The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-12-23
BAN JOHNSON PANS
BASEBALL WRITER'S
Advises Them To Clean House and
Not Write Him Scurrious
Letters

Letters
Chicago. Dec 3d. Prcsldon, J I'm
son of the american league ii q ~
ter last night to President F. G. Lieb
of the New York Baseball w RS
association, IN which ho asserted
baseball Official score in many
cases are grossly lacla Efficiency
and possibility advis Il the base
ball writer's association - put their
own house in order before sending
ne scurrIlous ana questionable com.
plants on the ~ Cohb hit conlro
iyersy.
The New York chapter OF the base
bah writer's association recently
adopted and forwarded TO President
Johnson a protest against the lalters
action in discardng the box score of
! the Official scorer in DetrOit-YaEkee
game at New York last May In sub
shutting the Associated Press box
score OF the game Ty Cobb gained
one more hit, making his 1922 batting
average .i0l.
President Iohnaon's letter follows:
Your letter of recent date, enclos.
ng a clipping from some paper of
esolutions passed by the New York
hapter Of the baseball writer's asso.
iation. was received knew nothing
/. The controversy over Ty Cobb's
3attng average until il was called TO
~ attention in the public press.
,lr irwin, Howe is the Official
italistician of the American league.
,nd has filled that position for sew.
raj years. All official scores. when
'eceiveg at this office. are at once
transmitted 90 him. When the Cobb
Incident occdi'rcd. + requested a re.
)ort and the Official score o. the
Tame OF May 10. Mr.. Howe had pre-.
iously made a careful investigation
IF al facts surrounding tho scoring
f that day.
THE Official sheet was not signed,
nd was plainly in error IN one other
particular that tended to make val.
Ieless the pitching records. The AS.
! ISOLATED Press score of the game of
May Is was accepted and with my
Endorsement. You scored the game
or the Associated Press that day
md credited Cobb with hit. Are we
20 believe that you reversed your
Judgment at this late date?
This office has no direct dealings
with the official scores. They ar,
appointed by the clubs in the variou.
cities and experience has plainly
shown that in many eases they ar,
grossly lacking in efficiency and re
sponsibility.
Il Extending through period o
several years, this office has ha,
lmuch difficulty in securing the offic
al scores, and IN some instances non
was received after much telsgraphin
and correspondence Mr.. Howe a
times from sheer necessity was con
PEELED to accept the Associated Pres
accounts.
have clearly in mind an occu'
renee OF last season. The first officii
scorer in certain city sent in hi
reports promptly From that point tn
difficulties of this office multiple,
Letters, kilograms and threats faile
to produce the desired scores. Th
secretary of the club called at m
Chicago office one morning, promp
ly took him to task for the II mis-
ing scores
Mr.. Johnson. the official scorer
with the club. You will have his r
port within the next "a hours" Weel
and months have passed. they ha'
not been received 1t was necessai
for me to appoint scorer in tn
city. He reported on 42 games and
check was sent him from this
hcel
"To me IL would seem the part
wisdom and prudence for the bai
ball writer's to put their house in
der before sending me scurrilous a
questionable Complaints"