August 14, 1906 - The Washington Post, DC - Elberfeld Suspension Discussion
"Kid" Elberfeld made a bold effort to tattoo the Celtic countenance of Silk O'Loughlin's in the presence of Ban Johnson, in St. Louis, recently. The scrappy young man's attack was particularly violent and easily ranks with some of "Muggsy" McGraw's antics on the ball lot. Elberfeld was suspended "indefinitely." He was out of the game two days. Some time ago Lave Cross was put out of the game because the old fellow plucked up courage enough to dispute an umpire's word. Elberfeld not only disputed Silk's decision, but took a punch at that official. When Lave was penalized, Johnson's sympathetic dictum went as follows. "Poor old fellow! Understand it's his first offense. However, players in the American League must be taught to respect umpires. Offenses of this character will be severely punished." There was no clemency in the Cross penalty - not even the mitigating circumstance of Lave's uniformly good conduct being conspicuous enough to have the penalty reduced.Washington suffered without a regular third baseman. Elberfeld, a habitually bad character on the field, has his suspension raised two days after the offense was committed in the very presence of the august Johnson. But, then, Ban is impartial, and, of course, he is not pulling for New York. Ban and Comisky are great pals, aber nit (?), and Ban doesn't hesitate to extend that rare brand of unrestrained mercy to strengthen the enemy against his old-time friend. Elberfeld's work was the feature of the games against Chicago. Fielder Jones and his boys had better be nice in the east or Johnson will have the whole crowd on the bench, with indefinite suspensions hanging about their necks.