CHAPTER ELEVEN: ALWAYS EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
1 Cobb did the best against Joe Bush of the Philadelphia Athletics, batting .474 in 11 games. He batted only .253 against the late Addie Joss of Cleveland. Boston Herald, December 17, 1916, p. 14.
2 Boston Daily Globe, June 13, 1915, p. 53.
3 Sibley wrote that Cobb joshed pitchers from the batter’s box, and once he was on the bases, was known to instigate balks because of the frustrations he caused. Ibid.
4 Ibid.
5 Detroit Free Press, February 24, 1918, p. 17.
6 Colorado Springs Gazette, February 11, 1917, p. 19.
7 Augusta Chronicle, January 4, 1917, p. 6.
8 Dallas Morning News, March 31, 1917, p. 15. Cobb reportedly played golf at the River Crest Country Club prior to the March 30 game at Fort Worth. He was about 45-minutes late to arrive at the park, and a loudmouth fan got on his case from the audience, shouting that the outfielder had a swelled head and was running on his own time clock. Cobb offered to have a few words with the man in private, but the hostilities quickly ceased. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, March 31, 1917, p. 6.
9 Charleston News and Courier, April 9, 1917, p. 6.
10 The Sporting News, February 22, 1950, p. 12.
11 Charleston News and Courier, April 9, 1917, p. 6.
12 “Among other things Herzog insinuated that I was yellow, that I‘d be afraid to try to steal second with him on the job,” Cobb explained later. Fort Wayne News and Sentinel, September 18, 1918, p. 10.
13 Dallas Morning News, April 1, 1917, p. 8. A few days after the incident, Cobb told journalist Jack Ryder of the Cincinnati Enquirer, “It was not an accident, but if you knew the vile names [Herzog] had been calling me, you would consider it excusable.” Charleston News and Courier, April 9, 1917, p. 6. However, in 1918, Cobb explained that the spiking was altogether unintentional. “I wouldn’t have spiked him even accidentally if he had stayed where he belonged. But he didn’t. So I had no other choice than to go into him.” Fort Wayne News and Sentinel, September 18, 1918, p. 10. Cobb admitted that he wasn’t out to hurt Herzog. Trenton Evening Times, April 6, 1917, p. 21.
14 Newspaper reports from Dallas, Detroit, and New York City, April 1, 1917.
15 Dallas Morning News, April 1, 1917, p. 8. Interestingly, the Detroit press reported that fans were angry when Cobb was ejected. Detroit Free Press, April 1, 1917, p. 22. Cobb, playing right field, was replaced by Sam Crawford and New York won the game, 5–3. According to Fletcher, Cobb made numerous threats after being thrown out. The Sporting News, February 22, 1950, p. 12.
16 Trenton Evening Times, April 6, 1917, p. 21.
17 Charleston News and Courier, April 9, 1917, p. 6. Not shockingly, New York papers supported McGraw and the Giants, while Detroit writers backed Cobb. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle asserted that Cobb was “responsible for the start of the trouble,” and noted that “only the diplomacy of McGraw” stopped any additional fighting between the clubs. Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 1, 1917, p. S1.
18 Kalamazoo Gazette, November 7, 1914, p. 6.
19 The Sporting News, March 28, 1946, p. 2.
20 Fort Wayne News and Sentinel, September 18, 1918, p. 10. Due to the endless number of variations of the Cobb-Herzog fight, there are untold discrepancies between the stories. Versions include information claiming that Benny Kauff, not Zimmerman, accompanied Herzog to Cobb’s room, one that had Eddie Ainsmith as referee, another that had Zimmerman as the official, and yet another with Tigers infielder Donie Bush also in the room as a witness. A more farfetched tale stated that the Cobb-Herzog hotel scrap lasted a half-hour. Needless to say, a half-hour of “rough and tumble” fighting would have likely ended with both men in need of dire medical assistance. Sporting Life reported that the scuffle went on for about five minutes. Sporting Life, April 7, 1917, p. 6.
21 The Sporting News, March 28, 1946, p. 2.
22 Dallas Morning News, April 2, 1917, p. 7. The “bad blood” between the two teams was visible outside the Cobb-Herzog scrap. Art Fletcher knocked down Detroit third baseman Bob Jones at one point in the second game, and also had an ongoing rift with Harry Heilmann. Zimmerman and Stanage had a few words as well. Bay City Times, April 19, 1917, p. 12. The series ended in a 4–4 tie. Toledo News-Bee, April 9, 1917, p. 12.
23 The Sporting News, April 5, 1917, p. 1.
24 Trenton Evening Times, April 6, 1917, p. 21. Herzog told a reporter in 1919, “We settled our troubles in Dallas and I regard that tiff as a thing of the past. It was man to man, and I don’t think that Cobb harbors any hard feelings toward me anymore than I do towards him.” Detroit Free Press, January 17, 1919, p. 13.
25 The Sporting News, January 21, 1953, p. 4.
26 The Sporting News, January 14, 1932, p. 4.
27 Trenton Evening Times, April 6, 1917, p. 21.
28 Cincinnati Post, April 5–6, 1917.
29 Toledo News-Bee, April 7, 1917, p. 12.
30 Toledo News-Bee, April 9, 1917, p. 12.
31 Detroit Free Press, March 30, 1917, 17.
32 Detroit Free Press, May 26, 1917, p. 12.
33 Syracuse Journal, May 24, 1917, p. 12.
34 Cobb hit .537 (29-for-54) in a 14-game span. Detroit Free Press, June 20, 1917, p. 15.
35 His 35-game hit streak began on May 31 and ended on July 6 and he achieved 64 hits in that stretch. Detroit Free Press, July 7, 1917, p. 9. In the game that ended his streak, he faced Red Faber three times and Jim Scott once. It was said that of all active pitchers, Faber, a right-hander, gave Cobb the most difficulty. Detroit Free Press, September 9, 1917, p. 20.
36 Detroit Free Press, July 6, 1917, p. 11.
37 Detroit Free Press, July 31, 1917, p. 9–10.
38 Detroit Free Press, July 14, 1917, p. 10.
39 Burns’s run in the bottom of the ninth won the game, 2–1, over Washington. Evening Star, Washington, D.C., August 20, 1917, p. 10 and Detroit Free Press, August 20, 1917, p. 9.
40 Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, May 18, 1910, p. 11. Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, June 7, 1910, p. 13.
41 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 22, 1911, p. 20 and Detroit Free Press, May 23, 1915, p. 20.
42 Boston Journal, August 24, 1911, p. 5.
43 The Sporting News, September 3, 1942, p. 4.
44 It was claimed that neither Cobb nor Jennings joined the rest of the Tigers on the field to honor “Wahoo” during the special ceremony in August, indicative of the bad relations. The Sporting News, November 22, 1917, p. 6.
45 The Sporting News, January 24, 1918, p. 5.
46 Fort Wayne News and Sentinel, September 21, 1918, p. 12.
47 Springfield Union, July 18, 1961, p. 23.
48 Interestingly, when Sisler was a member of the University of Michigan baseball team, Cobb went to Ann Arbor and watched him play on May 6. Detroit Free Press, May 7, 1913, p. 13.
49 Detroit Free Press, December 23, 1917, p. 15.
50 Cobb’s third child, a son, was born in Augusta, GA on September 29, 1916. He was named Roswell Herschel Cobb after his grandparents, Roswell Lombard and William Herschel Cobb. Augusta Chronicle, September 30, 1916, p. 5. He would go by the name Herschel, however. Most genealogical sources incorrectly list his birth year as 1917.
51 He was the ninth man to register in Augusta. His order number was 1368 and his serial number was 1209. Augusta Chronicle, December 28, 1917, p. 5. Also see Augusta Chronicle, January 19, 1918, p. 5.
52 In response to the trade rumors, Navin said: “I have often said that Cobb will complete his major league career in a Detroit uniform, and I will reiterate that statement. Cobb will never be sold, traded or released.” Augusta Chronicle, February 17, 1918, p. 5.
53 Cincinnati Post, April 15, 1918, p. 3.
54 Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 17–18, 1918. Cobb told a reporter, “It is nothing serious, but I feel so weak that I couldn’t play if the doctor gave me permission to.” Detroit Free Press, April 16, 1918, p. 13.
