Bleacher Report - Articles by Wesley Fricks

Who Do You Believe Was Really the Greatest: Ty Cobb or Babe Ruth?

Wesley Fricks — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:38:55 -0400

Some say he revived the game of baseball. A game that surely needed resurrection in the early 1920's. The Black Sox scandal had just crashed the game beyond repair.

Babe Ruth swung his bat with a vengence and broke Roger Conner's lifetime home run record of 158 while smashing out 59 homers in 1921.

Prior to 1920, the most home runs in a season was 24. Gavvy Cravath, outfielder of the National League Phillies, established that new Major League record for round trippers in 1915.

Ruth pushed the home run category into a new dimension as Cobb continued to press for the hit-and-run, the steal, the squeeze play, and pressed for endurance records set by both Honus Wagner and Wee Willie Keeler.

Ruth continued to build a dynasty and secured his place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame—not yet created, physically.

His record of 60 home runs set in 1927 helped to solidify his plaque in the Hall and helped to build one of the most unforgettable Yankee teams in franchise history.

The '27 Yankees are still incomparable to even modern teams winning an astounding 110 games, second only to the 1998 team. On both ocasions, the 26-time world champs blanked their opponents in the fall classic.

Ruth and Cobb both carried their clubs to victory on the heels of defeat. With the swing of the bat from Ruth or the pitcher taking his eyes off Cobb at third for too long could spell defeat.

The two were harsh rivalries in the early '20s when Ruth began to truly blossom and Cobb was trying to scratch out a path to the world series for his pitching-stricken Tigers.

Ruth contributed to Cobb's demise on April 14, 1922 when Ruth took the mound and hit three homers and sent Cobb down swinging. Cobb bounced back and had an unbelievable .422 season as the Yankees won the American League pennant, but lost to the Giants in five games.

Cobb and Ruth's stats were both incredible. Cobb has always had Ruth outnumbered in records, but Ruth equaled Cobb in producing runs which, to me, helps to determine the value of a player to his team.

Cobb influenced aspiring hitters and Ruth inspired people of all walks of life.

Cobb was wanted by every Major League club, even in retirement, and Ruth could not live out his dream as a big league manager. In the end, they both had their followers and both knew the value of their legacy.

This has always created a perpetual debate among fans and historians of the game—"Who was the greater of the two players?" While I believe that Cobb lent more value to his team by his accomplishments, I will never depreciate Ruth's contribution to his team.

After both greats retired, a golf match was staged by the PGA president. The match was to benefit the USO and other charities, while giving Cobb and Ruth a chance to settle the debate once and for all.

Cobb won the first match and Ruth returned the favor on the 19th hole in round two. After a significant delay, the final match was set for Detroit. Cobb won the match with ease and settled the "who's the best?" debate.

Or did he? That's true!

A golf match will never settle a baseball debate, so the argument goes on.

Ruth, remained friends with Cobb until he passed away in the summer of 1948. As he could be found at times, Cobb was emotional by the death of the great slugger and he wepted.

Cobb died on July 17, 1961, and up until his death, a multitude of baseball fans believed that he had far exceeded the realm of any other player in baseball history.

He surpassed even Ruth to become the very first player ever inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1936. To Mr. Cobb, that was enough.

But is it enough for the modern day umpire? You make the call!

The Ty Cobb Museum: A Museum Built with a Bat!

Wesley Fricks — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:46:47 -0400

Sunday, June 7, 2009, Royston, Ga. - Ty Cobb’s legacy has been captured and preserved for future generations in one of the finest museums in the country. Opened on July 17, 1998, the museum houses more Ty Cobb memorabilia than any other baseball institution and celebrates the life achievements of baseball’s greatest performer.

In the fall of 1945, Ty Cobb announced in a press release from his residence in Menlo Park, Calif. that he had decided to go through with his plans to build a “model” hospital in Royston, Ga. to memorialize his parents.

Back in Royston, Dr. Stewart Brown announced in a separate press release that Cobb had agreed to begin work on the hospital.

“Ty has been interested in such a project for some time,” said Dr. Brown, who was a close friend of the Georgia Peach, and made the historic journey with Ty to Augusta to try out for the Tourist in 1904. Brown was a pitcher for Royston Reds when Ty became a member of that team.

After a couple years of gathering information and visiting different hospitals, Cobb met with Dr. Brown and Gus Skelton in 1947 at Hartwell, Ga. to execute the check presentation ceremony among a few old “friends.” Cobb wrote out a check from his personal account for $100,000 and said, “There are the documents that will get it going.”

Gus Skelton, an insurance executive from Hartwell and who was instrumental in preparing the proper documentation, said of Ty, “It goes without saying that this whole section is grateful to their native son. He isn’t doing it for show, he is sincere and in an unselfish way wants this hospital to some day grow into a medical center for northeast Georgia.”

