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LDITLD S FARNSWORTH
GEORGIA GAVE TO BASEBALL ITS GREATEST PERFORMER
Tyrus Cobb Without an Equal in National Game
•;•••? + ••5* +••£• •£•••{• +• +
Born and Trained in Empire State of the South
By Percy 11. Whiting.
JUDGE HOWELL COBB, a very
distinguished Georgian, had
just died. Two Atlanta law
yers on a New York train were
reading papers.
"I see Cobb is dead," said one to
the other.
A drummer, seated next them,
pricked up bis ears, groaned and
then wailed:
"Well, that ruins Detroit's
chance for the pennant."
* ♦ •
-pH IS historic joke must serve
1 as an introduction to this story
of Ty Cobh- not because it is par
ticularly funny, but because we
have to start some way.
Writing about Ty Cobb, in the
limits of an ordinary newspaper
article, is like trying to narrate the
life and crimes of N. Bonaparte on
the back of a postage stamp. One
doesn't know where to begin, and
even less where to leave off.
• • ♦ «
r T T is tolerably remarkable that
\ there should be a "Best Ball
Player in the World." There wasn't
one before Ty Cobb's day. < titles
agreed that Wagner was best of
the shortstops, that I. ijoie was a
thundering good second baseman.
that a gent named Collins was onto
some of the inside points of playing
third, and that C. Mathewson was
the pick of all pitchers. But there
wasn't any "(me Best Bet -until
Cobb.
It is even more remarkable that,
out of the many places of birth
that Cobb might have picked, he
selected —or had selected for him —
a little cottage, hardly more than a
cabin, located in Banks county,
Georgia.
But so it happened. And so it
fell to the lot of Georgia to present
to the world the only player of all
time upon whom all could
agree in conferring the title of the
“Greatest Ball Player in the World.”
* * ♦
<-pYRUS RAYMOND COBB was
A born on December 18, 1886. His
father was William H. Cobb, edi
tor. school teacher and state sena
tor —a man of much education and
less money.
Many fine young Incidents have
been dug up about Cobb's boyhood
career-—mostly fictitious. About all
that anybody knows of his early
days is that he was a skinny, light
haired lad. with a leaning toward
baseball —a good, lively, smart, two
fisted kid. When he was a bit of
a lad In short pants, his family
moved to Carnesville, Ga., and
there Ty played his first baseball,
in the games between the East Ski
ers and the West Siders of that
burg.
A bit later Cobb's family, with Ty
trailing, moved to Royston and set
tled there. By this time Ty had
grown large enough to play with
the Royston second team, an organ
ization of kids and scrubs, against
which the regulars worked out. So
long as playing with this team did
not interfere with Ty’s studies or
his farm work, the elder Cobb of
fered no objections. At length,
however, the Royston team had a
game scheduled with Elberton. The
regular center fielder was away.
Cobb was the most likely substi
tute available. Robert McCreary
managed the Royston nine in those
days, and It took a stiff line of talk
to persuade Senator Cobb to let his
son go on the'trip This game
was Cobb's first appearance “on the
road,” and he proved a wonder.
The opposition of “Father" Cobb
continued strong, and finally, in an
effort to overcome it. Senator Cobb
was lured out to a game between
Royston and Commerce. Cobb
played good ball from the start,
but nothing si-nation al until the
eighth. Then, with the basis full
and two down, a Commerce batter
ripped off an awful wallop. Cobb
played a hunch that the left fielder
would •miss it, and started on a
run to back him tip. True to his
suspicions, the left fielder just got
his finger tips on It, and it fell to
Cobb's lot to make a running dive,
scoop the ball up with one hand
and retire the side. When he re
turned to the bench, he was show
ered with money but what was
more to the point, he found that
his marvelous playing had made a
fan out of Senator Cobb and had
swept away all objections that
were raised to Tv's playing base
ball. In a flash his threatened “ca
reer" at the Univeislty of Georgia
and the medical education for which
Ty had always hankered were
swept away and "The Greatest Ball
Player in the World" was started
on his glorious career.
THERE is a -tore that the J.-ilniis
members of the Royston team
kidded Cobb into going into proses.
baseball. Knowing TV's Im
eat ir ,
the constant taunts of his fellow
Cobb*s Fielding and Batting Figures in Big League
Year. G. A.B. R. H. P.C. P.O. A. E. P.O. S.B.
