Once a high-priced Yankee prospect, Cooke was slowed by a broken collarbone and a
fractured leg. He played satisfactorily but not up to expectations with the Red Sox.
He later became the Phillies trainer, and, forgetting his station, was thrown out
of a game for making remarks from the bench.
(JK)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»April 26, 1931:
Dusty Cooke, Yankee RF, is hurt diving for a fly
ball off the bat of Ossie Bluege of Washington. 1B
Gehrig winds up playing the ball, which becomes an
inside-the-park HR. With Babe Ruth still sidelined,
the shorthanded Yankees send P Red Ruffing to
the outfield. The game's most significant
play comes with Lyn Lary on base when Lou Gehrig's
drive into the CF stands at Washington bounces back
and is caught by CF Harry Rice. According to the rules,
this is a home run, but when Lary sees Rice catching
the ball, he thinks it's the final out of the
inning. Unnoticed by Joe McCarthy, coaching at 3B,
Lary heads for the dugout after crossing 3B. Gehrig
circles the bases. He is called out and gets credit
for a triple instead of a HR and loses 2 RBI. As a
result Gehrig will end the season tied for the HR
title with Babe Ruth and will have "only" 184 RBI.
»May 15, 1933:
The Red Sox pick up ex-Yankee Dusty Cooke from Newark (IL) for OF Johnny Watwood and 2B Marv Olson.
»May 14, 1938: After a 7–6 ten-inning loss to the Cardinals, the Reds file a protest regarding a disputed hit by the Reds Dusty Cooke. Cooke hits a ball that bounced off the part of the RF pavilion at Sportsman's Park that juts out over the playing field. The ball bounces back in play and Cooke reaches 3B. Reds manager Bill McKechnie contends it should be a home run, stating that if it had been hit lower it would miss the pavilion and been a homer. On June 3, Ford Frick rules the game should be replayed as part of a August 20 twinbill. The Reds will win the first game, 4–2, then lose the nitecap, 5–4.
»June 3, 1938: National League President Ford Frick orders the May 14th game at Sportsman's Park replayed, upholding the Reds protest of the Cardinals' 7–6, 10-inning win. Dusty Cooke's disputed triple is ruled a home run for the Reds OF. One umpire had signaled Cooke's hit a home run, and Cooke slowed down, only to be tagged out.
»July 16, 1948: There are three managerial changes today. Ben Chapman is fired by the Phillies (though owner Carpenter insists he was "not fired" saying "I'd like to make it clear that there is a difference between not firing a man and concluding business with him.") and Dusty Cooke takes over on an interim basis. Eddie Sawyer, with no ML experience as player or manager, will get the job after Cooke goes 8–6. But the big news is from New York. The Giants remove Mel Ott and replace him with Leo Durocher, who obtains his release from Brooklyn. The Dodgers bring back mild-mannered Burt Shotton who replaced Durocher once before. In a newspaper poll over the winter, an overwhelming majority voted for the gentlemanly Shotton to replace The Lip. The changes today portend those at the end of the season: Bucky Harris of the Yankees, Ted Lyons of the White Sox, and Steve O'Neill of the Tigers will be released.
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