On March 26, 1949, the ground-breaking ceremony for the hospital marked the beginning of a new era for Royston’s healthcare “dream.”

“This is the happiest day of my life,” said the 61-year-old Hall of Famer. “I’ve never forgotten the people of Royston—my oldest, truest friends,” said Cobb as he dug his shovel into the ground near where he had once plowed up the soil as a youngster.

Georgia Governor, Eugene Talmadge, was on hand and praised Cobb for his philanthropic contribution. The Governor had previously promised to help Georgia towns build hospitals with over one million dollars in appropriated funds annually.

The $250,000 building was to be equipped with the latest and advanced medical equipment and would meet some stiff specifications from both the State Department of Health and Federal Government.

The hospital was opened to all doctors in the area and served the people in all of Hart, Madison and Franklin counties. Cobb was quite elated about helping his hometown people.

On a Sunday afternoon in late Jan. 1950, a large crowd gathered in front of the newly bricked building in anticipation of the opening of the COBB Memorial Hospital, a large 25-bed facility equipped with the latest medical technology.

The dedication ceremony was of grand occasion as Ty was a featured speaker. “This hospital and everything in it belongs to you people around here to whom I’ve always had in my heart,” said Cobb.

“I want you to know this is not my hospital, and we want every doctor to use and enjoy the facility,” Dr. Brown said.

The hospital was built in memory of Ty’s parents, Herschel and Amanda Cobb. The dedication plague featured the slogan “That kind and knowing hands may minister to human suffering and pain.”

Fast-forward 50 years later and the hospital would have witnessed three expansions, several additional hospitals, two healthcare units, a convalescence center, a retirement community, a personal care unit, a kidney care center and many more contributions to the health and welfare of the citizens of northeast Georgia.

The Cobb Memorial Hospital Association decided on a name change in Aug. 1991. The TY COBB Healthcare System, Inc. was their way of saying thanks to the famous citizen who had made the hospital possible over four decades earlier.

A few years later, Ron Shelton and Warner Bros. released the movie “COBB.” The movie was of Cobb’s last years, as he battled cancer, diabetes and a chronicle heart ailment. The movie was filled with a completely misunderstood portrait of the famed Georgia Peach.

The final version of the movie was so inaccurate that it only made a few select theaters and is now almost forgotten. But not before the message of Shelton had left a negative and less desirable impression of Cobb in the present-day media.

Nevertheless, the TY COBB Healthcare System, Inc. decided to respond. Over the next several years, the TY COBB Healthcare System’s board mulled over plans to establish a permanent memorial to Cobb to show their hometown hero’s “true side.”

Early in 1998, rumors were abound in Royston that the project would finally be a reality. This author was invited to serve as the Museum Historian and served a slot on the TY COBB Museum Advisory Board. This is a position with the Museum that this author still enjoys today.

A meeting with architect was planned for that spring in Atlanta. A date was set for July 17, for the first-pitch and opening ceremonies.

When the day came upon the city of Royston, she seemed ready to embrace her next enterprise. This wasn’t Royston’s first attempt to commemorate Cobb. Shortly before Cobb died in July 1961, he agreed to allow Dr. Stewart Brown, Jr. to establish a memorial in his honor.

After years and years of hard work gathering information and soliciting money and activists, the TY COBB Memorial was established.

The first museum began to flounder after several years. Some believe it was the lack of memorabilia and others cited the lack of traffic flow because Interstate 85 had taken a great deal of traffic away from the area. Either way, the museum eventually closed and the building was sold to the city to be used as a municipal building.

Nearly a quarter of a century later, Phil Neikro stood before a crowd of 600 people who was on hand for the opening of the new TY COBB Museum, and said, “There’s not an hour goes by that somebody, somewhere, isn’t talking about what a great ball player Ty Cobb was.”

“I can speak for every player, owner and manager when I say thank you for putting this museum together,” continued the former Braves pitcher. Neikro was the guest speaker and tossed one of his knuckle balls during the first-pitch ceremony.

The Museum hosts some of the most sacred possessions of Ty’s, his family Bible, a letter from his father, wrist watches, an old Detroit Tigers uniform, his 1907 batting champion award, photographs of his life, a shriner’s fez, magazine articles, newspaper clippings and much, much more.

There is a 12 minute documentary on Cobb’s life that plays inside the stadium-style seated theater. The video is narrated by Larry Munson, the voice of the Georgia Bulldogs. Highlights of the video are interviews with Atlanta Braves, Chipper Jones, and baseball analyst, Peter Gammons.

In addition, former Tigers bat boy, Jimmy Lanier, shares his association with Cobb and tells of how he remembers Cobb as the Tiger’s manager.

