Ty Cobb ..Separating Fact from Fiction

[Hankphenom]

There's always two sides to every story, of course, but it wasn't just Crawford in the "The Glory of Their Times" with a string of uncomplimentary things to say about Cobb, but also Davey Jones, who has some extremely unflattering stories to tell. In researching my book, I came across a number of contemporary accounts of Cobb's temper and fistfights he got into with players, umpires, and civilians. On the other hand, Walter Johnson didn't have anything bad to say about Cobb, and thought he was "misunderstood." My mother found Cobb to be the perfect Southern Gentlemen. Anybody read Alexander's biography recently enough to be able to weigh in on how that treat's Cobb as a person?

[byrone]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

There's always two sides to every story, of course, but it wasn't just Crawford in the "The Glory of Their Times" with a string of uncomplimentary things to say about Cobb, but also Davey Jones, who has some extremely unflattering stories to tell. In researching my book, I came across a number of contemporary accounts of Cobb's temper and fistfights he got into with players, umpires, and civilians. On the other hand, Walter Johnson didn't have anything bad to say about Cobb, and thought he was "misunderstood." My mother found Cobb to be the perfect Southern Gentlemen. Anybody read Alexander's biography recently enough to be able to weigh in on how that treat's Cobb as a person?

Hank, Cobb really thought a lot of Walter...

"On August 2, 1907, I encountered the most threatening sight I ever saw on the ballfield. He was only a rookie, and we licked our lips as we warmed up for the first game of a doubleheader in Washington. Evidently the manager of the Senators had picked a rube out of the cornfields of the deepest bushes to pitch against us.....He was a tall, shambling galoot of about 20 with arms so long they hung out of his sleeves and with a sidearm delivery that looked unimpressive at first glance.....One of us imitated a cow mooing and we hollered at the manager: 'get your pitchfork ready, your hayseed's on his way back to the barn'......The first time I faced him I watched him take that easy windup and then something went past me that made me flinch. The thing just hissed with danger. We couldn't touch him....every one of us knew we'd met the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ball park."

Ty Cobb on Walter Johnson

[Rob L]

Wow. Talk about distortion by Stumpf. Thanks Jim, a great read!!

[Exhibitman]

As I recall, Jimmy Austin wasn't too complimentary about Cobb either in GOTT.

The story I like about Cobb is that when DiMaggio's contract was purchased by New York, Cobb advised the kid to hold out for more money and ghosted his letters in response to the contracts Ed Barrow kept sending until Barrow sent a final contract with a note to tell Cobb to stop writing him letters.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

As I recall, Jimmy Austin wasn't too complimentary about Cobb either in GOTT.

The story I like about Cobb is that when DiMaggio's contract was purchased by New York, Cobb advised the kid to hold out for more money and ghosted his letters in response to the contracts Ed Barrow kept sending until Barrow sent a final contract with a note to tell Cobb to stop writing him letters.

That is hilarious!