1912 ... 85 347 146 .421
1911. . 146 591 147 248 .420 376 24 18 .957 83
1910 . 140 509 106 196 .385 305 18 14 .958 65
1909 156 573 116 216 .377 222 24 14 .946 76
1908. ... 150 581 88 188 .324 212 23 14 .944 39
1907 .. 150 605 97 212 .350 238 30 11 .961 49
1906. . 97 350 44 112 .320 107 14 9 .931 23
1905.. . 103 411 60 134 .326 149 15 13 .927 40
1904.. 37 135 14 32 .237 62 9 4 .946 4
‘Totals 979 3755 672 1338 .356 1671 157 97
‘Exclusive of this year.
Here is another one of Percy ' if i 4 ‘ ’’W’ /
H. Whiting’s sparklum stories £ 7 I
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SPEARING A LOW LINER.
players, that he was "too fresh”
and that he couldn't make good in
real baseball, bight have driven
him to try the professional game.
At any rate, in 1904 Cobb packed
a grip, secured letters from his
minister and his managerand head
ed for Augusta, where lie present
ed his credentials to Con Strouth
ers, then manager of the Augusta
team.
Strouthers, a peace-loving soul,
found Cobb a problem. He could
field and he could hit. but he was
awkward and hard to control,
b'inallv one day. when Cobb was
ordered to bunt, he hit a liomq run
instead. This wasn't Strouthcrs'
notion of baseball, and it was too
impetuous for staid Augusta. Cobb
was, therefore. Incontinently
canned. Strouthers tri. d to get s.‘>o
tor the coming wonder from the
Charleston club, but failed. Then
Ty was sent to Anniston, Ala., to
play "U a semi-professional team
th. r. .
They tell big stories of what
Cobb did in Anniston. At any rate,
lie was not. long in proving that he
was too good for that burg. So lie
was recalled to Augusta, where he
stink until Detroit bought him for
S7OO Today he is worth far in ad
vance of a hundred times that sum,
and th< <it.il that sent Ty to De
troit will go down in the history
books as the one big buy" of base
ball.
f’oßlfS career in the big leagues
i- wort! a couple of pages, So
what .an a man hit on who has
l< ■ ■ th in i half column more of
sp.o e avallabli ’
Cobb y■: lied thi Iu 11 nit t.-am a
law. .iiiin'n bid. with an Imp.tii
oii spirit, small knowledge of
baseball, but maiv.mus natural
IHE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1912.
A FEWASSORTEDFACTS ABOJJTCOBB
He is six feet tall, weighs about 175 pounds when in training.
He bats left-handed, but throws right-handed.
He is an all-wool Democrat, of course, and hopes to vote for Wilson.
(’obi) is a crack shot with a rifle and gun, drives an automobile well and has but one regret—
that he didn’t have a chance at football.
Ln a game at (’leveland he singled, stole second, third aud home without even breaking his
stride.
He invented the art o f scoring from first on a single.
lie admits that his own position in the outfield is easy to play and says that the catcher has the
hardest position.
He likes best to play in Detroit—next to that Boston.
The pitchers who trouble him most are Ed Walsh and Walter Johnson. When Joss was alive
he had Ty’s goat.
The style of pitchers who worry him most are those with a side arm delivery or those who turn
their back before they pitch.
He admits that a spit ball, especially a low one. is the most difficult thing for him to hit.
Cobb's early ambition was to be a surgeon. He has tried his hand at selling automobiles and at
acting and doesn't like either.
He is investing his money in bank stock, farm lands, baseball clubs and sporting goods stores.
He will probably go into tin? sporting goods business when he retires.
He Ims been a chronic scrapper since a boy but is as quick to forgive an injury as he is to tight.
Ty learned to plow when he was a boy and can drive a mule with the best of ‘em.
Cobb is a man of moderate habits, drinks little and smokes little.
Cobb stirred up a lot of rough talk by spiking various basemen but fair-minded men, even
among his enemies admitted that the spiking was always accidental.
This spring the Detroit, team went on a strike when Cobb was suspended for dashing into the
stands at New York and heating a spectator who had been rough in criticising him.
When Cobh first joined the Tigers his chief warfare was with Catcher Schmidt. Cobb has stuck
it out to see this big boob go back to the bushes.
Cobb is the only man who has hatted as high as .420 since the foul-strike rule was adopted.
Only five men in the Inst 20 years (Duffy. Boston, .438; Turner, Philadelphia, .423; Burch, Brooklyn,
.423; Burkett, Cleveland, .433; Lajoie Philadelphia.. 422), have beaten Cobb's 1911 mark.
He has gone as many as 40 consecutive games without failing to get a hit.
ability. E’ortunately for him. his
lot was east with that master of
men and baseball Hiighte Jen
nings. It took Jennings but a few
days to see that Cobb was to be
come a star. Thereafter he worked
with him until he perfected Ty in
the art of play ing baseball.
