Simplify the following text for a Grade 10 native English-speaking person.
Original: Veeck humorously threatened to request an official ruling on whether Yankees shortstop and reigning MVP Phil Rizzuto was a short ballplayer or a tall midget .
Simplified: In response , Veeck threatened to request an official ruling on whether Yankees shortstop and reigning MVP Phil Rizzuto was a short ballplayer or a tall midget .