55 In the opener, Cleveland beat the Tigers, 6–2.
56 Detroit Free Press, May 27, 1918, p. 11. Cobb was also injured at New York in July.
57 Detroit Free Press, June 9, 1918, p. 15.
58 Cobb entered the game, held on June 3, 1918, to hit for pitcher George Cunningham. Boston Herald and Journal, June 4, 1918, p. 4 and The Sporting News, June 1, 1933, p. 4.
59 Cobb was said to have made 41 hits in 19 games. Detroit Free Press, July 14, 1918, p. 15.
60 Evening Star, Washington, D.C., July 14, 1918, p. 48.
61 Detroit Free Press, August 25, 1918, p. 13.
62 The last game of the season on September 2 marked the final major league contests for “Wild” Bill Donovan, who pitched five innings for Detroit, Hugh Jennings, and Davy Jones. In addition to playing centerfield and pitching, Cobb also played third base briefly.
63 Cobb received his commission on August 27 in Washington, D.C. Detroit Free Press, August 28, 1918, p. 9. Cobb’s official enlistment date into the U.S. Army was September 5, 1918. Georgia World War I Service Cards, 1917–1919, ancestry.com.
64 Detroit Free Press, October 10, 1918, p. 13.
65 Ibid.
66 Fort Wayne News and Sentinel, September 16, 1918, p. 3. Corbett lauded Cobb’s abilities, saying that he was “greater than any of the past generations, the greatest of this; a ballplayer whose like probably never [would] be seen again.” Fort Wayne News and Sentinel, September 26, 1918, p. 12. There were ten parts to the Corbett-Cobb series.
CHAPTER TWELVE: PATHWAY TO RICHES
1 He called Napoleon, a “remarkable man,” and that he never grew tired of “digging up something about his life.” Baseball Magazine, April 1916, p. 53–54.
2 Detroit Free Press, April 2, 1914, p. 10. Ty’s mother Amanda also took great pride in the actions of the south during the Civil War and was involved in the United Confederate Veterans organization. Atlanta Constitution, May 22, 1925, p. 5.
3 The Sporting News, February 12, 1942, p. 10.
4 The newspaper stated that Cobb was the “first Tiger to go overseas for the great cause of democracy.” Detroit Free Press, October 29, 1918, p. 11.
5 Cobb and Mathewson were joined by Bill Donovan and Hugh Jennings to pitch Third Liberty Loan war bonds at Fort Smith, Arkansas. Rockford Republic, April 10, 1918, p. 7.
6 Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 189–192. Research was conducted in effort to substantiate the information provided by Cobb relative to the eight deaths in the training accident, but no independent evidence was located. Cobb indicated that Mathewson’s lung injuries were sustained in a singular incident, claiming, “I saw Christy Mathewson doomed to die.” Ibid. However, Jane Mathewson, Christy’s wife, said his illness developed because he was repeatedly exposed to “lethal gas shells” as an instructor at the camp. Additionally, he suffered from a bad case of influenza around that same time frame, and the combination contributed to his health deterioration in subsequent years. San Francisco Chronicle, November 14, 1920, p. 51. Mathewson died at 45 years of age on October 7, 1925 of tuberculosis.
7 New York Sun, December 17, 1918, p. 3.
8 Cobb was officially discharged from the army on December 30, 1918.
9 Baseball Magazine, April 1916, p. 53–54.
10 Sporting Life, October 8, 1910, p. 18.
11 Detroit Free Press, October 13, 1912, p. 21.
12 Cobb and Jennings both owned 12.5 percent of the club, Frank Van Dusen, a businessman from Detroit, owned 25, and Navin and Yawkey possessed the remaining 50. Jersey Journal, January 13, 1912, p. 9. In February 1922, Cobb became a part owner of the Augusta baseball franchise with five partners. Augusta Chronicle, February 27, 1922, p. 1.
13 One advertisement read, “Bevo is a great favorite in the Army canteens,” and “For the boys in Khaki.” Underneath was information about Cobb’s business. It stated, Ty Cobb Beverage Co., Wholesale Dealers, 313 Leonard Bldg., Augusta, GA. Augusta Chronicle, October 5, 1917, p. 5.
14 Detroit Free Press, October 20, 1917, p. 12.
15 Cobb’s two partners were Bill Sanford and Frank “Shorty” Bussey, hunting buddies, and the business location was 662 Broad Street. Various Augusta Chronicle articles September-November 1919.
16 See Augusta Chronicle, July 24, 1929, June 16, 1933, and November 14, 1933, for more details about his Augusta holdings.
17 Cumming Street is also 10th Street in Augusta, and the address for the apartments is 1001 Greene Street. The United Apartment Company sold the Shirley Apartments in 1944 to Ways and Means for the Blind for an estimated $46,000, according to the newspaper report. Augusta Chronicle, November 21, 1944, p. 9. In his Detroit real estate ventures, Cobb was involved with the William S. Piggins Building Corporation. American Builder, March 1, 1927, p. 152.
18 General Motors Corporation Transcript of Stock Account, February 10, 1944, Joseph Hauck Papers (1914–1965), Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA. Cobb claimed in his autobiography that he purchased 50 shares in United Motors much earlier than 1918 and that his stock rose to $180 per share. Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 181.
19 Ibid.
20 Detroit Free Press, March 6, 1919, p. 5.
21 The Sporting News, March 29, 1945, p. 3.
22 The 10-day clause was eliminated from the contract. Transaction Card Collection, National Baseball Library, Cooperstown, New York. Cobb was scheduled to meet the team for a game at Florence, South Carolina on April 8, but missed a train connection, and caught up with the club at Columbia that evening.
23 Detroit Free Press, April 10, 1919, p. 14. Cobb played in five games of the Tigers-Boston Braves exhibition series lined up by the latter’s business manager, Walter Hapgood, and batted .500. Detroit Free Press, April 17, 1919, p. 16. The Braves were managed by Cobb’s friend, George Stallings.
24 Detroit led the American League in attendance in 1919 (643,805).
25 Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 26, 1919, p. 14.
26 Chicago Defender, May 3, 1919, p. 1. The Detroit New Era also believed there was an “air of secrecy and suppression in this case.” Cleveland Gazette, May 17, 1919, p. 2.
27 Ibid, Chicago Defender, June 7, 1919, p. 1.
28 Notice of the suit was reportedly served during the ball game against Cleveland on April 26. San Antonio Evening News, June 3, 1919, p. 8. An article in the Chicago Defender displayed frustrations about a lack of criminal prosecution toward Cobb, and alluded to a possible payoff to keep the matter quiet. Morris was contacted by a group of lawyers and ministers, trying to offer assistance in what could have been an exceptionally high-profile legal matter. She was said to have refused the help. Chicago Defender, May 10, 1919, p. 1.
29 New Orleans Times-Picayune, May 30, 1919, p. 14.
30 Cleveland Press, November 22, 1909, p. 1.
31 Chicago Defender, June 21, 1919, p. 1.
32 Hundreds of sources were searched trying to find a follow-up report to the civil suit, but nothing was located.
33 Cobb battled a midseason left leg injury that hampered his play, and because of the pain, missed some action. One report stated that it was a “large and feverish boil.” Philadelphia Inquirer, June 19, 1919, p. 14.
34 The Sporting News, September 11, 1919, p. 3 and Detroit Free Press, September 5, 1919, p. 12.
35 The Sporting News, September 11, 1919, p. 3.
36 Detroit finished 1919 with an 80-60 record. A dispute arose between Detroit and New York over the distribution of third place prize money, but after a meeting in Chicago, the Yankees were awarded the funds. Tucson Daily Citizen, February 11, 1920, p. 5.
37 San Francisco Chronicle, December 24, 1926, p. 19.
38 Cobb’s nearest rival for batting honors was his teammate, Bobby Veach, who was 29 points behind with a .355 average. 1919 marked the final time he’d win a batting title. Both Cobb and Veach achieved 191 hits and led the majors. It would be 55 years before another American League player won three consecutive batting titles; Rod Carew accomplished the feat in 1972–73–74. He added fourth title in 1975, and also led the majors in hitting from 1973[replace with en dash]75.
39 Detroit Free Press, June 20, 1915, p. 21 and Baltimore Sun, October 14, 1915, p. 10.
40 Evening Star, Washington, D.C., October 1, 1919, p. 23.
41 Boston Herald, October 25, 1919, p. 8.
42 Montgomery Advertiser, November 30, 1919, p. 7.
43 Riverside Daily Press, November 8, 1919, p. 8.
44 Augusta Chronicle, October 19, 1919, p. 29. Cobb was also the Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina distributor for the Peerless Starter, operating out of his Broad Street business. Charleston News and Courier, November 2, 1919, p. 17.