The TY COBB Museum is one of the finest sports museums in the country. It may not be the largest, but who it represents and what it stands for transcends structure.

It represents the true essence of Ty Cobb. It represents the indispensable spirit of baseball in an era when Ty Cobb truly dominated the game.

It was during a time when he was considered the Prince of Pilferers, the King of the Diamond and the greatest baseball player of all-time.

He was the first player ever inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame, and the undisputed master of inside baseball.

The museum, itself, is for certain a "Museum Built With A Bat!

Little Leaguer: Pledging to Stand Against Cheating in Baseball and Life

Wesley Fricks — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:49:19 -0400

June 3, 2009, St. Petersburg, Fl - Little Leaguers everywhere are listening to the voice of character, Dale Murphy. Murphy, the former Atlanta Braves' seven time all-star who retired in 1993, plays an active role in the "I Won't Cheat" foundation he started to "leave the game better that we found it."

His message is clear, "Cheating in sports is wrong, and so is cheating in the classroom and in life" said the two-time National League MVP.

However effective the message seems to be, it is making an impact with youth sports around the country.

Little League International established, a partnership with the I Won't Cheat foundation last year and it's President & CEO Steve Keener, could not have been more excited about the program, "Little League supports the 'I Won't Cheat' Foundation's message, and is pleased to support a program that places higher value on the health and success of children than on wins and losses."

The message is spreading faster that one of Dale's 398 homeruns, but there is still a lot of pressure in sports that are tempting to athletes, young and old. "In today's culture, there is a lot of pressure on them to take short cuts," said Murphy, "We're trying to reinforce in them that they need to do the right thing."

According to the foundation, over 1 million high school athletes were using steroids. Since the creation of the foundation, Murphy has been outspoken about the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports and has challenged some of the high profile users to come clean.

"He sucked the fun and the life right out of it, " said Murphy after Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's homerun record of 755 in 2007. Murphy, who always played the game clean, said of Bonds, "He has set a terrible example for our kids." Bonds is still under indictment in California for possible perjury and tax fraud.

None of the Major League steroid jargon's were present when the Temple Terrace Little Leaguers went to bat for Murphy and the "I Won't Cheat" foundation at Tropicana Field. The Tampa Bay Rays' Community Corner were plagued with Little Leaguers asking passing Rays' fans to pledge not to cheat.

The Rays helped get out the message from the Little Leaguers and shut out the Kansas City Royals by a score of 9 - 0. Great pitching from Jeff Niemann and a grand slam from Ben Zobrist was mostly responsible for the Rays' victory last wednesday night in St. Petersburg.

The Temple Terrace Little League manned the "I Won't Cheat" foundation booth in the Community Corner at Tropincana Field and they are looking forward to hosting an "I Won't Cheat" booth at the Little League's closing ceremony scheduled for June 11th, 2009 from 6-9 pm at Ridgedale Park in Temple Terrace, Florida.

The purpose will be to get the players to pledge to refrain from cheating in sports, in the classroom or in life. Also, to echo Murphy's mission to "leave the game better than we found it!"

For more information on the "I Won't Cheat" Foundation, log onto the website at www.iwontcheat.com .

Ty Cobb's 1925 Hudson Has Survived Eight Decades, $25,000 For It Today

Wesley Fricks — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:08:58 -0400

Ryan Duckett of West Palm Beach, Florida Now Owns Ty Cobb's Former Wheels.

"A car of this nature, fully restored, could net as much as $75,000"

_______________________________________________________________________

August 12, 2008 - West Palm Beach, FL

Ryan Duckett knew what he was getting when he was approached about a 1925 Hudson "Super 6" that was once a source of transportation for the great "Georgia Peach," Ty Cobb.

I had heard about this car over five years ago, when the seller wanted to know more history of the automobile. This just isn't something that is documented regularly, so after a brief stint researching several photographic sources, I responded to the seller that there was a lack of information to authenticate the history of the vehicle.

The seller then failed to show me one little detail, a plate permanently attached inside the car that read, "This Car Made Especially For TY COBB."

I am surprised that Duckett is letting the car go for such a small price for the antique gem. When the car is fully restored, it will be worth a great deal more than what he is asking for the car now.

"A car of this nature, fully restored, could net as much as $75,000," said Duckett.

I am fully convinced that this was indeed a car once in the possession of Ty Cobb. It would be interesting to hear from someone that may have more information about this car or the Hudson Motor Car Company itself.

The Hudson Motor Car Company was located in Detroit, MI from 1909 until 1954, when the company merged with Nash to form the American Motors Company. The 1925 model more than doubled its sales over the previous year's sales with this car.

It is not known for certain how Cobb acquired the car, whether he bought it or it was a gift, but Hudson Motor Car Company has surely left their mark, claiming their famous client's ownership for this model.

