Interesting article claims Ty Cobb not racist / dirty / murderer

[mouschi]

I read this and found it very interesting - would be a shame if, after all these years, he was not what many reported about him!

https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/who-was-ty-cobb-the-history-we-know-thats-wrong/

[Beatles Guy]

Very interesting.

[cfhofer]

I always felt the Al Stump biography on Cobb was largely fictional. Just look at all the handwritten letters he sent to fans asking for autographs later in life (which this article eludes to). I've seen dozen of these letters and all have been cordial and polite.

Thanks for posting. I now have a new book to read...

[packs]

He was by no means a racist, not even in his own time. Ty Cobb set up the Ty Cobb Scholarship fund, which has always funded largely African American students from rural Georgia. It continues to fund education for kids today. Not only that, but when Cobb bought up huge plots of land in Georgia he did it with the express purpose of renting out cheap housing, again for mostly minority citizens. Here is his quote about Jackie Robinson in 1952: “The negro has the right to compete in sports and who’s to say they have not?”

[bravos4evr]

I think it's been pretty well established that Al Stump used Cobb as a launching pad for his literary career and pretty much made up 99% of the more lurid tales.

[CMIZ5290]

He was by no means a racist, not even in his own time. Ty Cobb set up the Ty Cobb Scholarship fund, which has always funded largely African American students from rural Georgia. It continues to fund education for kids today. Not only that, but when Cobb bought up huge plots of land in Georgia he did it with the express purpose of renting out cheap housing, again for mostly minority citizens. Here is his quote about Jackie Robinson in 1952: “The negro has the right to compete in sports and who’s to say they have not?”
+1, and Mark is right as well. Al Stump was a vampire, he even had Cobb sign tons of balls for him as they worked together. Cobb was very generous and gave a lot of money to numerous charities. He was extremely aggressive when it came to baseball, and a lot of his baseball stories are true. He would fight anybody at the blink of the eye, but he did have a lot of good qualities that were not reflected in Stump's book or the 1994 movie...

[bravos4evr]

+1, and Mark is right as well. Al Stump was a vampire, he even had Cobb sign tons of balls for him as they worked together. Cobb was very generous and gave a lot of money to numerous charities. He was extremely aggressive when it came to baseball, and a lot of his baseball stories are true. He would fight anybody at the blink of the eye, but he did have a lot of good qualities that were not reflected in Stump's book or the 1994 movie...

They only hinted at this, but it turns out the Cobb was supporting 5 or 6 other HOF players who had fallen on hard times, all without using this for personal gain via the press.

Stump's book was a tabloid quality hack job.

[timzcardz]

That is a great read. Thanks.

[byrone]

Nice to see the truth. Beats lies any time.

Hopefully Cobb can be rightfully represented as he should be going forward.

Flawed. Not perfect. Like the rest of us.

Not a monster.

[mouschi]

Since posting on other sites, several other people have brought up lots of information stating that the guy who did his bio was apparently a hack. Such a shame to have someone's name ruined because of someone else for all these years. I know I thought of him poorly all this time.

[the 'stache]

Sad that one writer can hold such sway over the reputation of a man. I'm glad to see that this slight is being corrected. Cobb might have been surly at times on the diamond, but I think that was the competitor in him coming out. And, I'm sure he did and said some things he wishes he hadn't, things we haven't heard of. But, isn't that life?

[brian1961]

Thanks for posting this, Mouschi. Glad and relieved to hear the truth is painting a much better and kinder picture of Mr. Cobb. Some of this I knew, but not all by any means. A big thank you, bro, for posting this.

A complex gentleman, Ty. Many tragic forces had an indelible affect upon the man. It is most unfortunate that Stump's book was taken as hard fact at the time, and for many years, with the result that a zillion fans tarred and feathered Ty in their hearts and minds. ---Brian Powell

[bravos4evr]

Sad that one writer can hold such sway over the reputation of a man. I'm glad to see that this slight is being corrected. Cobb might have been surly at times on the diamond, but I think that was the competitor in him coming out. And, I'm sure he did and said some things he wishes he hadn't, things we haven't heard of. But, isn't that life?

I have always thought it was a big red flag that stump waited for Cobb to die to publish his book. The movie makes it out like he was still there writing with Cobb when he died but the truth is it was several years later when the book came out. I wouldn't be surprised if Stump and his editor decided that there wasn't enough "meat" and so they manufactured some to generate sales.

sad really.......

[CMIZ5290]

I have always thought it was a big red flag that stump waited for Cobb to die to publish his book. The movie makes it out like he was still there writing with Cobb when he died but the truth is it was several years later when the book came out. I wouldn't be surprised if Stump and his editor decided that there wasn't enough "meat" and so they manufactured some to generate sales.

sad really.......

+1.....Stump was a douche bag.....

[DVCARDS]

Very interesting article. Its great that Cobbs image is being restored. Its also a shame that too many will still be unaware and will continue believing the lies.

[bravos4evr]

One thing present day folks tend to fail at is perspective. If you judge those of prior generations through the prism of the present you are going to have a skewed perception of their persona.

[CMIZ5290]

One thing present day folks tend to fail at is perspective. If you judge those of prior generations through the prism of the present you are going to have a skewed perception of their persona.

1

[the 'stache]

Nick, your posts are so much more on point when the topic isn't Jim Kaat. ;) Cheers!

I have always thought it was a big red flag that stump waited for Cobb to die to publish his book. The movie makes it out like he was still there writing with Cobb when he died but the truth is it was several years later when the book came out. I wouldn't be surprised if Stump and his editor decided that there wasn't enough "meat" and so they manufactured some to generate sales.

sad really.......

One thing present day folks tend to fail at is perspective. If you judge those of prior generations through the prism of the present you are going to have a skewed perception of their persona.

[bravos4evr]

Nick, your posts are so much more on point when the topic isn't Jim Kaat. ;) Cheers!

"why I oughta........"



:p


P.S. I am leaving that subject alone on here, it got too heated and I am not here to make anyone mad at me.