Cobb vs. Ruth

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Posted By: prewarsports

The game of toda is tailored toward the hitter, and back in the early part of the century it was tailored toward the pitcher. Being able to throw hard is a naturla ability. I have no doubt that if Billy Wagner can throw 106 MPH than Walter Johnson could probably throw similarly hard. Imagine the movement on a 100 MPH fastball which is all scuffed up from being used all day. Then throw in the fact that it was hard to see, and that the occasional spit ball could be coming, or the old ball could be coming at your head, and you wear NO PROTECTION. If you take pitchers of 1910 and bring them into the mix today, they would have to adjust the same as pitchers would if they had to go back in time and play in 1910. Pitchers ruled the diamond then and I would be willing to bet Barry Bonds would have a career Batting Average of about .250 if he had played back in the early 1900's.

As far as the Cobb story goes, what I had always heard was that he felt like trying to hit home runs was not "sporting" and I think he still longed for a return to the days of station to station ball and he thought hitting home runs was sort of like a fad. He was correct in that a single does more potential damage in a bases loaded no out situation than a home run does etc. I would equate it to fishing with dynamite, sure you get more fish, but that is not the objective to everybody.