For more information on the car or to share your expertise, Ryan Duckett can be reached at (561) 577-4244 or you can email him at rduckett@kingislandfishing.com

Ty Cobb: Through the Eyes of an Atlanta Batboy, Part III

Wesley Fricks — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:13:27 -0400

Featuring Georgia Native, Ty Cobb's Batboy, Jimmy F. Lanier

"And that was the last time I saw Mr. Cobb alive."

_______________________________________________________________________

August 12, 2008 - Atlanta, Georgia

Jimmy Lanier grew up to be a close friend to the legendary Ty Cobb and remembers his last visit with the great "Georgia Peach" in an Atlanta hospital. He has a passion for speaking of his unique and personal friendship with Georgia's most famous native son.

Most of Ty Cobb's ailments were revealed in the fall of 1959. Ty was in and out of hospitals every month. Jimmy visited the Emory Hospital many times to visit his close friend, but on this last visit, Lanier wanted to drive Mr. Cobb around in the sunshine.

But when Jimmy arrived, he found Mr. Cobb was heavily sedated. He was weak and had only had a day or two to live. He had taken a turn for the worst.

He asked the Cobb children and their mother if he could go in and see Mr. Cobb. They said he was under heavy medication and wouldn’t recognize you.

Jimmy replied, “Can I just go look?” And they said, “All right, go in.”

“As I looked at Mr. Cobb, I guess I began to cry a little bit. His hand was on the side of the bed. His eyes were closed. He always called me Jimmy-my-boy."

"And I got down, and I said, 'Mr. Cobb, this is Jimmy.' And I detected the corners of his mouth turn just a little bit. And I held his hand, it was limp, he was weak. He couldn’t shake my hand," said Lanier as he fought back the tears.

"And I held it, and I squeezed it just a tiny little bit, and he responded very weakly. And that was the last time I saw Mr. Cobb alive. It was my last visit with him,” recalls Lanier, his face filled with emotions.

The great Ty Cobb was pronounced dead at 1:18 PM on Monday, July 17, 1961.

The funeral procession traveled the 28 miles of Georgia countryside from the funeral home in Cornelia to the cemetery in Royston. Farmers stopped their tractors and mules in the fields and children stopped peddling their bicycles along the highway.

Even the nurses watched form the windows of the Cobb Memorial Hospital as the session passed slowly by heading closer into town.

They drove past the land Ty Cobb plowed as a young lad. They passed through the center of town and by the old telephone exchange where Professor Cobb once printed the local paper.

Then they neared the Rose Hill Cemetery, where he was greeted by 200 Little League boys who lined the road off the main highway in the form of an honor guard.

Ty Cobb was home at last. To rest on the land near where his father had raised crops and sent Ty and his brother and sister to school.

A place that has always served as a home plate for Ty’s destination in life.

His one-time Detroit Tigers' batboy and close friend, Jimmy Lanier, humbly requests, “GOD bless the memory of Tyrus Cobb!!”

The End

Ty Cobb: Through the Eyes of an Atlanta Batboy, Part I

Wesley Fricks — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:33:38 -0400

Featuring Georgia Native, Ty Cobb's Batboy, Jimmy F. Lanier

"This is the absolute pinnacle of my association with Ty Cobb."

_______________________________________________________________________

Aug. 6, 2008 - Atlanta, Georgia

James F. Lanier, who became a batboy for the Detroit Tigers in 1925 and '26, grew up in Ty Cobb's neighborhood in Augusta, GA, where he was born in 1914. He soon developed a friendship with Ty's middle son, Herschel Cobb, and that relationship lasted until Herschel died in the early '50s.

As he grew older Lanier became close to Herschel's dad, The Georgia Peach, Ty Cobb. "It’s a great humility that I can share with you my close friendship with this great man. I asked Mr. Cobb hundreds of questions as a boy and as a man. He always answered me. He never turned me away or said, 'I don’t have time to talk to you.'"

"Our association was about as close as a father-son relation could be. I loved Mr. Cobb and he loved me. I know that,” claimed Lanier.

“I can’t recall the first time I saw my mother or my father. And I can’t recall the first time I saw Ty Cobb. He was a neighbor—he was always there."

"My home was just a few doors away from the Cobb home in Augusta, GA,” claimed the 87-year old from his Buckhead home outside of Atlanta.

Mr. Lanier is a retired salesman for Glidden Paints out of Atlanta and gladly gives speeches to different churches and civic groups throughout his community and the surrounding Atlanta areas.

I recall, in 1999, when I was contacted by Major League Baseball Productions, for an interview at Turner Field for the All-Century Team video, that Jimmy Lanier not only accepted my request to meet me there, but showed up with great enthusiasm and also was interviewed.

