibility that
history will repeat itself. Last year, MAY
20, the worlds champions were in fifth
place precisely where they Were Fri
day morning. At that time Detroit had
an even more commanding lead in the
league race than the White Sox own to-
day. Detroit a. about that time stood
twenty-five games won and but three
lost. But did you pipe who was first
past the post2
In fact were Detroit on its stride early
in the American League scramble. the
race this season would bear a marvellous
resemblance TO that Of last year. The
same clubs. Detroit excepted. which were
making the running early last season are
in the van now. namely. the White Sox
the Red Sox and Washington. Chicago
and Boston chung to second and third
positions until about the middle Of June
Washington blew the works early In
May.