Ty Cobb ..Separating Fact from Fiction

[byrone]

I own this Ty Cobb written letter, from January 30,1958. It was written to New Hampshire newsman Leo Cloutier, who held a sports celebrities dinner in NH each year. I think it provides awesome insight into Cobb the person, at least at that stage of his life. It is four pages in length, and was written after Cobb arrived back home in Georgia after having attended the event in New Hampshire.
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Ty Cobb
Cornelia, Georgia 1/30/58

Dear Leo:-

I wish to report that we got through ok by train to Boston and then train to N.Y. left by plane for Atlanta and then up here some 90 miles by auto.

I have has some very much needed rest since return, at my age I cannot take it so well anymore, have had sleep and rest around the clock for 4 or 5 nights since arriving back. Coming there may be my last for some time. I have determined to set a fee above the fee I asked of you and to eliminate the several that are contacting me , amongst two or three others Toronto has asked me to come there in April. I hope they won't meet my terms. I feel an obligation to go where the fee will send a student to college for a year otherwise I cannot go as I find it a hard & trying task at my age also with other matters of my own I should try to cope with.

I wish to thank you for your patience also your kindness to me and should also say the contribution to the Cobb Educational Foundation. I have 29 boys & girls in college now and I derive a great pleasure and satisfaction in doing this. We have some very fine boys & girls with unusually high marks as we have the pick from all the higher education institutions of Georgia from the Dean of Freshman Classes as one of the trustees is head of all these institutions of Georgia. Also each applicant after our investigation must qualify on the grounds of having had to work & fight their way through freshman year and their parents have no financial ability to further their education Etc. Wish I had had more time to tell you about this.

Again my thanks & appreciation to you, you certainly put on and developed an unusual affair.

My hope is that our God will grace you in every way. My kindest regards to Mrs. Cloutier who was so very nice in burdening herself with me during your event.

My best to you

Sincerely

Ty Cobb

P.S. Thanks for your thought in sending me all the papers