Cobb's early days were tempes
tuous. The free language of the
ball players was new to him < >n*>
term in particular, used among
them often as a term of deepest
friendship, was 'fighting talk" with
him. Tile players, on their side.
HERE HE
IKENG OF ALL
SMASHING OUT A HOMER.
'wv.
I *
considered him a "fresh kid," and.
as he developed quickly into a mar
velous pet former, they became not
a little jealous of the young Geor
gian.
Now. all his life long Cobb has
fought whenever there seemed need
of fighting. And It wasn't long be
fore he began sailing into the De
troit papers Younger, lighter and
less versed in the arts of pugilism
than many of his teammates, he
not infrequently tot the worst of ft.
But gradually, bj fighting and by
City Clerk Selects An All-Star Baseball Team
Walter Taylor’s Combination Is a Peacherino
Bv Walter Tavlor.
(City Clerk of Atlanta, formerly
dean of Southern Sporting Writers)
PICKING an all-star ball club
is an easy thing in some of the
positions and a hard one when
ZZ
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playing, he won their respect, if
not their friendship
Almost from the first Ty Cobb
was a marvel. In fielding he could
cover a little more ground and
make a trifle more difficult catches
than any other outfielder. At bat
ting he was and is .unequaled. Year
after year he has led the American
league—always in hatting, usually
in hitting two and three baggers.
In scoring runs and In base steal
ing.
As a ball player Tv Cobb has n<>
equal. Batting, fielding, running,
Here's Walter Taylor's All-Star Team
Ccbb, center field: Jackson, right field; Speaker, left field; Chase, fi- s
base; Collins, second base; Baker, third base; Wagner, shortstop; Br es
nahan and Thomas, catchers; Johnson and Rucker, pitche-s; Connie Mack
manager.
it comes to some of the others. Os
course, it is very simple to put the
name of Cobb down for center
field. And again it is simple to
place the name of Wagner on the
list for shortstop. It. is also equal
ly as simple to say that Hal Chase
is the best first basemart. Then aft-’
er that it becornes to some extent a
question of personal likes and dis
likes of some man’s special style.
Jackson has proven the wonder
of present day baseball, because
he made his leap into fame from a
cotton factory and had little if any
experience hefpre he began to at
tract attention. I heard of Jackson
through a friend who happened to
be in a little South Carolina town
and saw him play two years before
his name appeared among the pro
fessionals. He had no education
and had never, I was told, been
outside of the little place where he
was born.
Speaker a Natural Batter.
Speaker is a natural hitter. He
swings his bat almost entirely with
the wrist motion and does not lose
either time or sight of the ball as
some players do who use their
shoulders when batting.
Collins is entitled to the choice
of second basemen because of his
PAPKE CUB
MIODLE TITLE;
WILL BET SS,OBO
CHICAGO, July 27.—-Already pro
claiming him to be middleweight cham
pion of the world, Al Lippe, the New
York manager of Billy Papke, wires
that he is prepared to bet $5,000 on
the Kewanee man against any man in
the world at 158 pounds at the ring
side.
Lippe appears to be quite wild over
the chance for the Illinois man to come
back into his own in the middleweight
division and says that it is an absolute
certainty that Papke will regain the
title he held once for about 30 days
during the whirlwind campaign on
Stanley Ketchel.
Papke Is a Sure Come-Back.
Al took Papke to Prance during the
past two months and had an interest
ing and fairly lucrative trip with Wil
liam. who did so well over there in a
quick and clean defeat of Marcel Mo
reau that the Frenchmen are eager to
see him perform again, and want most
of all to see him in action against their
own beloved Georges Carpentier.
And in the meantime the tighter from
the boiler town is getting plenty of
good offers to do battle in his own
land. Billy lost a lot of prestige in
America because of the indifferent
showing he made against Bob Moha
and Frank Mantell, but now that he
has demonstrated that he can come
back by his work in foreign rings he
has attracted the attention of the
matchmakers in the East and also in
the far West.
Trying to Snare Gibbons.
Lippe has been trying to induce Mike
Gibbons, the St. Paul phantom, to
transact some business and accept one
or t'<<> of the offers that are being made
in New York for a ten-round contest
with Billy, but it appears that Mike is
too coy to be caught in the Lippe-
Papke net and is declining point blank
to consider the matter.
