Yankees, Tigers, Fans Get Punchy at Navin Field
By Glen Sparks
Usually, Babe Ruth swung a 42-ounce Louisville Slugger. Sometimes, he swung his fists.
Ruth’s New York Yankees were playing the Detroit Tigers on June 13, 1924, at Navin Field (later re-named Briggs Stadium and, following the 1960 season, Tiger Stadium). A brawl broke out in the ninth inning with the Yankees ahead, 10-6.
Two innings earlier, Ruth had “straight-armed” Detroit relief pitcher Bert Cole on a close play at first base. The Yankees were supposedly upset over some inside pitches that Cole had hurled. Cole entered the game with nobody out in the third inning and the Tigers already down, 5-2. The lefty replaced starter Ulysses Simpson Grant Stoner, aka Lil’ Stoner. (You can’t make up this stuff).Stoner struck out Wally Pipp, allowed a run-scoring fly ball to Wally Schang, and got Joe Dugan to fly out to end the frame.
Detroit scored two runs in both the fifth and six innings off “Sad” Sam Jones, while the Yanks put up four runs in the seventh off Cole and the Tigers.
Ruth led off the New York ninth inning and popped out in foul territory. Next, Cole hit Bob Meusel in the back with a pitch. The benches quickly cleared. “Meusel squared off, executed a few intricate steps and swung at Cole,” according to the New York Daily News. “He missed. Mr. Cole only smiled.” The Babe rushed from the dugout. “Ruth’s bulk was seen pushing its way through the throng. He was swinging his ham-like fists with abandon.”
A few players got hold of Ruth, and it looked like the scrap had ended. Another fight broke out in the Detroit dugout, though, and players rushed to the latest makeshift boxing ring. Wally Pipp grabbed a weapon. He “was observed carrying a bat into the strife.” Adding to the commotion, “thousands of fans” leapt from the stands and joined the fray, “shouting for nothing short of murder for the entire New York ensemble.”
According to the Daily News, “the entire infield was solidly packed” One fan swung at a police officer. “A short hook flattened him. Another spectator swung and missed. He was picked up spitting teeth.” The fights continued for more than half an hour. The Detroit Free Press, which labeled Ruth “the aggressor,” praised one fan’s pugilistic skill. He could not be identified, “but his fistic ability suffers nothing because of that. He had weight, age and experience to the guardian of the law and was winning in a jog … His is talent that should be developed for the prize ring.” Maybe most surprisingly, the Free Press complimented Tigers player-manager Ty Cobb, never one to back off from a brawl, for being “cool and collected” and playing the peacemaker.
Neither police nor umpires could clear the field. “It was the first time in many moons that a game was forfeited because of rioting,” the Daily News reported. Umpire-in-chief Billy Evans made the call. The Yankees won by the official score of 9-0.
Possible suspensions awaited several players, including Ruth, who went hitless in three at-bats against Stoner and Cole but walked twice and dropped a fly ball “after a long chase” in the fifth inning.
Ruth, of course, was already a household name in June 1924. He had led the American League in home runs five times and would do so again in 1924 and six more seasons after that. His team beat the Tigers on that fight-filled day at Navin Field, but the Babe still lost. He put out a $50 reward after some fan apparently walked away with the great home-run hitter’s glove in hand.
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