On March 25, 1910, Hugh Chalmers, president of Chalmers Motor Car Company in Detroit, announced that one of the company’s Model 30 automobiles would be awarded to the ballplayer with the highest batting average for the season. On the last day of the season, however, Cleveland’s Nap Lajoie put down seven bunts, going 8-for-9 in a double header against a Browns infield that was intentionally playing deep. The performance raised Lajoie’s average to .384, and Ty Cobb, who was also in the running for the batting title, complained about the circumstances to American League President Ban Johnson. In the end, Chalmers awarded cars to both Lajoie and Cobb, and the true winner of the 1910 AL batting title remains disputed.
I’m surprised they awarded a car to Cobb. Nobody could stand the S.O.B. when he was alive, so they should have told him to stick it! 🙂
From what I’ve read, the reason Lajoie had such a glaring opportunity to raise his batting average was due to the Browns’ hatred for Cobb. They pulled their infield back intentionally to try to give Lajoie a shot at the title!