45 Augusta Chronicle, January 4, 1920, p. 19.
46 Augusta Chronicle, March 7, 1920, p. 39.
47 Greensboro Daily News, April 1, 1920, p. 8. The series against Boston was another tour scheduled by Walter Hapgood, which was panned for its poor accommodations in backwater towns. The Sporting News, January 20, 1921, p. 5. Cobb said his sickness was caused by a diet of milk and cornbread. Detroit Free Press, April 4, 1920, p. 21.
48 Detroit Free Press, June 7, 1920, p. 12.
49 Augusta Chronicle, June 25, 1920, p. 10. But after the gossip began about Cobb’s career being finished, Detroit Tigers team physician Dr. William E. Keane announced that the player had suffered no torn ligaments, and that it was just a bad wrench. Evening Star, Washington, D.C., June 25, 1920, p. 25.
50 The deal was brokered by Charles H. “Doc” Strub of the San Francisco Seals (Pacific Coast League).
51 Detroit went 8–19 with Cobb out of the lineup. Detroit Free Press, July 9, 1920, p. 13–14. Cobb’s batting average had improved to .316, although reporters cited that it had taken him two months to reach .300.
52 Detroit Free Press, July 16, 1920, p. 12.
53 Chapman, twenty-nine years of age, died at St. Lawrence Hospital. New York Evening Telegram, August 17, 1920, p. 6.
54 When he first stepped onto the field, Cobb bowed to the New York audience and motioned toward the newspaper writers, seemingly holding them accountable for the way the entire story was spun. Detroit Free Press, August 22, 1920, p. 21.
55 New York Evening Telegram, August 21, 1920, p. 6.
56 The show reportedly aired on March 4, 1942. The Sporting News, March 12, 1942, p. 12.
57 Richmond Times-Dispatch, December 1, 1919, p. 4.
58 The reporter was Scoop Latimer. Augusta Chronicle, June 5, 1942, p. 17.
59 Detroit Free Press, October 16, 1920, p. 13.
60 Cobb explained that Jennings asked him about the managerial position in 1919. Portland Oregonian, October 16, 1920, p. 13. His belief that a player shouldn’t also carry the manager’s burden went back to, at least, 1912. Sporting Life, January 6, 1912.
61 Denver Post, June 14, 1920, p. 10.
62 San Francisco Chronicle, October 17, 1920, p. S10.
63 San Francisco Chronicle, October 23, 1920, p. 7.
64 San Francisco Chronicle, October 21, 1920, p. 10. Finn played in the California State League from 1883 to 1888 and managed the San Jose club in 1891–92 when Cobb’s friend George Stallings was a member.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: MICROMANAGER
1 Boston Herald, February 10, 1920, p. 9.
2 Ruth was the major league leader in home runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, RBIs, runs scored, and a number of other categories. George Sisler of the St. Louis Browns also had a career year in 1920, becoming the first man since Cobb to hit over .400 (.407) and breaking Cobb’s single-season hit record with 257.
3 The Dead Ball Era, which arguably began around the turn of the century, ended with the arrival of the Lively Ball Era.
4 Kalamazoo Gazette, June 23, 1920, p. 9.
5 The Sporting News, February 25, 1943, p. 4.
6 The Sporting News, August 25, 1938, p. 4.
7 Springfield Republican, April 22, 1920, p. 14.
8 Collyer’s Eye, October 16, 1920, p. 1.
9 Detroit Free Press, October 20, 1920, p. 15.
10 Salt Lake Telegram, December 6, 1920, p. 16.
11 The Detroit Tigers, Frederick G. Lieb, 2008, Kent State University Press edition, p. 82–83.
12 The Sporting News, January 6, 1921, p. 2.
13 Detroit Free Press, December 19, 1920, p. 23. Transaction Card Collection, National Baseball Library, Cooperstown, New York. It was reported that Cobb’s salary was in excess of $30,000. Ruth’s salary for 1921 was $20,000.
14 Detroit Free Press, November 18, 1920, p. 16.
15 Detroit Free Press, February 2–3, 1921.
16 Ibid.
17 Harry Bullion of the Detroit Free Press wrote that Cobb handed out candy and cigars to his players and guys who’d been with him for years, had gotten to know him more than at any time prior. Detroit Free Press, March 9, 1921, p. 11.
18 The Sporting News, February 10, 1921, p. 3. Also Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 197–198.
19 San Diego Evening Tribune, January 19, 1921, p. 14.
20 On March 14, 1921, Cobb delivered a clubhouse speech to motivate his men. According to sportswriter Harry Bullion, Cobb “pledged to fight by their side and if they must sink he would sink too.” He told them he would treat them “like human beings,” and take them on their honor. Bullion wrote that the entire team, in response, “jumped to their feet and cheered him roundly.” Cobb was touched by their reaction. Detroit Free Press, March 15, 1921, p. 11.
21 Fresno Morning Republican, September 18, 1920, p. 17.
22 The Sporting News, January 20, 1921, p. 5.
23 Detroit Free Press, March 23, 1921, p. 14 and The Sporting News, January 27, 1921, p. 1.
24 A large tree stood in centerfield of the Brackenridge Park grounds, making play difficult for the Tigers, and Cobb later recommended moving the diamond rather than cut down the tree. San Antonio Light, April 7, 1921, p. 13. The Tigers moved over to League Park after the Giants left town. Detroit Free Press, March 23, 1921, p. 14.
25 Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 198.
26 The tale was told by sportswriter Dan Daniel. The Sporting News, January 24, 1962, p. 10.
27 Stengel said the event happened in 1923, but the Tigers didn’t hold spring training in San Antonio that year. In fact, in the spring of 1921, Stengel, who said he witnessed the incident, wasn’t yet with the Giants. He was traded to New York from Philadelphia in July 1921. The Sporting News, March 30, 1955, p. 6.
28 Kalamazoo Gazette, April 22, 1921, p. 19.
29 Detroit Free Press, April 15, 1921, p. 12. Cobb delayed the announcement of Dutch Leonard as his starter in the opener until just before the game, in what would be a routine strategy throughout his tenure as manager.
30 Cobb was so disturbed by the 8–3 loss to Chicago that he was barely willing to talk after the game. Detroit Free Press, April 22, 1921, p. 12.
31 Detroit Free Press, June 13, 1921, p. 9. Ruth’s boyhood nickname “Nigger Lips,” and other variances, was used by many major leaguers to get under his skin on the field, and Cobb certainly was known to apply these utterances to instigate his rival. Cobb talked about getting Ruth’s “goat” in his autobiography, Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 215–218. More about Cobb’s nickname can be found in Pueblo Chieftain, June 30, 1918, p. 17 and also The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth by Leigh Montville, 2007, p. 21, 155.
32 Brooklyn Standard Union, June 14, 1921, p. 12.
33 Cobb was said to have spiked himself sliding into second base and needed five stitches. Detroit Free Press, July 1, 1921, p. 13.
34 Detroit Free Press, July 10, 1921, p. 17.
35 As a result of the controversial umpire decisions, a riot nearly broke out. Fans surrounded umpires Billy Evans and Brick Owens after the game, but no violence occurred. Detroit Free Press, July 14, 1921, p. 12.
36 Detroit Free Press, September 25, 1921, p. 25.
37 The Sporting News, August 15, 1935, p. 4.
38 The Sporting News, July 11, 1951, p. 9. Evans’s challenge was also acknowledged in the Philadelphia Inquirer, December 17, 1921, p. 14.
39 Griffith Stadium groundskeeper James O’Dea was reportedly the “self-appointed referee” for the fight. Evening Star, Washington, D.C., September 25, 1921, p. 30.
40 The Sporting News, August 15, 1935, p. 4. Evans later said: “That Cobb not only is the world’s greatest ball player, he could have been a champion in the ring. I thought I was pretty good, but he had it on me all the way.” The Sporting News, February 1, 1956, p. 21. Cobb only agreed to fight if American League President Ban Johnson wasn’t notified and Evans kept his word. Johnson found out about the battle through the press and suspended Cobb for the final two games of the season. The Sporting News, October 6, 1921, p. 2. Cobb’s eleven-year-old son, Ty Jr., was reported to have witnessed the fight.
