Bigger Jerks Than Joey Belle in the Hall of Fame

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

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

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

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

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

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.

Interestingly I also met Al Stump and was less than impressed. Competitive ballplayers who consider base running a contact sport at any base stretch the rules perhaps and are considered "dirty" by some (Hello Manny (Machado)), but behavior inside the lines does not necessarily relate to their character outside the lines.

Albert "Joey" Belle gets votes in these threads for the hall for his career inside the lines, as does Pete Rose and the like. Where to draw the line for character outside the lines is the real question.

Few would suggest that Ty Cobb should be removed from the Hall of Fame. After all, where is the Belle Health System? Is there a Belle Hospital and Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana? I don't know. I only drove through Shreveport once without stopping in 1972 long before little Albert was conceived.

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

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

Oddly, he turned 6 that year.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

Oddly, he turned 6 that year.

Ooops, I guess I didn't drive by his elementary school in 1972.