New-York tribune., 1922-12-08

ksthedra and clothed in all his regal
ko public notice the fact that he Pc
eor the New York Yankees in a gsm'
Is, in order to present Ty Cobb with
100 class for the third time Of his g
We must thrust our maiden modesty
es.de and. vita biz Of shabby-genteel
tide-seTaping and bowing, lag claim 70
ehe distinction of being the ofeisl
teorsr IN question Who Is thus thrust
lRnomihiously into exterior darkness.
fhe reasons for our summary ejeetien
into the wintTy night OF Johnsonian
Sispiessure are quaint and interesting
Nothing qoite 80 Logical has appeared
Or The public prints or behind the foot
lights since Constable Dogberry con-
Quoted his famous eross-exsmination in
sHseh ADO About Nothing" ending
Wih the particularly appropriate
Rtrds. "He called me an ass. Oh, thai
4 had been writ down an ass!
The facts In the case arc few but
H,stlnetly noticeable above the smoke
kcreen that bas been deity thrown
around the whole discussion. On hsy
AZ last the Detroit Tigers were
brsily sngsed Ia humping the ever
tagtfng daylights out OF Squire Sam
Homes on the local diamond. Along
Shout the sixth inning Ty Cobb came
u bat, with Lou Blue on second base.
Iobb hit groundeT 70 shoTtstop,
Shich Everett Scott failed 20 hold,
{iough be got both hands on Il.
h had started 10 drizsle BIZ just
er,or % this inning, snd, IN company
Eith two other baseball seribes--James
Harrison, Of "The Times" and George
biionitor' Daley, Of "The World we
had slipped back from the press box
X . sheltered position In The lower
stand just back OF the home club dug
kr,. ls soon az Scotty let te ball SIT
through him. exercising our. judgment
A. ofieial scorer. We called the play an
error for the Deacon. Our conirsres'
Eessrs. Daley and Harrison, sgreed en-
Enthusiastically.
Ineident Was Closed
A. far az ws were concerned the
hei5ent was closed. In due eourse the
eMeisi score sheet was filed In the sa-
srsd archives Of the American League
eEee. and We never expected TO hear OF
{he matter again. II 90 happened that
fbe Assoeisted Press correspondent
nss unpble % discover our whereabouts
A. the moment when the play was
nade. and he scored IL q hit for "
Cosb lc mad every right
IN ne bSN Nv ~
g. bad the .idea
y stipend Tor
az ci.
p Associated Press
The Telegram
vcscrsi ,yl.i and thoroughly Tellsoie
icdge Of nits and errors. But mr. Lieb
hss been one Of the first 70 recognize
eat scoring is entirely q matter OF
personal judgment IN cases o. TINS hne
ard that the verdict OF ne oineisI
scorer should be accepted as MATER
II record. Up 20 this time the a r.
correspondent had always accepted the
Frling Of ofleisl scorers OF 0otn eiuos'
.rS - ,gor,lS have done 50 in this ease
80 h, been aware Of the fact that the
plav lad been charged as an error 70
Srote. In fact, more and more II ap-
nsars 70 "a that. outside Of the glorious
generosity OF Ban Johnson. the thinS
that gave Ty Cobb his 400 record was
o. fact that we had no raineoet ~
ne had owned such a garment we Sou,o
Aav, braved the storm with mf. biep'
ere error would have remained an error
ssd some other oficial scorer mlgnt
have had the pleasure Of ineurring the
~ratb Of the snninent car OF the amer
Tn, laSt day Of the season Cobb vas
ALARMED thst IL be made a hit IN his
.fird time at bat. he would aehieNe
~ average Of 400 and establish an
American League record for hitting 400
y, over In three separate seasons. Inc
ouiy drawback 20 this information was
the fact that Il wasn't srue, due 70 the
Al iscreoaacy between the A. p and
e.reisf score. Ty made his hit and
Wi.bdrsv from the game. letting q
v,neh hitter take his last turn AZ bat
yor fear he would spoil his record.
Come 70 think Of It, perhaps Iy had
. handing Ia spelling q clear title 10
tie 400 elass II he had made hit
instead OF sending W q pinch hitter,
there would have been no controversy.
Investigation" Instituted.
When the oficisl statistieian checked
IN ths league records. be found that
Cobb was one hit short Of the quota
necessary for entrance into the select
400 class. The discrepancy was dis
covered, and an investigation" insti-
tuted. The investigation was just a.
logical as the ultimate decision. II
was announced from Chicago that
eleven scorers were united against tho
verdict Of the ofhcial scorer, who alone
ruled Il an error. The oficial scorer
first ruled n hit ard then changed
his mind"
II must have bsen.s delightful iuves-
lgstion. The ssarehers after basic
truth asked no New York writer who
had witnessed the play for an express
mon Of opinion. We have since been
informed By James Crusinberry, sports
editor Of The Daily New" Daniel"
of "The Herald Colonel Bulger Of
The Evening World" and Harry Sehu-
usehers OF "The Globe" that they
agreed With our decision OF the play.
But vhst boots the vain support Of
ihese honest gentlemen? Ban Johnson
Gays it looked like a hit 20 him from
Chicago. A bit Il is. therefore. Fol-
loving out this highly original scheme
of deciding plays on the diamond, John
aon should require the American League
uInpires st the Polo Grounds 20 call
the decision in Fenway PARK, Boston,
the tame afternoon.
Now johnson claims that he reversed
ne ohleial scorers decision because
the ~ofscial score Of the game Of May
IS was not authenticated The story
Roes on: ~Pregident Iohuson's state