41 After Cobb was named Tigers manager, Heilmann was asked what he thought of it. He answered, “None could be better.” Detroit Free Press, December 26, 1920, p. A1.
42 Miami Herald, November 8, 1921, p. 10.
43 Atlanta Constitution, May 18, 1924, p. B1.
44 Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 35–36. Also see Atlanta Constitution, November 27, 1924, p. 10. Cobb’s Aunt Nora, who was the youngest child of John and Sarah Ann Cobb, was only about six years older than Ty, and the two were close. In fact, Nora took him into nearby Murphy and other towns to watch baseball games.
45 She was buried at Notla Baptist Church Cemetery in Murphy, NC. North Carolina Death Certificates, ancestry.com. Her husband, John Franklin Cobb, passed away on June 17, 1911 at seventy-nine years of age.
46 Ty Cobb: Safe at Home by Don Rhodes, 2008, p. 66.
47 Evening Star, Washington, D.C., December 2, 1921, p. 31.
48 San Francisco Chronicle, October 27, 1921, p. 15.
49 San Francisco Chronicle, October-November 1921. Winter League President Frank Chance fined Cobb $100 for delaying the game and $50 for abusive language. San Francisco Chronicle, November 21, 1921, p. 10. Another highlight happened on October 25 at Recreation Park in San Francisco when Cobb and Hornsby met on the field for the first time. San Francisco Chronicle, October 26, 1921, p. 14.
50 San Francisco Chronicle, November 16, 1921, p. 14.
51 The homes, on Carolina Avenue in North Augusta, were rented from the Jackson Family. Augusta Chronicle, January 11, 1922, p. 5.
52 Detroit paid $40,000 cash and eight players, equaling $100,000 in total. Seattle Daily Times, December 8, 1921, p. 17.
53 Detroit Free Press, March 7, 1922, p. 14. Ehmke reversed his negative opinion and told a reporter, “I will be out there doing my best for Ty and the rest of the boys.” Detroit Free Press, March 31, 1922, p. 12.
54 Augusta Chronicle, March 7, 1922, p. 8.
55 Augusta Chronicle, March 15, 1922, p. 1.
56 Detroit Free Press, April 5, 1922, p. 11.
57 Detroit Free Press, May 1, 1922, p. 12.
58 Boston Globe, July 7, 1948, p. 11. After the contest, Cobb wrote a letter to American League President Ban Johnson and an investigation was conducted. It was determined that balls had been discolored from oil used on a screen behind home plate, but it had nothing to do with Robertson—and the pitcher was absolved of any alleged wrongdoing. Detroit Free Press, May 3, 1922, p. 12.
59 Detroit Free Press, May 21, 1922, p. 27.
60 Detroit Free Press, May 30, 1922, p. 13 and June 6, 1922, p. 15.
61 New Orleans States, May 27, 1922, p. 4 and Tampa Tribune, May 26, 1922, p. 8.
62 Dallas Morning News, May 27, 1922, p. 13.
63 Cobb went 5-for-6 on July 7, 5-for-5 on July 12, and 5-for-5 on July 17. Adding the game from May gave Cobb the honor four times in 1922, setting a new major league record. The Sporting News, September 29, 1948, p. 29.
64 New York Call, August 17, 1922, p. 7.
65 Detroit Free Press, August 18, 1922, p. 14.
66 Detroit Free Press, September 18–19, 1922.
67 The Tigers finished with a 79–75 record, 15 games out of first place. The Yankees were defeated in the World Series by the New York Giants in four straight.
68 Detroit Free Press, August 17, 1922, p. 13.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE FIGHTING SPIRIT
1 In the premodern era, nine players bettered Cobb’s single-season stolen base record in the National League and American Association.
2 Detroit Free Press, April 29, 1924, p. 16.
3 The Sporting News, September 29, 1962, p. 13.
4 Atlanta Constitution, December 18, 1924, p. 10.
5 Atlanta Constitution, October 29, 1933, p. 4B.
6 Detroit Free Press, March 6, 1921, p. 22. To combat the wounds he’d receive while sliding, Cobb began sewing sheepskin into his baseball pants around 1912.
7 The Sporting News, August 13, 1942, p. 4.
8 Various newspapers, November-December 1922. The Writers’ Association voted 5–4 to back Kieran’s score and wanted an asterisk on publications indicating that Cobb’s average was not supported by the organization. Baseball As I Have Known It, Fred Lieb, 1977, p. 68–72. Kieran offered quotes about the matter in The Sporting News, February 8, 1940, p. 9.
9 Detroit Free Press, September 11, 1922, p. 13. At the time, it was reported that Cobb had passed Lajoie with 3,237 hits on September 1. Lajoie’s all-time hit totals were later raised to 3,243.
10 Detroit Free Press, April 15, 1921, p. 12.
11 Detroit Free Press, May 10, 1922, p. 16.
12 A New York writer claimed that Detroit players were “rough” on the base paths, and inspired by Cobb. The Sporting News, June 5, 1924, p. 4.
13 Detroit Free Press, April 2, 1922, p. 21.
14 When Cobb convinced Heilmann to ride Veach, he did it with the caveat that he’d explain the entire concept to Bobby after the season, and smooth matters over between the two. However, Cobb neglected to do so and Veach reportedly maintained a sour relationship with Heilmann from that point forth. Evening Star, Washington, D.C., July 29, 1963, p. A-13.
15 Detroit Free Press, March 26, 1922, p. 26.
16 Jones returned to play in the second game of the doubleheader. Detroit Free Press, July 5, 1922, p. 12.
17 Detroit Free Press, July 14, 1922, p. 14.
18 Detroit Free Press, July 19, 1922, p. 13.
19 Cobb did not like to alter the personal hitting style of his players and didn’t unless he was asked. The Sporting News, May 17, 1923, p. 4.
20 A local sportswriter claimed that this was only the second time Cobb had ever yielded to a pinch hitter in his career. The lone incident occurred in 1906 when catcher Freddie Payne, a righty, went in to bat against lefty “Doc” White of Chicago. Detroit Free Press, May 6, 1922, p. 14. Research indicates that there were at least three other instances of pinch hitters being used for Cobb. Sam Crawford did it on April 24, 1906. Babe Herman reportedly did it sometime during spring training in 1922, and George Mullin was also credited as having done it. Interestingly, for years, Payne was acknowledged as the “only man” to have batted for Cobb. See Detroit Free Press, April 25, 1906, February 4, 1911, and June 23, 1912 and The Sporting News, December 21, 1944, p. 11.
21 Baseball As I Have Known It, Fred Lieb, 1977, p. 72–73.
22 Grand Rapids Press, October 31, 1922, p. 16. Ehmke, who finished 17–17 in 1922, achieved a 20–17 record for Boston in 1923. He said, “I am winning because [Red Sox manager] Frank Chance lets me pitch the way I want to. He never bothers me.” His comment was a quip at the constant oversight Cobb gave him in Detroit. The Sporting News, October 4, 1923, p. 4.
23 Evening Star, Washington, D.C., December 15, 1922, p. 30.
24 The Sporting News, January 4, 1923, p. 1.
25 The Sporting News, March 22, 1923, p. 1.
26 Howley had been Detroit’s coach under Cobb’s leadership since 1921 and was taking on the managerial job for Toronto of the International League.
27 The Sporting News, March 8, 1923, p. 1.
28 Detroit News, April 1, 1923, p. D1.
29 Athens Banner-Herald, March 1923.
30 Augusta Chronicle, March 28, 1923, p. 6.
31 Detroit News, April 5, 1923, p. 34.
32 Augusta Chronicle, April 8, 1923, p. A2.
33 Johnson was reportedly fired from working any other exhibitions for the Tigers by Cobb immediately after the game, only to be rehired by Ty after the latter had time to cool down. Standing the Gaff: The Life and Hard Times of a Minor League Umpire by Harry “Steamboat” Johnson, 1994, Bison Books edition, p. 51–54.
34 Augusta Chronicle, April 8, 1923, p. A2.
35 Detroit News, April 19, 1923, p. 36.
36 Detroit News, May 19, 1923, p. 14.
37 The Sporting News, May 24, 1923, p. 1.
38 The Sporting News, June 7, 1923, p. 4.
39 The Sporting News, June 21, 1923, p. 1.
40 The writer defended Cobb, stated that Ty had always given his best to the fans of Detroit, and wondered why he was being insulted in such a manner. The Sporting News, June 14, 1923, p. 1.
