Posted By:
Ryan ChristoffActually, for the sake of accuracy, the averages for the 1910 Cuban series were:
1. John Henry "Pop" Lloyd - .500
2. Grant "Home Run" Johnson - .412
3. Bruce Petway - .389
4. Ty Cobb - .368
The Tigers played 12 games total versus the two Cuban teams (Almedares & Habana). Cobb didn't arrive in Cuba until the first 7 games had already been played.
Several interesting myths stem from this series. According to one, Cobb filed his spikes on the dugout steps before each game and told Lloyd, the opposing shortstop, "this is for you." Lloyd, however, wore cast-iron shin guards under his socks and foiled Cobb's nefarious plan.
In another story Cobb was thrown out 3 times in a row by Negro Leaguer Bruce Petway. Another story is exactly the same except the catcher is Valentin "Strike" Gonzalez, a Cuban. According to newspaper accounts, however, Cobb only tried to steal once in the 5 games (he was thrown out by Petway).
In Cobb's 1st at bat of the series he hit a home run. It was an opposite field line drive that bounced over the left fielder's head. Cobb slid safely into home head first.
In his last at bat of the series he struck out against the greatest Cuban pitcher of all time, Jose Mendez.
Shortly after the Tigers left, the Philadelphia Athletics arrived (minus Eddie Collins, Rube Oldring and Frank Baker).
Baseball cards were made of both teams, as well many Cubans, by a tobacco company in Cuba called "Punch". They are the rarest of all Cuban issues. Cobb, Crawford, Plank, and Bender all have 1910 Punch Cigarros cards (cigarros is Spanish for "cigarette" by the way).
Sorry to ramble on for so long,
-Ryan