The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-05-26
HEAD INJURED, DETROIT PILOT
 MIGHT NOT LIVE
Consultation Today ReIa= five to Operation; Re-
 calls Chapman Career
By LESLIE AVERY

United Press Stan COrrcSpOndenO
 New York, May Mickey Cochrane, 34, manager of the De- troit Tigers and one of the greatest of contemporary baseball players, was in a critical condition at St. Elizabeth's hospital today from a skull fractured by pitched ball.
 Physicians believed that he had good chance to live, but were not sure that he would. Whether he will ever play baseball again, should he live. was problematical.
 His injury recalled baseball's last tragedy-the death of Ray Chap man, Cleveland short-stop, who was hit by a ball pitched by Carl Mays of the New York Yankees in New York in 1920.
 By coincidence, it was a Yankee pitcher who felled Cochrane. Irving (Bump) Hadley, in the fifth inning of yesterdays game between the Yankees and the Tigers, threw a speed ball that caught Cochrane squarely on the temple. The count was three balls and two strikes and Hadley was pitching for the plate. All witnesses agreed that the pitcher was in no way at fault.
 Happened Twice
 It was the second serious acci- dent of the same nature this year. Bob Teller, sensational Cleveland boy pitcher, struck Hank Leiber of the New York Giants with a pitched ball in an exhibition game before the regular season began. Leiber still is hospital patient.
 Dr. Robert Emmett Walsh, club physician of the Yankees attending Cochrane, scheduled a consultation with Dr. Alexander Nichols at 10 a. m. today. They decided to do nothing last night, because "Coch- rane was holding his own nicely and resting comfortably" Dr. Walsh said it still was too early to prophecy the effect of the blow upon Mickey's career, nor would he guess at the length of time the catcher would be out of the game.
 Mrs. Cochrane was at her hus- bands bedside today, having arrived by plane from Detroit early this morning.
 Two men were out and the count was two and three on Cochrane when Hadley tried to push one by him. It was just after p. m. and the ball dipped through the sun- light and shadows that fell across the infield at that hour. Cochrane apparently did not see the ball for he turned his head. It struck him with a sickening thud heard by nearly all of the 15,026 fans. The ball did not bounce but dropped to the ground almost simultaneously with Cochrane whose knees buckled, dropping him fiat on his back. Had ley was the first one to his side, then Yankee Catcher Bill Dickey.
 Completely unconscious for several moments, Mickey appeared to re- gain his senses for an instant, but the players kept him lying on the ground until Dr. Walsh came out from the stands and ordered him moved to the hospital.
 May be 1nTOugn
 Ten minutes after the accident, the game was resumed and when the Yankees won 4-3, the cheering fans did not realize that one of the greatest catchers in baseball might have played his last game.
 The late Frank Navin paid Con- nie Mack $100,00O to get Cochrane from the Athletics in 1884. and Mickey proved he was a bargain by piloting the Tigers to two American league pennants and world cham pionship in the first two seasons with Detroit. At the death of Navin, Owner Walter Briggs made Cochranc a vice-president of the club. Duties of the three jobs proved too much of strain on him and he suffered a nervous break down, playing in only A games last year.
 With Cochrane and Hank Green berg out of the lineup last year, the Tigers finished in second place. With both back this season, they were touted as the club the Yankees would have to beat for the pennant.
 The fighting type of player who never gives up, Mickey had played 27 of the Tigers 28 games this year.
 His home run in the third inning yesterday had tied the score 1-1. He was hitting at 1902 clip. In his 12 years in the majors, he had an average of .32O, hitting .357 in his best year, 1930. Besides his own two championship teams Cochrane played on Connie Mack's pennant winning teams in 1929, 1930 and 1881. He was named the most valu- able player in the league in 1928.
 Cochrane has two children Cor don Stanley, Jr., and Joan who were in Detroit.