41 Detroit News, July 8, 1923, p. D1.
42 Detroit News, July 25, 1923, p. 29. Cobb scored that inning as well, and the Tigers won both games of the doubleheader versus Chicago. The White Sox pitcher was Sloppy Thurston. Ruth’s famous called shot home run occurred during the 1932 World Series.
43 Superstition played a key role in the rally of Detroit players during the 1923 season. While in Chicago in July, a mixed breed dog wandered into the Tigers clubhouse and walked across the team’s bats, which were lying on the floor. Detroit went on to win that day’s game, and the players decided to adopt the good-luck animal, naming it “Victory.” Detroit News, July 26–29, 1923. The dog went on the road with the team. Victory was mentioned again by the press at the start of the 1924 season, indicating that it was continuing on as the team’s mascot. Detroit Free Press, April 16, 1924, p. B2. Each of Detroit’s players was awarded $1,078 as part of the second place World Series money.
44 Atlanta Constitution, August 8, 1923, p. 8.
45 The Sporting News, May 31, 1923, p. 1.
46 According to the report, Cobb hit Francis twice with an open hand, and Francis returned with a punch square to Cobb’s nose. The Cleveland crowd booed Cobb in the aftermath of the fight. Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 8, 1923, p. 14.
47 Francis went 5–8 in 33 games for the Tigers in 1923. Following the season, he was sold to Atlanta. The Sporting News, December 27, 1923, p. 1.
48 The record fell in the first game of a doubleheader and Cobb went 4-for-4 in the contest. The Sporting News, September 27, 1923, p. 1.
49 The Sporting News, November 22, 1923, p. 6.
50 Charleston Evening Post, December 28, 1923, p. 15.
51 Collins went 3–7 and Pillette had a record of 14–19. Cobb worked with Pillette prior to the 1923 season, trying to get him to add a curve ball to his repertoire. But with the new pitch, he began to suffer control problems. Detroit Free Press, April 13, 1924, p. 24.
52 Wingo hit 34 home runs for Toronto in 1922 and 20 in 1923. His purchase reportedly cost the Tigers $50,000. Springfield Republican, August 21, 1923, p. 8.
53 The Sporting News, February 28, 1924, p. 1. Gehringer was reportedly discovered by Bobby Veach, and, after seeing him for the first time, Cobb was more than impressed. He considered Gehringer to be the “best prospect” he’d ever seen. The Sporting News, April 10, 1941, p. 9. Cobb convinced Frank Navin to quickly sign him to a contract.
54 The Sporting News, March 27, 1924, p. 1.
55 Detroit Free Press, May 3, 1924, p. 15.
56 The Cobb “Day” celebration was arranged by Michigan Congressman Robert H. Clancy of Detroit. 130 members of Congress were at the game to honor Cobb and Ty was presented with a collection of books, one for each year of his baseball career. Detroit Free Press, May 8 and May 11, 1924.
57 Detroit Free Press, May 17, 1924, p. 15.
58 Philadelphia Inquirer, May 17, 1924, p. 20.
59 Pittsburgh Courier, May 24, 1924, p. 10.
60 Brooklyn Standard Union, June 14, 1924, p. 8.
61 New York Sun, June 14, 1924, p. 15 and The Sporting News, June 19, 1924, p. 1.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: FADING FROM CONTENTION
1 Detroit News, May 13, 1923, p. D2.
2 Ibid.
3 Walsh explained the situation in The Sporting News, January 20, 1938, p. 5.
4 Seattle Daily Times, October 6, 1924, p. 19.
5 The Yankees were tied for first place on September 18, 1924, but lost their next three games at Detroit, falling to second place, where they’d remain the remainder of the season.
6 Atlanta Constitution, October 20, 1924, p. 7.
7 Cobb earned $35,000 for 1922, and then received a $40,000, three-year deal, in 1923. Transaction Card Collection, National Baseball Library, Cooperstown, New York.
8 The Sporting News, January 1, 1925, p. 1.
9 Atlanta Constitution, February 28, 1925, p. 1. Due to conflicting newspaper reports, there remains a question of whether the incident in the restaurant occurred on February 26 or February 27.
10 Atlanta Constitution, March 1, 1925, p. 14.
11 Ibid. It isn’t known whether anything further transpired relative to this case.
12 Atlanta Constitution, March 12, 1925, p. 10.
13 Detroit Free Press, March 17, 1925, p. 16.
14 Detroit Free Press, March 12, 1925, p. 14 and The Sporting News, March 19, 1925, p. 1.
15 Boston Herald, April 10, 1925, p. 31.
16 Detroit Free Press, April 21, 1925, p. 16.
17 The Sporting News, May 7, 1925, p. 3.
18 Detroit Free Press, May 5, 1925, p. 18.
19 The Sporting News, December 27, 1961, p. 11–12. Cobb offered a version of this story in his autobiography, but claimed it happened in 1926. Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 237.
20 Detroit Free Press, May 6–7, 1925.
21 Detroit Free Press, May 8, 1925, p. 17.
22 Detroit Free Press, May 7, 1925, p. 18.
23 Detroit Free Press, May 8, 1925, p. 17.
24 Detroit Free Press, June 20, 1925, p. 14 and Detroit Free Press, July 10, 1925, p. 15. Cobb did a fair share of boxing while a member of the Tigers, working out heavily with team trainer Harry Tuthill. Atlanta Constitution, December 22, 1924, p. 9.
25 The Sporting News, July 16, 1925, p. 1.
26 The Sporting News, July 2, 1925, p. 4.
28 Two different crowd estimates were published at the time – one claiming 20,000 and the other 30,000. Detroit Free Press, August 30, 1925, p. 1, 21. The banquet was held at the Book-Cadillac Hotel.
29 The Sporting News, September 3, 1925, p. 4.
30 Detroit Free Press, August 30, 1925, p. 1.
31 The Sporting News, July 9, 1925, p. 3.
32 Boston Herald, October 8, 1925, p. 15.
33 Boston Herald, October 27, 1925, p. 20.
34 Augusta Chronicle, December 29, 1925, p. 3.
35 Augusta Chronicle, February 22, 1926, p. 5.
36 The Sporting News, January 20, 1938, p. 5.
37 Augusta Chronicle, March 2, 1926, p. 6.
38 Augusta Chronicle, March 17, 1926, p. 8. Cobb discussed his eye troubles in Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 235–240.
39 The Sporting News, September 21, 1933, p. 4.
40 Freeport Daily Review, January 29, 1925, p. 5.
41 Augusta Chronicle, April 4, 1926, p. 3.
42 Atlanta Constitution, April 5, 1926, p. 3.
43 The Sporting News, April 15, 1926, p. 1.
44 Detroit Free Press, April 28, 1926, p. 19.
45 Springfield Republican, May 12, 1926, p. 16.
46 Detroit Free Press, May 9, 1926, p. 21.
47 The Sporting News, May 20, 1926, p. 1.
48 The Sporting News, May 27, 1926, p. 4.
49 Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bisons Book edition, p. 217–218.
50 San Mateo Times, August 18, 1931, p. 8.
51 Detroit Free Press, May 10, 1926, p. 17.
52 Detroit Free Press, June 4, 1926, p. 17.
53 Detroit Free Press, June 20, 1926, p. 21.
54 Detroit Free Press, July 24, 1926, p. 14.
55 The Sporting News, August 5, 1926, p. 4.
56 The Sporting News, October 7, 1926, p. 1.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: OLD MAN COBB
1 Cobb’s group met up with local trapping legend Max Wilde and ventured into the Thorofare Wilderness, where Cobb scored a silver-tip grizzly bear, moose, buck deer, and elk. Cody Enterprise, January 12, 1927, p. 5.
2 Omaha World Herald, September 29, 1926, p. 22.
3 Ibid.
4 Rockford Republic, December 23, 1926, p. 12.
5 Winston-Salem Journal, December 22, 1926, p. 16.
6 Boston Herald, September 23, 1925, p. 14.
7 The Sporting News, August 13, 1925, p. 2.
8 Winston-Salem Journal, December 22, 1926, p. 16.
9 Senators-White Sox series at Chicago was held from June 12 to June 16, 1926. Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 30, 1926, p. 16.
