01-22-2018, 08:50 AM
If you are interested in Cobb read Lershens book Ty Cobb, aTerrible Beauty. It May change your perspective on the man a bit. Not a peach (pun intended) by any stretch of the imagination. But far from the raging bigot hes been made out to be. According to Lershen much of that view was based on a biography (and excerpts printed from it) that contained downright lies. By no means does he make Cobb. Out to be a prince. But it is an interesting read. Plus some of the baseball stories are hilarious.
BTW the hazing of rookies in those days was brutal. Something that seemed to have an impact on Cobb.
One story - Cobb learned that his mother had killed his father during his first days in the majors. Some say she murdered him cause he was cheating on her. Others say she mistook him for a burglar. Obviously it had an impact on Cobb.
Finally you get a sense of how brilliant he was as a player. Something that gets lost a bit in the absurd movie portrayals. Most notably Cobb. Which was based in part on that biography and also contained stories that were simply false.
Cobb was the first great Southern ball player. Painting him as a virulent racist fit their view.
BTW the hazing of rookies in those days was brutal. Something that seemed to have an impact on Cobb.
One story - Cobb learned that his mother had killed his father during his first days in the majors. Some say she murdered him cause he was cheating on her. Others say she mistook him for a burglar. Obviously it had an impact on Cobb.
Finally you get a sense of how brilliant he was as a player. Something that gets lost a bit in the absurd movie portrayals. Most notably Cobb. Which was based in part on that biography and also contained stories that were simply false.
Cobb was the first great Southern ball player. Painting him as a virulent racist fit their view.