Another time, when I was giving a presentation on "the Georgia Peach" at a symposium at the Georgia Perimeter College in Atlanta, Mr. Lanier showed up and spent several hours entertaining people with his close association with baseball’s fiercest competitor.

I remember Mr. Lanier at the age of 84, playing on my golf team at the FirstAnnual Ty Cobb Memorial Golf Tournament in Hartwell, GA. We played 18 holes of golf, which benefited the Ty Cobb Museum in his hometown of Royston.

At Mr. Lanier's age, I was very courteous to him, trying not to let him walk long distances to get his ball, but he insisted.

The museum is part of the Ty Cobb Healthcare Systems, Inc. of northeast Georgia and to this day has treated hundreds of thousands of citizens of Cobb's native state.

And when Ty left Royston to play with the Augusta Tourist of the old Sally League, he soon would set up residence there to raise his family. This is where Jimmy Lanier made a friend that gave him the job as the Tigers' batboy.

"Ty Cobb: Through the Eyes of an Atlanta Batboy." Part II: "Jimmy-my-boy, How Would You Like To Be the Batboy?"

Ty Cobb's Final Inning

Wesley Fricks — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 04:19:08 -0400

Aug. 3, 2008

A light rain, a somber crowd, and 200 little leaguers lined up on both sides of the highway to mark the end of a long and memorable journey for one of baseball’s great, Ty Cobb.

After a private service at McGahee Funeral home in Cornelia, the funeral procession traveled 28 miles to Royston, GA, the hometown of the famed "Georgia Peach".

Cobb rose to international fame way up north in Detroit, but his southern upbringing cultivated his personality and gave him his unique character. His name and reputation paved the way for his success as a great hitter and baserunner in the national pastime.

Cobb spent 24 years in the big leagues and amassed more records than any other player. His .367 average will always be an inspiration for a young ball player to emulate, as will his 12 American League batting titles.

He played in 3,033 games, stole 892 bases, drove in 1,961 runs, scored 2,245, himself, and won a dozen batting titles, including the Triple Crown in 1909. He was the very first player inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

By December of 1959, Cobb was diagnosed with cancer of the prostate gland. Cobb continued to live out his days in an apartment in Cornelia, while he planned to build his retirement home atop of Chenocetah Mountain.

During his last 16 months, Cobb remained under the care of his close friend, Dr. Hugh Wood, Dean of the Emory University Medical School. Dr. Wood was under agreement from Cobb not to reveal his ailments until his death.

On Monday, July 17, 1961, Ty Cobb died in his sleep. “He died peacefully and without pain,” said Dr. Wood. “He had diabetes and chronic heart disease. While his general condition had deteriorated during the past two weeks, the end came rather suddenly.”

The game had been called, and Ty Cobb had played his final inning of life.

May God bless his memory!

Ty Cobb Was Not A Racist

Wesley Fricks — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:22:41 -0400

Tyrus Raymond Cobb was by far the greatest player in Major League Baseball's history, but very few write about his personal side—the side that has been buried beneath the weight of time.

Cobb died on the afternoon of July 17, 1961. It was at that point when dime-store writers finally had their way with Cobb and his legacy, as the great player and personality in the game.

Today, I would like to share with you some things that have been misinterpreted by these writers down through the generations. The one that stands out most is the assault that writers of today have placed on Cobb's relationship with blacks and minorities.

I will carefully explain the truth and let you come to your on conclusion.

As I have recognized a need to present facts about Ty's relationships with blacks, I have decide to write a story that displays Ty Cobb’s support for blacks and other minorities.

It is important to provide facts, supporting the reality that the negative publicity came after Cobb died in 1961. I also enclosed several articles, and interestingly, one that I found where his son, Jim Cobb, made the exact same assessment in 1977.

My readers, if you were to research the facts, you’ll find that Mr. Cobb was different than he is portrayed in the eye of the modern public. He was rich with popularity, and writers back then could always count on his name to generate interest in their newspaper.

Mr. Cobb was a charitably natured man, who actually was soft for the minority, whether the minority was someone who had different colored skin, or handicapped, someone who was less fortunate, or even someone who was small in size.

He would always tell the little fellow that was standing in the back and could not get close to come to the front. He wanted to make sure they got a chance, too.

In the late 1920s, Ty Cobb leased a hunting preserve with over 12,000 acres in MaGruder, GA, and built a house on it for a black man, named Uncle Bob Robinson, and his family to live there.

In place of the rent, they would make sure no intruders trespassed on the property. Anytime Cobb and his friends were hunting on the land, this fellow, by his own choice, would always hunt along beside Cobb. At times, he would entertain the guest with his story-telling.