10 Cobb believed several West Coast papers had been offered the letters as well. San Francisco Chronicle, December 22, 1926, p. 6.
11 Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 30, 1926, p. 16.
12 San Francisco Chronicle, December 22, 1926, p. 6.
13 Ibid.
14 The Sporting News, December 30, 1926, p. 3.
15 Ibid.
16 Leonard claimed he was owed money for the 1922 and 1923 seasons, plus a portion of 1924, time in which he was blacklisted from Organized Baseball. Leonard denied he was paid the money for the letters themselves, even though most people figured that was the case. Chicago Daily Tribune, December 29, 1926, p. 19.
17 San Francisco Chronicle, December 30, 1926, p. 21.
18 Evening Star, Washington, D.C., January 17, 1927, p. 28.
19 Speaker resigned as manager of the Cleveland Indians on November 29, 1926. Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 30, 1926, p. 1. Cobb later said he “never resigned” from Detroit. New York Times, January 29, 1927, p. 11.
20 Ibid.
21 The Sporting News, November 4, 1926, p. 1.
22 Boston Herald, November 4, 1926, p. 14.
23 New York Times, December 6, 1926, p. 31.
24 New York Times, December 22, 1926, p. 1. It was stated that a newspaper wanted to break the story and told Landis that either he revealed his information, or they’d spill the beans themselves.
25 Rockford Republic, December 23, 1926, p. 12.
26 Cobb claimed his salary was $50,000 a year, but Navin wanted it officially recorded as $40,000. Navin agreed to give him the other $10,000 under the table, after the season. Ibid. According to the records on file at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Cobb earned $40,000 for 1926. Transaction Card Collection, National Baseball Library, Cooperstown, New York.
27 Riverside Daily Press, December 22, 1926, p. 12.
28 The Sporting News, December 30, 1926, p. 3.
29 Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 22, 1926 and Omaha World Herald, December 23, 1926.
30 The Sporting News, December 30, 1926, p. 1.
31 Cobb and Speaker appeared before Judge Landis in Chicago on December 21 and offered testimony. Leonard was asked to be there, but refused. New York Times, December 22, 1926, p. 1.
32 Pittsburgh Courier, January 1, 1927, p. A7.
33 New York Times, January 28, 1927, p. 11.
34 Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 248.
35 New York Times, January 29, 1927, p. 11. Cobb called it his “vindication year.”
36 Brooklyn of the National League reportedly offered Cobb $50,000, but it was clear that he was going to remain in the American League. Brooklyn Standard Union, February 7, 1927, p. 10. St. Louis Browns manager Dan Howley also visited Cobb in Augusta trying to get him to sign.
37 Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 249–250.
38 Transaction Card Collection, National Baseball Library, Cooperstown, New York.
39 Detroit Free Press, June 13, 1915, p. 15.
40 New York Sun, February 9, 1927, p. 44.
41 The Sporting News, March 12, 1947, p. 28.
42 Boston Herald, March 18, 1927, p. 22.
43 Philadelphia Inquirer, April 24, 1927, p. S6. Cobb stole home on April 19 and April 26.
44 Philadelphia Inquirer, May 1, 1927, p. S6.
45 Philadelphia Inquirer, May 7, 1927, p. 22.
46 Philadelphia Inquirer, May 9, 1927, p. 18. Both Cobb and Al Simmons were suspended and fined for the Ormsby incident, and Ban Johnson, in his statement, cited Cobb’s “lack of intelligence in bumping the umpire.”
47 Philadelphia Inquirer, May 11, 1927, p. 24.
48 Philadelphia Inquirer, May 22, 1927, p. S10.
49 The achievement came in the first inning when Cobb hit a double off Sam Gibson. Philadelphia Inquirer, July 19, 1927, p. 18.
50 Philadelphia Inquirer, July 22, 1927, p. 19.
51 Philadelphia Inquirer, September 28, 1927, p. 25.
52 Philadelphia Inquirer, September 22, 1927, p. 20.
53 Philadelphia Inquirer, November 3, 1927, p. 24. The Athletics were financially hurt by the fact that Sunday baseball was outlawed in Philadelphia.
54 Ibid.
55 Richmond Times Dispatch, March 2, 1928, p. 9.
56 Augusta Chronicle, March 2, 1928, p. 1. Also Transaction Card Collection, National Baseball Library, Cooperstown, New York.
57 The Sporting News, April 5, 1928, p. 1.
58 Boston Herald, April 8, 1928, p. 22.
59 The Sporting News, April 12, 1928, p. 1.
60 The Sporting News, April 16, 1947, p. 5.
61 The Sporting News, February 4, 1953, p. 8.
62 Tampa Tribune, September 12, 1928, p. 13.
63 Philadelphia Inquirer, September 18, 1928, p. 24.
64 San Francisco Chronicle, September 19, 1928, p. 27.
65 Philadelphia Inquirer, September 19, 1928, p. 12.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: IMMORTALIZED IN BRONZE
1 Atlanta Constitution, June 8, 1913, p. 7.
2 Pittsburgh Courier, February 16, 1946, p. 14.
3 The Sporting News, June 25, 1942, p. 5.
4 Atlanta Constitution, March 25, 1931, p. 14.
5 Atlanta Constitution, June 30, 1941, p. 6.
6 Artist Robert Ripley fashioned a drawing of Cobb standing with his hands behind his back, his head slightly bowed, watching the rush of players headed for spring training. It read, “For the first time in twenty-five years, Cobb is not going with them.” It appeared in Associated Newspapers and The Sporting News, February 7, 1929, p. 4.
7 Ty Cobb: Safe at Home by Don Rhodes, 2008, p. 161.
8 It was said that Cobb was paid a “considerable sum” of money to venture to overseas. San Francisco Chronicle, December 12, 1928, p. 27. The pay might’ve been as high as $15,000.
9 Johnson had reservations for the ship departing Seattle on October 20. Seattle Daily Times, October 18, 1928, p. 30.
10 Seattle Daily Times, October 20, 1928, p. 9. During his time in Seattle, Cobb posed for a publicity photograph wearing an Osaka baseball uniform.
11 Hunter, based on his experience, was the tour manager, while Putnam did PR work and handled box office affairs.
12 Four games were played in Osaka, four at Tokyo, and one at Kyoto. While in Japan, Cobb wore the uniforms of the Daimai and Tokyo teams.
13 San Francisco Chronicle, December 13, 1928, p. 29.
14 The St. Louis Browns were managed by Cobb’s friend Dan Howley and Ty made an appearance at West Palm Beach. The Sporting News, March 28, 1929, p. 1. The Orioles trained at Augusta. Augusta Chronicle, March 19, 1929, p. 8.
15 Rockford Morning Star, June 16, 1929, p. 39.
16 Rockford Morning Star, December 12, 1929, p. 16.
17 New York Passenger Lists, ancestry.com and Dallas Morning News, September 12, 1929, p. 21.
18 Detroit Free Press, October 11, 1908, p. 23.
19 Boston Sunday Post, December 3, 1916, p. D1.
20 Ty Cobb: Safe at Home by Don Rhodes, 2008, p. 66.
21 Ibid.
22 In 1912, Ty Jr. told a reporter that he didn’t plan to play baseball. Augusta Chronicle, October 29, 1912, p. 7.
23 Baseball Magazine, April 1916, p. 47–58.
24 Rockford Daily Register Gazette, August 1, 1928, p. 16.
25 Atlanta Constitution, April 7, 1930, p. 16.
26 Jimmy Cobb said that his father wanted either him or Herschel “to follow baseball as a profession.” Baton Rouge Advocate, June 20, 1943, p. 7B.
27 The Sporting News, May 20, 1937, p. 13.
28 Canton Repository, November 18, 1929, p. 17.
29 Charlotte Observer, October 3, 1929, p. 17.
30 McCallum claimed Cobb made a bid for the Cincinnati Reds prior to going to Europe in 1929. The Tiger Wore Spikes, John McCallum, 1956, p. 185. There was also talk of Cobb investing in the Philadelphia Phillies. Reynold H. Greenberg, a Philadelphia real estate magnate and Cobb’s partner in the deal, explained just how close they were to making the purchase in The Sporting News, October 4, 1950, p. 7. Also see Greensboro Record, December 4, 1930, p. 20.
