[QUOTE=Casey2296;2083639]I had no idea there was a Ty Cobb Museum, that's great.
Phil,
Here are a few items about the Museum:
MISSION STATEMENT
The Ty Cobb Museum is a nonprofit organization founded to perpetuate the memory of the greatest baseball hitter of all time, Tyrus Raymond Cobb. Its mission is to foster education and understanding to the broadest possible audience of the greatness of Ty Cobb. This mission is set forward by providing art and memorabilia, film, books, and historical archives. The museum collects, preserves, researches, interprets and exhibits items related to Ty Cobb and the game of baseball.
WEBSITE
The Museum website,
https://tycobbmuseum.org/, which is operational but still under construction, has additional information about the Museum. (Note: the link to the Museum Gift Shop in an earlier post above directs to the Shopify sub-domain where various Ty Cobb related books and memorabilia items are sold - not to the home page.)
And, to entice some forum members to visit the Museum in Royston, Here is a description of some of our most treasured Ty Cobb relics:
TREASURED MEMORABILIA in the TY COBB MUSEUM
1. Bronzed Cleat — Ty Cobb's personally owned and game-worn leather baseball shoe, which was bronzed long ago by Ty to preserve the shoe for display in his home office. An accompanying photo shows Ty holding this bronzed shoe standing on the front porch of his home in Palo Alto, California. The pair of shoes was bronzed by the Bron-Shoe in Columbus, Ohio, which closed down in 2018 after 80 years of preserving memories in Bronze. The location of the other shoe is unknown. (Note that the spikes are NOT sharpened.)
2. Lifetime MLB Pass — This 4.25" x 2.75" gold plated pass, created by Lambert Brothers Jewelers of New York, was a prized possession of Ty Cobb. He used it often, enjoying his retirement from the game and career that he gave his life to for 20 plus years. A tradition started by the two individual leagues in the early 1930s, it became a joint venture through MLB around 1936. The "Gold Card" as it is known today is one of the greatest honors a MLB player can be given. Players must have eight years of full time major league service to be eligible to receive one.
3. Three Handled Sterling Silver Trophy/Loving Cup — The trophy's engraving reads: "Presented to TY COBB, By admiring Providence friends, At RHODES, Monday, Oct. 11, 1915, Worlds Record, 97 Stolen Bases". The RHODES had only been open for four months when Ty Cobb was honored by this group of friends from Providence, RI. This dinner in his honor was held the same day as the 3rd game of the 1915 World Series.
4. Two-Handled Victorian Sterling Silver Trophy/Loving Cup — Engraving reads in part "The World's Greatest Ball Player-TY COBB, From Tiger Fans, Detroit February 1, 1921" - Presented at a banquet in his honor at the Hotel Sattler, Tiger Fans came out to join the City of Detroit in showing their appreciation to Cobb in accepting the managerial position for the Detroit Tigers. This was the biggest event ever assembled for a major league player. More than 800 guests bought tickets to the dinner. Every major figure from baseball and politics around Detroit, Michigan had attended the day long festivities honoring "The World's Greatest Ball Player."
5. Sterling Silver Louisville Slugger Bat — Engraving reads in part, "1911 Batting Champion - American League BA420, Genuine Ty Cobb Louisville Slugger" - In 1949 Louisville Slugger began the "Silver Bat" award, presenting to the batting champions in each major league a full size Louisville Slugger bat in Sterling Silver. Some players who had retired before this date were also granted an a post-dated award. This "Sliver Bat" was presented to Ty Cobb for his 1911 season, honoring his highest batting average for a single season of .420, at the NY Baseball Writers annual dinner at the Hotel Astor on January 31, 1960. Governor of New York, Mr. Nelson Rockefeller was the guest speaker and Mr. Dan Daniel, sports writer was toastmaster for the evening.
6. Tie Bar - Personal Jewelry — On August 9, 1958 as an honored guest at an Old Timer's Day game in Yew York between the Yankees and the Red Sox. Yankees owner Dan Topping presented his friend, Ty Cobb, with this very unique token of appreciation as one of MLB .400 hitters. Cobb was a .400+ hitter in 1911, 1912 and 1922. Though it was a special award, Ty Cobb also enjoyed wearing it often.
7. Two Handled Trophy with Lid — "Golden Rule Farm Trophy" - A unique golf challenge where Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth competed on three different courses in three different locations for two different charities. The 1st leg of the match was played on Wednesday, June 25, 1941 at Commonwealth Country Club in Newton, Mass., to benefit the Gold Rule Farm for Boys at Franklin, New Hampshire. The 2nd leg was played on June 27, 1941 at the Fresh Meadows Country Club in Flushing, (Queens) New York. This match benefited the United Service Organization. The 3rd and final leg of the match was played on Tuesday, July 29, 1941 at the Grosse Isle Golf Country Club in Detroit, Michigan. This game benefited the United Service Organization as well. Cobb won all three legs. He was presented with a trophy that was donated by film actress Bette Davis. The trophy was presented to Cobb by Ray "Spunky" Roslyn who was an orphan at the Golden Rule Farm.