After a long day of hunting, they would gather around a campfire and talk baseball or whatever came to mind. On this particular day, Cobb had bagged 12 birds and had not missed a one, as Mr. Cobb was a crack shot.

Mr. Robinson told the story to Tris Speaker and the others, “Yeah, Mr. Cobb had a bad day today.” "What do you mean, Cobb bagged 12 birds and didn’t miss,” said Speaker. “Yeah, but he near ‘bout missed one,” recounted Mr. Robinson.

Present-day authors have distorted Cobb’s reputation to a point of the ridiculous. For example, the book COBB, which the movie COBB was based on, tried to show that COBB hosted orgies and drinking parties.

I have the contract agreement on the land, and it clearly states that there was to be “absolutely NO alcohol on the premises.”

This was at Major League Baseball’s Brunswick, GA retreat. It was called “Dover Hall Club” and Ty Cobb was one-sixteenth part owner of the 2,500-acre hunting and fishing camp.

The MLB magnates owned it from the early 1910s until the late 1930s. Cobb was the only player of the sixteen investors that bought into the $1,000 stock-leasing plan.

Mr. Cobb was in financial straits in the spring of 1906, but by the end of 1907, he had worked and saved his money. He began investing it in real estate in Georgia. In 1908, he bought 15 acres in Toccoa, GA and built and remodeled some of the nicest little homes in a predominately black neighborhood.

He named the subdivision “Booker T. Washington Heights,” and financed these homes to these residents for a minimal amount.

He owned the property until 1940, and he turned it over to his son, Herschel Cobb, to assist him with starting him a Coca-Cola franchise in Idaho. One transaction sold a lot (No. 22) to J. H. Johnson for only $42.50 in 1909. It was a relatively good price, even for that era. There were 109 lots in Booker T. Washington Heights.

I hear a great deal about Cobb’s racism in the present, especially on the Internet, but no one ever has actually have provided factual or even specifics about their racial allegations. If Cobb had been a racist, some newspaperman would have made remarks about the specifics in some way.

I have over 40,000 newspaper articles, and NOT one article makes any correlation to Ty Cobb being a racist. All the evidence demonstrates Cobb’s support for the advancement of colored people, and yet, there is NO evidence that gives any indication that Mr. Cobb made any movement toward oppressing the black population.

Contrary, when Jackie Robinson entered into the major leagues, it began a slow process of allowing blacks to begin entering into every league in the country. When the Dallas club of the Texas League was considering allowing blacks to enter, Cobb was there to bat for them.

"Ty Cobb, Fiery Diamond Star, Favors Negroes In Baseball"

Independent Journal—Jan. 29, 1952

MENLOPARK (AP)—Tyrus Raymond Cobb, fiery old-time star of the diamond, stepped up to the plate today to clout a verbal home run in favor of Negroes in baseball.
Himself a native of the Deep South, Cobb voiced approval of the recent decision of the Dallas club to use Negro players if they came up to Texas league caliber.

The old Georgia Peach of Detroit Tigers fame was a fighter from the word go during his brilliant playing career. He neither asked for nor gave quarter in 24 tumultuous years in the American League. Time has mellowed the one time firebrand and he views the sport in the pleasant role of a country squire. He spoke emphatically on the subject of Negroes in baseball, however.

"Certainly it is O.K. for them to play," he said, "I see no reason in the world why we shouldn't compete with colored athletes as long as they conduct themselves with politeness and gentility. Let me say also that no white man has the right to be less of a gentleman than a colored man, in my book that goes not only for baseball but in all walks of life.”

"I like them, (Negro race) personally. When I was little I had a colored mammy. I played with colored children."

Referring again to last week's developments in the Texas league, Cobb declared, "It was bound to come." He meant the breaking down of baseball's racial barriers in the old south.

Cobb expressed the belief Negroes eventually would be playing in every league in the country. He concluded with: "Why not, as long as they deport themselves like gentlemen?"

Ty Cobb did have an altercation with at least four African-Americans during his lifetime, but I have all the documents from these incidents, and in every case, the problem can be traced back to an action, unrelated to racism, that was committed by Cobb himself, the black person, or a third party, which caused the issue to escalate into an altercation.

I am not going to discourse tediously on whom was at fault in either of the incidents because I only want to exhibit that there was a reason that the incidents happened that had nothing to do with color. And I must mention that Cobb’s incidents with whites far exceed the number of occurrences with the blacks.

Ty Cobb was not a racist, he did not sharpen his spikes to slash other players just to steal a base, he did not kill a man in Detroit, as alleged by recent nickel writers, and he did not live the life of a bigot. Contrary to those myths, Ty Cobb exerted a kindness toward blacks.

One of his fondest memories of his youth was being taught how to swim by a black laborer named Uncle Ezra. Ezra would get young Ty to cling to his neck and wade out into the middle of the river or stream. At this point, Ty would be released and forced to swim back to the riverbank.

