Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-22

same managerial position with
Cleveland. Both resigned. suddenly.
after the finish of the 1926 pennant
race.
The scandal, breaking today. was
the third that has rocked the major
leagues since the barring forever OF
the eight White SoX players for con-
spiracy to throw the 1919 world s
series.
The sum of money involved in the
latest scandal was $500, bet by Leon
ard, a one-time Tiger pitcher, and
Wood, against S420, on the Tigers to
win. Detroit won the game. Nothing
in the one hundred pages of testi-
mony or letters made public by Com
missioner Lands reveal that either
Cobb or Speaker wagered on the
game, but it indicates they had
knowledge of the betting.
The scandal came to light when
Leonard, pressing a claim against
the Detroit club, turned over two
letters, one from Cobb, the other
from Wood.
These letters were presented to a
secret meeting of the board of direc-
tors of the American League. held
here last September. Ban Johnson,
the American League president, i'm
mediately presented them to Com
missioner Lands for investigation.
Leonard. Detroit pitcher. asserted
that he, Cobb, Speaker and WCad.
pitcher for Cleveland. met under the
grandstand," on Navin Field, Detroit,
on September "a, 1919, and agreed
that Detroit should win it's game
with Cleveland on the following day.
thus clinching third place in the
American League pennant race.
The four planned, Leonard assert
ed, to benefit by betting on the out
come of the contest, with Cobb put
ting up $4,000, Leonard $1,000 and
Wood and Speaker $1,000 each. The
former Detroit pitcher said that the
plan did not go through, because
Cobb and Speaker did not put up
their share of the money, but he said
that he and Wood won $3.50 apiece
when Detroit defeated Cleveland. 8
to 5.
The story Of Leonard, denied I'M
qualifiedly by Cobb, brought in its
wake the tacit admission of baseball
officials that it's impending prompted
Speakers unexpected retirement some
weeks ago as manager of the Cleveland
CLUB and that it was factor in Cobb's
resignation, soon after the 1926 sea-
son ended. from the mana gership Of
the Detroit team.
Cobb denied this today. asserting
his resignation was voluntary and in
of a desire to retire from
a club with which he had no hope of
winning a pennant. Speaker, here with
Cobb yesterday to testify before Com
missioner Lands, left for Cleveland
before the charge of scandal was
made public. but Cobb said he under
stood that Speakers resignation had
been requested by the management Of
the Cleveland club in view of the
Leonard charges.
Ban Johnson. president Of the
American League, withheld a formal
statement pending examination of the
evidence but he did say that both
Cobb and Speaker saw the handwrit-
ing on the wall and decided to pull
out" He said, he was surprised that
the testimony was divulged at present.
and that he regarded both Cobb and
Speaker as having been very drastic
ally dealth with"
Commissioner Lands, although CIV
Ing out the complete testimony of
Leonard, discounted its value as evil
dence because Leonard, who is in Cali
forn1a. had repeatedly refused. to pre-
sent the charges at hearing at which
Cobb and Speaker could be present.
He made no ruling, in view of the
fact that Cobb, Speaker, Leonard and
WOOD all are out of baseball, and said
that II changed conditions necessitat-
ed decision as to what attitude or
gained baseball should take in regard
to the four, such decision would be
Leonard has been out Of organized
baseball since he was waived to the
Paciflc Coast League in 1925 and re-
used to report. Wood has been out of
the major leagues since he became
baseball coach at Yale University sew
sraI years ago. Cobb and Speaker re-
signed after the 1926 season, Speaker
70 enter business and Cobb with the
expressed hope of becoming owner of
! minor league organization.
In support Of his charges Leonard