1910 Chalmers Award
From BR Bullpen
Before the 1910 baseball season, Hugh Chalmers of the Chalmers Automobile Company announced a promotion in which a Chalmers Model 30 automobile would be given to the batting champions for Major League Baseball's American League and National League.
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[edit] Controversy
At the start of the final day of the 1910 season, Ty Cobb held a small lead in the race for the the American League batting title. He was just a few percentage points ahead of the Cleveland Indians' Nap Lajoie. While Cobb did not play in the Tigers final two games of the season,[1] Lajoie played in two successive games on the last day of the season for the Indians.
Because Cobb did not have a plate appearance, his batting average did not change. However, Lajoie hit safely eight times in the Indians' doubleheader against the St. Louis Browns. With eight hits in nine at-bats, Lajoie finished the season with a .384095 batting average (227 hits in 591 At bats).
[edit] Aftermath
Browns' manager Jack O'Connor had ordered third baseman Red Corriden to play on the outfield grass. This all but conceded a hit for any ball Lajoie bunted. Another hit came on a wild throw to first base, and should have been scored an error.[1] The ensuing mathematical mess was described by one writer as follows: "It could be said that 1910 produced two bogus leading batting averages, and one questionable champion."[2]