Blacks lived in Cobb’s house behind his home on Williams Street there in Augusta. Cobb employed blacks the whole time he lived on the “Hill”. Emaline Cosey lived with and worked for Ty Cobb in 1920.

Jimmy Laniergrew up in Augusta with one of Ty Cobb’s sons. Jimmy has told a story many times about Herschel and himself, going to the Rialto Theatre in downtown Augusta to see one of them 'shoot’em up' movies. “We came out of the theatre and Mr. Cobb, like a father, was waiting on the other side of the road,” claimed Lanier.

“As we were getting into the car, Mr. Cobb overheard the owner of a nearby restaurant explaining to a man dressed in shabby clothes how to get to the Linwood Hospital—a veterans hospital. Mr. Cobb interrupts and says, ‘Son, I’ll take you there.’

“The man stood on the running board of Mr. Cobb’s La Salle coupe, and they were talking back and forth, and this man was a veteran of World War I. When they pulled up to the gate at the Linwood Hospital, I saw Mr. Cobb hand this man a $20 bill. Herschel was looking off at somewhere else, but I saw what Mr. Cobb done. It was incidents like this that never made it to the press,” concluded Lanier.

Friends, I believe that one of Mr. Cobb’s problems was that he never looked for credit for anything that he done. He could never boast of his philanthropic nature that would put celebrities like Babe Ruth or Joe DiMaggio on the crest of publicity. And two, he never refuted accusation against him publicly.

If someone alleged that he had spiked another player intentionally, he gave an explanation only to the person or people that it mattered to most, like owner of the Tigers or President of the American League, but very seldom to the press.

If he would have stood up and said to people, “You are wrong,” or, “That is not true,” maybe these present-day authors would have had less room to reinvent his reputation to their own liking.

Ty Cobb was a close associate to the second commissioner of baseball, Albert B. “Happy” Chandler, who was head of the baseball realm when Jackie Robinson entered into Major League Baseball.

Cobb was a big supporter of Chandler. In a press interview on Aug. 30, 1950, Cobb shared his support for Chandler, “So far, Chandler has lived up to everything that I thought he could do as a commissioner. To me, every one of his decisions have been fair.”

The article goes on explaining Cobb’s support for “Happy.” Three years later, he was elected to serve as member of the Board of Trustees of the Cobb Educational Foundation.

The Foundation contributed $2,800.00 in scholarships the first year. 50-years later, and the annual grants have reached well over $500,000. As of July 2003, the Foundation has provided scholarships to 6,876 students, equaling $9,743,000.

Thanks to his charitable nature, Ty Cobb has made it possible for thousands of students of Georgia to achieve a higher mark in education. There is no limit to what this Foundation can provide to future students who truly want an education. One thing is certain; it is bound to generate a winning team of students in this great state of Georgia.

And as I mention frequently, I could go on forever, talking about great things that Mr. Cobb did to enrich the lives of other people. He did this without any expectations from the recipient or others that witnessed his philanthropic deeds.

In an interview in the mid-1950s, Mr. Cobb made this statement, “You’ve ask me about this Cobb Educational Fund, and now I’m going to have to answer it. I do not wish to be eulogized for what I have done. I’m proud of it, yes. This Educational Fund has given me the greatest possible happiness and pleasure, and maybe when I’m gone we’ll have some real great men developed out of the Cobb Educational Foundation.”

Ty Cobb Healthcare Systems, Inc. provides jobs to thousands of healthcare professionals in northeast Georgia, and I know, personally, a young black fellow that I went to school with that works for the healthcare system and has made a huge impact on the community.

He got his start at the Cobb Memorial Hospital and now is a providing leadership in the direction of the city.

Ty Cobb’s father was a Georgia State Senator from the 31st District, who voted against a bill introduced and approved by the Senate that allowed taxes deriving only from black properties to finance the black schools. This was in 1900.

He stated in the Atlanta Constitution that the, “Negroes had done, and were doing a good deal for the up building of the state, and I am in favor of allowing them money for education.” He believed that the race should be protected from class legislation.

In 1950, Cobb dedicated the new hospital in Royston, GA to provide medical attention to the region. In Dr. J. B. Gilbert, Cobb found one of the finest African-American doctors to serve the black population, and this was before desegregation.

Dr. Gilbert also serviced white patients and later became Chief of Staff at the Cobb Memorial Hospital. Dr. Gilbert’s daughter remembers Ty Cobb visiting the home when she was just a young lady. Cobb signed baseballs for all three of Dr. Gilbert’s grandchildren.

In 1953, Cobb established the Ty Cobb Educational Foundation to give scholarships to needy students in Georgia. Hundreds and hundreds of young black students have become a beneficiary of this educational fund.

