 Johnson had the matter investigated , and after having Cobb 's September 24 doubleheader statistics re @-@ checked , discovered only the first game of Cobb 's statistics had been scored , but not the second game , in which he went 2 @-@ for @-@ 3 . This put Cobb 's suggested actual batting average at .385 , again ahead of Lajoie 's . In the end , Johnson ruled that Lajoie 's sacrifice bunt should have been recorded as a hit ( which would have allowed him to go 9 @-@ for @-@ 9 ) but that Cobb 's batting average was greater , recording 196 hits in 509 at bats to Lajoie 's 227 hits in 591 at bats . Johnson asked Chalmers if his company would award an automobile to each player , to which he agreed . Initially Lajoie refused the car but eventually relented and accepted it . Cobb said , " I am glad that I won an automobile and am especially pleased that Lajoie also gets one . I have no one to criticize . I know the games were on the square and I am greatly pleased to know that the affair has ended so nicely . " Lajoie said , " I am quite satisfied that I was treated fairly in every way by President Johnson , but I think the scorer at St. Louis made an error in not crediting me with nine hits . However , I am glad that the controversy is over . I have the greatest respect for Cobb as a batter and am glad of his success . " 
