1912 suspension of Ty Cobb

During the 1912 baseball season, center fielder Ty Cobb of the Detroit Tigers was suspended for ten days after entering the spectator stands at New York's Hilltop Park during a game and physically assaulting Claude Lucker, a heckler. At the time, Cobb was among the biggest stars in the major leagues. American League president Ban Johnson suspended Cobb and fined him $50 ($1,600 in 2023^[1]).

Cobb had been Lucker's verbal target throughout the four-game series between the Tigers and New York Yankees. Facing a continued stream of insults and questioning about his racial ancestry, Cobb lost his temper in the fourth inning of the fourth game, on May 15, 1912. He raced into the stands, punching and kicking Lucker; Lucker had lost eight fingers in an industrial accident and could not defend himself. Cobb was ejected from the game. Johnson witnessed these events and suspended Cobb indefinitely. Since there were few protections for ballplayers at the time from insults and objects hurled by fans, many took Cobb's side, including his teammates. After defeating the Philadelphia Athletics on May 17, the Detroit players telegraphed Johnson that they would not play again until Cobb was reinstated; Johnson refused to do so.

Seeking to avoid a $5,000 fine ($114,000 in 2023^[1]) if Detroit did not field a team, owner Frank Navin instructed manager Hughie Jennings to recruit a team. Jennings did so with help from Connie Mack, the Philadelphia owner/manager. Facing baseball's defending World Series champions, the replacement team lost 24–2. After the game, Johnson travelled to Philadelphia to negotiate with the players. At Cobb's urging, they returned to work. The striking players were fined, as was Cobb when his suspension was lifted on May 25, but Navin paid all penalties. Baseball's first major league strike, the walkout had little effect, but teams added security to stadium seating areas.