Alec Rivers was a black employee of Cobb for 18 years and named his first-born Ty Cobb Rivers. “Even if it would have been a gal, Ah would have named her the same,” Rivers relayed to his friends in an interview with The Detroit News.

Rivers served as Cobb’s batboy, chauffeur, general handyman, and was an avid supporter of the famed “Georgia Peach.”

After 22 seasons with Detroit, Cobb joined the Philadelphia Athletics to finish out his 24-year career. Rivers followed Cobb, “I wasn’t exactly against the Tigers, but I still had to be for Mr. Ty.”

Ty Cobb’s racist reputation came only after he had died in 1961. Racial reform should not be fought at the expense of a man who helped make baseball a great sport for colored people to enjoy, too.

Cobb loved Augusta! He did not just live there for a while—it was his home. He raised all of his children there. He lived at 2425 William Street in the Summerville district. He held common and preferred stock in the Augusta Chronicle. He sold Hawkeye trucks there in the Augusta area.

He was president and principle owner of the Ty Cobb Tire Co. on Broad Street. He owned the Ty Cobb Beverage Co., who had their office at 313 in the Leonard Building. He was one of three principle owners in the City Bank of Thomson.

He hunted and fished in all parts of the Augusta area and even down the Savannah River. He was on the Board of Directors of the First National Bank in Lavonia, GA for all his professional life.

He coached and umpired some at the Richmond County YMCA and in the Nehi League. He entered his girls into beauty pageants, horse shows, and musical recitals. He helped the city authorities host outside guests.

When a large group of Philadelphian businessmen came to Augusta, Cobb participated in a first-of-its-kind aeroplane golf tournament for the visiting spectators. Cobb owned a great deal of property in the city.

One piece of land was 444.72 acres south of Spirit Creek and the Augusta Orphan Asylum.

Mr. Cobb owned the properties on the east side of Tuttle, between Fenwick and Jenkins Streets, corner of Broad and Seventh (McIntosh), 10 acres, five miles out on old Milledgeville Rd., two lots on the corner of Druid Park and Gwinnett Street, southwest corner of Twiggs and Boyd’s Alley containing five lots, four lots close to the corner of Phillip Street and Walton Way, and Cobb's property list goes on and on.

Looking over the Richmond County Court documents, it appears to me that in some cases, Cobb loaned money to help prevent foreclosure on some of the properties.

He lived adjacent to a dentist that started the South Atlantic League back up after it shutdown during the depression. Eugene Wilder worked as secretary to the Mayor of Augusta for many years and was an admirer of Cobb’s.

When Cobb entered the United States Army in 1918, he left Dr. Wilder instructions and money he had set aside for his famous prize dog, 'Cobb’s Hall', in case he failed to return from the war. Cobb served as a Captain in the Chemical Warfare Division over in France at the close of the war.

Cobb also became part owner of the Augusta Tourist in 1922. The team name was later changed to Augusta Tygers to honor Cobb. He developed many young athletes into strong competitors.

He managed the Detroit Tigers from 1921-1926, and during that time, a Detroit batter won the batting title four out of six years. He was a great teacher, and he loved to devote his time to helping others advance.

Ty Cobb was always concerned about the advancement of the city of Augusta. He was always striving to promote and stimulate the city’s economy. He donated his vehicle to the fire station to be auctioned off.

He owned numerous businesses in Augusta and drew people of every nature to the city. He once hosted the sole owner of the Diamond Tire Company, who came down from up north. There were a couple of Presidents of the United States that Cobb became acquainted with on the streets of Augusta.

In closing, I just want to say that all these little things add up to give us plenty of reason to say that Cobb deserves being memorialized with the facts.

I was involved recently with the naming of the Augusta Stadium and the race issue was brought forward. "But I can’t sit and allow people to say such negative remarks such as 'Cobb was a racist' without at least trying to educate the public on the absolute truth," I told several of the Augusta Commissioners.

I recommended the stadium be named “Cobb Memorial Stadium,” or something that would commemorate the great Georgia athlete. “Georgia Peach Stadium” may have been a happier medium that could have satisfied both sides of the debate.

At any rate, my position is only to educate and pass on the information that is sometimes forgotten or unknown. I hope that I have provided you with enough information to give you a different perspective on who Ty Cobb really was.

This is only a speck in the sand of the material that I possess on this great athlete. I would be happy to assist anyone, in any capacity, to tell the factual story about the game's most prolific hitter.

I hope that the reader has been enlightened and receptive to this information, and I hope that it will assist them in the reconstruction of his or her opinion of Ty Cobb. I want to leave you with words straight from Ty Cobb’s own quote.

“I like them, personally. When I was little, I had a colored Mammy. I played with colored children.”