Inasmuch as Mike has cleaned 'em
all up in the welterweight division and
can not expect to earn another penny
out of that class lie must naturally
look to the class above for the good
things in the future. And further the
genial Michael can not expect very
easy picking among the gents of the
158-pound squad. More than one tight
er has remarked time and again that
there Isn't such a thing as an easy
mark in the American ring and I be
lieve that statement to be more or
less true. At least it may be said that
every one of the middleweights of the
present day is a tough customer.
thinking—at all of them he is with
out equal.
♦ * *
question about Ty Cobb folks
are seeking themselves: "How
long will he last?” According to
the statistics, Cobb lacks several
months of being 26 years old. He
has been playing baseball less than
eight years.
Folks said, at the first of this
season, that Cobb was skidding. He
foolishly went on the singe Inst
winter, and unquestionably he did
not start the season in as good
trim as in the past. At that he
great ability and his youth. Bu; it
is a hard matter to set Nap
aside for any man in the gain
Baker is the man for third.
In my opinion there is no charn-o
for an argument when it comi s
shortstop. Hans Wagner, accord
ing to my judgment, is entirely n a
class by himself when it conn s : >
the short field.
As to catchers, I would take
Bresnahan and Ira Thomas T-ir
latter nas demonstrated his ability
under the most trying circum
stances and that, too, after having
been turned away by two bic
league managers before Cimnm
Mack took him up. Bresnahan has
shown his worth, both as a plater
and manager.
Picks Johnson and Rucker
As to pitchers, Johnson an<l
Rucker look mighty good to m>-. if
the Georgia Peach was with a :ea’
ball club he would be the greatc-t
slabman, in my judgment, this
country has seen in many a day.
Connie Mack is my choice for
manager. He has the gift of
handling men, knows a ball,player
and has kept himself and his Cub
always up to the highest personal
standard. I think his ability as a
manager and his personal integrity
entitle him to first choice.
JOHNSOMTS
TO BACK BIIIBT
AGAINST MB
CHICAGO, July 27.—’Twas ever the
scheme of champions to back this m i
or that one against a dangerous looking
opponent, always hoping that chai.v
might serve to overthrow said danger' .>
looking opponent.
And I. Johnson, present champion f
the world, is not unlike those that have
gone before him on the throne. Several
times now lie has picked out likely
ing white men and tossed them into ’he
ring with his backing.
It is said Johnson’s protege :> Jim
Barry, the savage y t »ung (’hicag wim
recently returned home from Australia
after a heavy campaign in the rings
around New South Wales.
Barry Has Jack’s O. K.
Barry is authority for the story th; 1 .; i •
has Johnson’s O. K. and that the ■ Z.orn
pion is willing to back him heavily .tg . i.-'
Al Palzer, the big lowa man who stand-’
out sharply now among the new white
boxers who have sprung up in tin- last
few months.
Further, it is claimed that Johnson I
wired to New York that he is willing ’
wager SI,OOO that Barry can Imst RaZr
in a ten-round battle, and further u;”
wager SI,OOO against $2,500 that Barn
stops the lowa man inside of the linn
limit.
Severe Test for Palzer.
This is a bold bid for attention, I . :
is doubtful whether the wily T. o’lh ntZ
who still is handling the affairs of l aizur.
will be attracted by it. The battle >n
would serve to place Palzer in his pr-i'er
niche in the sporting game at th»*
time. Barry is a trial horse of um.
ed strength, and if Albert can cleai ■'
up in nice fashion the fight fans w
know exactly how good be is.
Palzer s a great man, though; ti , :
little doubt of that, as his sterling gar •••
ness and stamina in the Wells ni.«’
dicated, but a victory over the r
and desperately rough Barry woui .
him out a whole lot. Palzer needs ur ’
seasoning before he can p->s>ihl>
be ready for the Johnson bati< id ' ’
contest with Barry would furnish a v
lot of it.
INSURANCE MEN DECLARE
UMPIRE TO PE A BIG RISK
SOUTH NORWALK I'oNN I
27.—" Rudd” Held, umpire in t!
neeticut long'll.’, has discovered t 1
baseball umpire is regarded by I ’
accident insurance companies
undesirable risk. His em;
ranks as that of an aviator is
gerous calling, the insurance n
Held tried nearly over, eon :
the country without results tin
week when a company, at a
rate, took his risk.
lias managed to build his b
average up mighty close t”
.425 mark—which may !'•
ding,” but it, at least, isn't
ting,
Cobb's speed may last 'ii 1
he Is 30. It would not be sin
ing if his batting ability stu
him until he is 35.
There isn't a manager i>
ball today who could get Ty 1
services for the next ten y’’ :i ’
wouldn’t willingly plank
SIOO,OOO cash for it. Anl
would be cheap enough f
Greatest Ball Player in the M