31 Cobb and Ruth also sat in close proximity during the 1930 World Series between Philadelphia and St. Louis.
32 Greensboro Record, May 22, 1929, p. 10.
33 Augusta Chronicle, April 2, 1930, p. 9.
34 Chicago Defender, May 17, 1930, p. 9.
35 Cobb wore a Philadelphia Athletics uniform during the game. Boston Herald, September 9, 1930, p. 30.
36 Augusta Chronicle, April 16, 1931, p. 2.
37 Ibid.
38 Greensboro Daily News, April 18, 1931, p. 6.
39 Macon Telegraph, April 26, 1931, p. 7.
40 San Francisco Chronicle, April 30, 1931, p. 7.
41 At least one article claimed that Cobb drove west with his “family” in June, however, the various reports of this trip are vague. Charlie and her children were present for her mother’s seventieth birthday barbeque in Augusta in early August, and unless the family drove with Ty to California, and then took a train or flew back prior to this gathering, they never left at all. See San Francisco Chronicle, June 19, 1931 and Augusta Chronicle, August 4, 1931.
42 The Sporting News, July 6, 1939, p. 4.
43 San Francisco Chronicle, August 17, 1931, p. 21.
44 San Francisco Chronicle, February 15, 1937, p. 23.
45 Augusta Chronicle, June 28, 1932, p. 3, Georgia Death Index, ancestry.com.
46 San Diego Evening Tribune, July 11, 1932, p. 19. It was initially reported that Cobb had rented a property on Almendral Avenue. The paper indicated that his family still hadn’t arrived from Georgia. San Mateo Times and Daily News Leader, October 19, 1932, p. 5. The Cobbs ultimately moved to 48 Spencer Lane, not far from Almendral, into a “Spanish style” estate.
47 Baton Rouge Advocate, October 14, 1930, p. 9.
48 Charlotte Observer, August 18, 1924, p. 13.
49 Philadelphia Inquirer, November 3, 1927, p. 24.
50 The Sporting News, December 7, 1933 and December 28, 1933.
51 Joseph Hauck Papers (1914–1965), Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, California.
52 San Francisco Chronicle, February 6, 1934, p. 15.
53 The Sporting News, February 15, 1934, p. 4.
54 The Sporting News, April 5, 1934, p. 4.
55 The Sporting News, May 24, 1934, p. 4.
56 Evening Star, Washington, D.C., August 19, 1934, p. 22. Amanda Cobb’s Royston property was sold in 1925 by the Oglesby Realty Auction Company. Atlanta Constitution, April 19, 1925, p. 15.
57 Denver Post, June 27, 1912, p. 11.
58 The inaugural class (1936) included Cobb, Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson. See Chapter 1 for additional information.
59 The Sporting News, February 20, 1936 and February 27, 1936.
60 Boston Herald, June 12, 1939, p. 14.
61 New York Post, June 13, 1939, p. 2.
62 Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 13, 1939, p. 16. Also Otsego Farmer and Otsego Republican, June 16, 1939, p. 1.
63 New York Post, June 13, 1939, p. 2.
64 Dan Holmes offered another perspective on his tardiness: blog.detroitathletic.com/2013/01/16/the-story-behind-ty-cobbs-late-tardy-arrival-to-his-hall-of-fame-induction
65 Ibid.
66 Augusta Chronicle, June 14, 1939, p. 6.
67 Omaha World Herald, June 15, 1939, p. 21.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: THE DEPRESSED PHILANTHROPIST
1 Atlanta Constitution, January 21, 1923 and November 3, 1945.
2 The Sporting News, February 14, 1946, p. 22.
3 Cobb was shown around the vaults during his trip to the National Treasury in 1913 and the story gained widespread news after officials banned such tours by non-employees in the future. Detroit Free Press, September 24, 1913, p. 13.
4 The Sporting News, February 17, 1938, p. 4.
5 Joseph Hauck Papers (1914–1965), Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, California.
6 The Sporting News, November 11, 1937, p. 3.
7 The Sporting News, March 25, 1937 and March 22, 1961.
8 San Luis Obispo Daily Telegram, April 1, 1941, p. 5.
9 Omaha World Herald, April 30, 1941, p. 27.
10 Boston Herald, June 26, 1941, p. 16.
11 The Sporting News, July 3, 1941, p. 10.
12 New York Sun, June 28, 1941, p. 30 and Brooklyn Eagle, June 28, 1941, p. 10.
13 Ruth turned down a cross-country golf tour with Cobb because “travelling gets me down,” he said. Boston Herald, June 25, 1941, p. 17. Cobb talked about his series with Ruth at length in his autobiography, Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 218–222.
14 San Francisco Chronicle, July 30, 1941, p. 19 and The Sporting News, August 7, 1941, p. 12.
15 The Sporting News, April 2, 1942, p. 1.
16 The Sporting News, April 16, 1942, p. 8.
17 Letter from N.J.L. Pieper to Director, FBI, Washington, D.C., dated March 28, 1942, FBI Case File 94-4-5663 on Tyrus R. Cobb, National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland.
18 Letter from J. Edgar Hoover to N.J.L. Pieper, dated April 10, 1942, FBI Case File 94-4-5663 on Tyrus R. Cobb, National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland.
19 Letter from J. Edgar Hoover to Tyrus Raymond Cobb, dated April 10, 1942, FBI Case File 94-4-5663 on Tyrus R. Cobb, National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland.
20 Letter from N.J.L. Pieper to Director, FBI, Washington, D.C., dated June 25, 1942, FBI Case File 94-4-5663 on Tyrus R. Cobb, National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland.
21 Office Memorandum, United States Government, dated January 27, 1954, FBI Case File 94-4-5663 on Tyrus R. Cobb, National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland.
22 El Paso Herald Post, August 30, 1943, p. 10.
23 Augusta Chronicle, September 27, 1944, p. 5 and The Sporting News, January 25, 1945, p. 4.
24 The Sporting News, July 15, 1943, p. 16.
25 The Sporting News, February 10, 1944, p. 14.
26 The Sporting News, January 18, 1945, p. 12.
27 The Sporting News, February 15, 1945, February 22, 1945, May 10, 1945.
28 The Sporting News, April 5, 1945, p. 4.
29 The Sporting News, April 30, 1936, p. 2.
30 The Sporting News, July 22, 1943, p. 9.
31 The Sporting News, September 21, 1944, p. 13.
32 The Sporting News, August 30, 1945, p. 14.
33 Brooklyn Daily Eagle, August 29, 1945, p. 17.
34 Letter from Cobb to Joe Hauck, dated May 20, 1947, Joseph Hauck Papers (1914–1965), Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, California. Also see The Sporting News, April 7, 1948, p. 25.
35 Charlie later moved to 1210 Bay Laurel Road in Menlo Park, where she lived in 1947.
36 San Mateo Times, March 7, 1947, p. 1. Charlie Cobb signed the court documents, “Mrs. Tyrus Raymond Cobb.” Mrs. Tyrus Raymond Cobb v. Tyrus Raymond Cobb, et al., Case No. 42755, Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of San Mateo, Filed March 7, 1947.
37 Letter from Cobb to Joe Hauck, dated May 20, 1947, Joseph Hauck Papers (1914–1965), Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, California.
38 Ty filed the second suit in June 1947 in Nevada. A copy of their agreement was located in Tyrus Raymond Cobb v. Charlie Lombard Cobb, Case No. 46003, Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of San Mateo, Filed June 9, 1948.
39 The physical address of his home was 1476 Highway 50, Cave Rock Cove, according to the Douglas County, NV Assessor’s Office online records. The total acreage was 2.250 and the property was built in 1938. Some websites claim this address is in Zephyr Cove, Nevada. Cobb’s post office was at Glenbrook, NV and that is what appeared on his personal stationery. Nevada was also his legal state of residence.
40 Letter from Cobb to Joe Hauck, dated September 27, 1949, Joseph Hauck Papers (1914–1965), Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, California. Frances was the daughter of a prominent Buffalo doctor, and despite reports, Cobb was not a friend of her father, John Fairbairn, prior to their marriage. Correspondence with Geraldine Eastler, September–December 2014.
41 The Sporting News, October 12, 1949, p. 18.
42 The Sporting News, April 5, 1950, p. 1.
43 The Sporting News, April 19, 1950, p. 21–22.
44 Portland Oregonian, July 5, 1940, p. 23.
45 San Francisco Chronicle, March 22, 1935, p. 1.
46 Idaho Statesman, December 22, 1949, p. 13.
47 San Luis Obispo Daily Telegram, February 10, 1950, p. 1. The Cobb Family was also tied to the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Bend, Oregon, from the late 1940s until 1955. Bend Bulletin, April 29, 1955, p. 1.
