The Washington times., 1926-02-06

kind things long after the nice
ones are forgotten.
NY first big plunge into head
lines was over the unhappy lnci-
dent A New York when jumped
into the grandstand and attacked
4 fan Nv name Of Tucker. was
Immediately che center Of storm
that grew until the American
League was upset by strike Of
The Detroit players.
since beginning these memoirs
have been asked frequently 70
give the facts about that Incident.
Some of the letters carry 3 yelled
intination that ]. would prefer TO
forget II Nothing Is further from
the truth. / will always cherish
memories of that affair because 1t
brought home to me the real loyal
~ of my teammates and Of MY
friends among the spectators. To
this day ! believe that under the
same circumstances would 40
the same thing again
You readers have little idea Of
thA terrible insults and abuse 20
which ballpIayers have to n1eelxly
submit The few outbreaks are
tina exceptions that prove the rule.
Thev indicate how much the ball
player has had to endure before
breaking out Of harness.
ii Is Impossible for me 70 make
fully clear the provocatfon that
Afternoon in New York because the
remarks even in their nlildest form
are unprintable
This particular fan, always seated
hack az the visitors bench. had
abused me on previous occasions
but had pretended not to hear IT,
This day, for soma reason that 90
not know. he started on me worse
than ever. The foul epithets and
other coarse remarks III plain hear
ing of several women fans were I'M
bearaIole. / stood Ii for three Or
four innings and nv submission ap-
peared TO make him worse.
Finally a. i came back to the
bench he made q remark to me fnat
no self respecting man could fail 70
resent under any circumstances
The papers at the time, trying to
get the idea to the public without
using the actual language said that
he called me a coon.
Hey, you coon, what are you 40
ing on q team with white peoples
l quote from one clipping before me.
That however, gives no idea
IT the vileness Of the remark and
the shocked look on the faces Of
the ladies' and the men fans who
overheard ii. No man Of honor
could take IL.
.'Say. Ty,' two or three Of the
Detroit PLAYERS said to me, III you
stand for that you are no kind OF
man. Wen back you up. Go get
himr
But / was already on my way.
Had failed to so after that man
1 could not have looked my team
mates in the face.
In a rage / leaped over the
boxes and running toward the man
was ready to swing. Even then
he 'insulted me again. ! struck him
several times and knocked him out.
The next day / learned from the
newspaper that the man was
cripple; that he had lost the fingers
from both hands. OF course. did
not know that, don't know how
l could have acted differently II
had known.
Several spectators called to me
that I had done right. The rest
OF the grandstand was q big hula
balloo.
/ was put out Of the game by
the umpires and went to my hotel
still boiling with anger. At any
rate. felt had stood up for tho
rights OF the ballplayer and for
the spectators who were not pro-
tected from such language.
The next morning the storm
broke. Every paper in the country
carried headlines about the incident.
Then received a telegram from
President Johnson that / was
suspended indefinitely suspended,
mind you, without a hearing.
Wen stick by YOU" declared
the players. This thing has got
to come to a showdown And they
did stick in most sensational way.
ITO Be Continued Monday
fCopyright 1926 by The Christy
Walsh Syndicate)