Originally Posted by frankbmd (Post 1861892)

When I was 9 years old, I obtained Harmon Killebrew's autograph in person during spring training. Harmon was a 20 year old bonus baby at the time.

I bet he wondered why a nine year old punk wanted his autograph.

The nine year old punk had similar thoughts about if this 20 year old was a legit major leaguer.

His autograph was quite nice though and worth keeping. Still have it;)

https://www.collectorfocus.com/image...llebrew-harmon

Originally Posted by packs (Post 1861852)

Almost nothing about the public perception of Cobb is true. He did beat up a guy without fingers, but his entire team supported him doing so. They even refused to play a game after he was suspended and fined for doing it.

Originally Posted by jhs5120 (Post 1862273)

Many of Ron Artest’s teammates defended him. Not sure it makes the situation any better.

Many of the stories about Cobb are true, but some of the facts are questioned. “Yes, Cobb assaulted a bell boy, but not because he was black (as if that’s important).” “Yes, Cobb beat the crap out of a cripple, but he was missing seven fingers, not both hands (as if that makes the situation less appalling).”

Ty Cobb was a prick. A ‘troubled beauty’ sure, but also a prick. He was responsible for some of the game’s ugliest moments.

Originally Posted by packs (Post 1862274)

If you're citing events in Al Stump's book none of them hold any water. What are your sources for these moments?

Originally Posted by doug.goodman (Post 1861895)

My Frank Robinson story is the opposite :

In late 1981 or 1982, I was standing (hunched over my treasure, really) in the rain outside the players parking lot at Candlestick after a rained out Giants game when he drove past me, then stopped and backed up.

He rolled down his window and asked "What are you doing standing there?"

"I was hoping I could get you to sign this baseball" I told him, as I reached it into his car to avoid the wet, and pointed out that it already had Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and a few other HR hitters of note.

"This is a nice ball", he said "what if I just drive away with it?" he chuckled.

"Please don't" I said, as the rain came down a bit harder.

He smiled as he found a good spot on the ball, signed a beautiful signature, carefully handed it back to me avoiding the rain, and said "thank you, now get out of the rain".

"Thank you!", I said and headed to my car to make the 93 mile drive home.

****

I now work for famous people for a living, and I see both sides of it on a daily basis, both of my current bosses have reputations that may have earned them mention in this thread had they been baseball players.

Both are unquestionably HOF caliber in their chosen professions.

Both are among the nicest people I know, although after a combined 17 years working for them, I might have a few "horror" stories, also.

My point is, for every horror story, there is often a story with the opposite point, but frequently it's the horror stories that circulate the most.

Doug

Originally Posted by jhs5120 (Post 1862285)

Leerhsen's book, A Terrible Beauty. He puts in so much effort to dispel the notion that Cobb is racist and that Stump’s book exaggerated that he doesn’t realize he still paints a fairly aweful picture.

Originally Posted by packs (Post 1862738)

In terms of Cobb's myth vs reality, it only takes a little bit of research to see for yourself that he was in no way the racist hate monger he's made out to be. For one, his great grandfather preached against slavery in the Confederate South during the Confederacy, second, his father was an advocate for the education of African Americans and other under-served communities and Cobb himself would go on to establish a fund for that very purpose, which still exists today. Lastly, here's a contemporary quote from Cobb in 1952, well before the Civil Rights era:

"The Negro should be accepted wholeheartedly, and not grudgingly," he said. "The Negro has the right to play professional baseball and whose [sic] to say he has not?"

Originally Posted by frankbmd (Post 1862768)

Years ago I visited Royston, GA and met an old doctor there who was a close personal friend of Cobb in the forties and fifties. He only spoke highly of him and his contributions to the community, Cobb’s hometown.

He was the driver of the regional Cobb Health system, which included the hospital in Royston. The medical services available to all in the Cobb system were a legacy that he and the community cherished.

He supported the youth baseball in the community as well.

He profited from Coca Cola, but didn’t run away from Royston with his wealth.

Originally Posted by drcy (Post 1862720)

Maybe he changed as he got old, but just read or listen to Glory of Their Times and you'll know that Cobb had a bad character/personality reputation with his contemporaries.

Originally Posted by Hot Springs Bathers (Post 1863857)

There is a ton of revisionist history surrounding Cobb, As a historian you have to weigh first-hand accounts ahead of theory. Cobb was a very complicated person and not a real good person. The people that want to cleanse the image get very passionate about it but the first-hand accounts are not pleasant.

Originally Posted by frankbmd (Post 1862768)

Years ago I visited Royston, GA and met an old doctor there who was a close personal friend of Cobb in the forties and fifties. He only spoke highly of him and his contributions to the community, Cobb’s hometown.

He was the driver of the regional Cobb Health system, which included the hospital in Royston. The medical services available to all in the Cobb system were a legacy that he and the community cherished.

He supported the youth baseball in the community as well.

He profited from Coca Cola, but didn’t run away from Royston with his wealth.

Originally Posted by Leon (Post 1863701)

There are certainly lots of different type stories about Cobb. Much of what has been taken for granted over the years doesn't jive with some first hand accounts. People are complicated. (Tim N said that :)).

Originally Posted by Mark17 (Post 1863841)

According to some. But others said Cobb never spiked anyone intentionally unless they were blocking his path to the base, which Joe Wood, in defense of Cobb, said was just common sense.

Cobb did a lot of good things for people, that is not in dispute. As far as his sins, I have always believed Cobb deserves some slack, given his circumstance (his mother killing his father in what some said was murder.) Overall I think the good in Cobb outweighs the bad.

Originally Posted by Hot Springs Bathers (Post 1863857)

There is a ton of revisionist history surrounding Cobb, As a historian you have to weigh first-hand accounts ahead of theory. Cobb was a very complicated person and not a real good person. The people that want to cleanse the image get very passionate about it but the first-hand accounts are not pleasant.

Originally Posted by packs (Post 1863867)

While first hand accounts are important, historians are also aware of bias. Sam Crawford hated Cobb, so can his stories about the man be taken at face value? How do you talk about people you don't like?

Side note, when Cobb died they found copies of a ton of letters he'd written to people lobbying for Crawford's induction into the HOF.

Originally Posted by frankbmd (Post 1863876)

I only drove through Shreveport once without stopping in 1972 long before little Albert was conceived.;)

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog (Post 1863882)

Oddly, he turned 6 that year.

Originally Posted by Hot Springs Bathers (Post 1863857)

There is a ton of revisionist history surrounding Cobb, As a historian you have to weigh first-hand accounts ahead of theory. Cobb was a very complicated person and not a real good person. The people that want to cleanse the image get very passionate about it but the first-hand accounts are not pleasant.