48 Heart of a Tiger by Herschel Cobb, 2013.
49 Salt Lake Telegram, April 12, 1915, p. 6.
50 The Sporting News, September 17, 1952, p. 29.
51 Letter to Ty Cobb Jr., dated March 15, 1948, Joseph Hauck Papers (1914–1965), Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, California.
52 Cobb’s drinking was corroborated by his friend Pope Welborn, in his interview in Ty Cobb: Safe at Home by Don Rhodes, 2008, p. 171–179. Also by Stump in his article, plus in the court documentation for Elbert D. Felts v. Tyrus R. Cobb, Case No. 29889, Superior Court of the State of California, County of Butte, 1954–56.
53 New York Times, July 31, 1951, p. 1.
54 Life, March 17, 1952 and March 24, 1952.
55 The Sporting News, March 26, 1952, p. 8, 12.
56 Atlanta Constitution, January 8, 1929, p. 19 and The Sporting News, May 7, 1952, p. 2.
57 The Sporting News, February 11, 1953, p. 18.
58 The Sporting News, December 2, 1953, p. 30. For a detailed look at the entire program, read The Ty Cobb Educational Foundation by Jerry Atkins, 2007.
59 The Sporting News, February 1, 1950, p. 16.
60 San Diego Evening Tribune, August 30, 1935, p. 18.
61 Sacramento Bee, July 14, 1947, p. 1 and The Sporting News, September 3, 1947, p. 31. Cobb denied he was under the influence during the Placerville episode. Letter from Cobb to Dr. Daniel C. Elkin dated August 21, 1954, The Ty Cobb Educational Foundation by Jerry Atkins, 2007, p. 58.
62 The incident was said to have taken place originally on April 15, 1954 and the case was filed in October. The decision came on November 16, 1955. Elbert D. Felts v. Tyrus R. Cobb, Case No. 29889, Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Butts.
63 The divorce was made final on May 11, 1956. Frances F. Cobb v. Tyrus R. Cobb, Case No. 1807, First Judicial District of the State of Nevada in and for the County of Douglas.
64 Frances F. Cobb v. Tyrus R. Cobb, Bill of Particulars, dated October 6, 1955.
65 Letter from Cobb to Dr. Daniel C. Elkin dated August 21, 1954, The Ty Cobb Educational Foundation by Jerry Atkins, 2007, p. 58.
66 The Sporting News, April 3, 1957, p. 3, 4.
67 The Sporting News, June 12, 1957, p. 28.
68 The size of Cobb’s property was said to be anywhere from 40 to 75 acres. He described the land in a letter to Joe Hauck, dated October 26, 1957, Joseph Hauck Papers (1914–1965), Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, California.
69 The Sporting News, September 11, 1957, p. 9.
70 The Sporting News, November 26, 1942 and October 5, 1955, p. 28.
71 Augusta Chronicle, August 28, 1957, p. 6.
72 The Sporting News, August 5, 1959, p. 20.
73 Tyrus R. Cobb v. Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Case No. 89689, dated May 28, 1960, Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of San Mateo. This case was dismissed in January 1970 for failure to bring the action to trial.
74 Boston Daily Record, September 22, 1959, p. 38.
75 The best account of Cobb’s Olympic journey appeared in Ty Cobb by Charles C. Alexander, 1984, p. 232–233.
76 The Sporting News, May 10, 1961 and December 13, 1961. The April 27 contest in Los Angeles was the final game Cobb attended.
77 New York Times, December 21, 1981, p. C8.
78 Atlanta Constitution, July 6, 2001 and Tribune Business News, August 9, 2010.
79 Sports Illustrated, October 27, 1992.
80 Augusta Chronicle, November 24, 1982, p. 2.
81 Northeast Georgian, July 20, 1961, p. 1 and The Sporting News, July 26, 1961, p. 11.
82 Northeast Georgian, July 20, 1961, p. 5.
CHAPTER NINETEEN: “I LOVED THE GUY”
1 Detroit Free Press, January 3, 1921, p. 10.
2 Not much was written about it, but the alleged Cobb-Crawford fight reportedly happened during spring training in 1906. Omaha World Herald, February 5, 1957, p. 17.
3 The Sporting News, March 28, 1946, p. 2.
4 Salt Lake Telegram, July 9, 1916, p. 9.
5 Detroit Free Press, July 29, 1913, p. 10. Cobb said that he felt his life had been endangered as a result of his baseball success. St. Louis Post Dispatch, October 2, 1914, p. 18.
6 The Sporting News, May 3, 1950, p. 3.
7 The Sporting News, December 26, 1935, p. 2.
8 Evening Star, Washington, D.C., June 4, 1916, p. 30.
9 Oxnard Daily Courier, July 14, 1939, p. 2.
10 Boston Daily Globe, June 13, 1915, p. 53.
11 Aberdeen Daily News, April 10, 1911, p. 7.
12 The Sporting News, May 13, 1953 and February 21, 1962.
13 Following Cobb’s death in 1961, Crawford and Jones formed the “Ty Cobb Memorial Association,” a non-profit organization “formed to perpetuate Cobb’s ideals of clean, hard baseball through awards” to athletes in the American Legion junior baseball league. Bakersfield Californian, March 5, 1962, p. 28.
14 The Sporting News, August 15, 1935, p. 4.
15 New York Evening World, August 9, 1911, p. 6.
16 The Sporting News, February 9, 1955, p. 17.
17 New Orleans Times-Picayune, March 4, 1945, p. 21.
18 Life, March 24, 1952, p. 73.
19 The Sporting News, October 29, 1952, p. 7 and Sacramento Bee, October 14, 1952, p. 34.
20 Detroit Free Press, January 14, 1910, p. 12.
21 The Sporting News, January 4, 1945, p. 11.
22 The Sporting News, January 24, 1951, p. 20.
23 The Sporting News, April 10, 1957, p. 5.
24 Detroit Free Press, June 10, 1908, p. 4.
25 Norwich Bulletin, October 9, 1916, p. 3.
26 Denver Post, November 2, 1916, p. 12.
27 Chicago Defender, July 11, 1936, p. 14.
28 Chicago Defender, October 15, 1949, p. 7.
29 Detroit Free Press, March 22, 1915, p. 9.
30 The Sporting News, May 3, 1945, p. 16.
31 Pittsburgh Courier, January 30, 1954, p. 4.
32 Baseball As I Have Known It, Fred Lieb, 1977, p. 54.
33 The Sporting News, January 17, 1962, p. 40.
34 The Sporting News, April 18, 1981, p. 3.
35 Official records on Mlb.com.
36 Article by Michael Bradley, March 25, 2013, sportingnews.com.
38 New York Times, December 18, 1995.
39 The National Pastime, 1996.
40 The National Pastime, 2010.
41 True—The Man’s Magazine, December 1961, p. 38–41, 106–115.
42 Baseball Magazine, April 1916, p. 47–58.
43 Joseph Hauck Papers (1914–1965), Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, California.
44 Letter from Cobb to Joe Hauck dated July 4, 1947, Joseph Hauck Papers (1914–1965), Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, California.
45 True—The Man’s Magazine, December 1961, p. 38–41, 106–115.
46 Boston Herald, July 31, 1941, p. 19. Cobb offered his all-time list in 1941, 1944, and 1955, and didn’t name himself any of the times. See Oakland Tribune, December 5, 1944 and Nevada State Journal, August 21, 1955.
47 Augusta Chronicle, May 5, 1995, p. C1.
48 The Sporting News, May 26, 1938, p. 7. Also see New York Times, February 6, 1963, p. 16.
49 The Sporting News, August 17, 1955, p. 14.
50 Ty Cobb: My Life in Baseball by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1993, Bison Books edition, p. 38.
51 Atlanta Constitution, January 14, 1925, p. 9.
52 The Sporting News, February 11, 1948, p. 23.
53 Some sources believed that Cobb’s net worth at the time of his death was upwards of $11 million.
54 Probate Records, County of Habersham, Georgia.
57 Atlanta Constitution, August 7, 1936, p. 17.
58 The Sporting News, December 20, 1961, p. 14.
59 Atlanta Constitution, April 14, 1927, p. 18.