War on the Basepaths Page 13
Dissimilarities aside, in 1908, things between the two was somewhat cordial, and Crawford, showing an affinity for the same type of bat as his co-outfielder, actually used the “Ty Cobb model” fashioned by Spalding Sporting Goods for much of the season.67
Usually able to ignore annoyances, Crawford fumed when Cobb ran in front of him and caught a ball during an 11–1 defeat of Cleveland on July 2. “Let that man Cobb get a couple of hits in a game and he goes crazy,” the Nebraskan said after the game. “He thinks he is the only man in the team that can catch a ball.”68
“Sam and I have always had an understanding,” Cobb replied, “that either one of us could go into the other’s field to catch a ball providing that neither he nor I yelled that he would take it. When the ball was hit to center, Thursday, I saw I could take it. I thought the sun was bothering Sam so went after it for I did not hear him yell that he would take it. Then he got a grouch on and has been crabbing ever since about it. I can’t see anything for him to get mad about. When a team is after the pennant, every man is expected to play for anything he can get and I got it, didn’t I.”69
The outburst by Crawford made Cobb defensive and angry. It was one more thing on his mind, but he continued to battle at the plate, becoming the first American Leaguer to score 100 hits and lead the Tigers into sole ownership of first place in mid-July. On July 17, at Philadelphia, Detroit put up an astonishing 21 runs on 25 hits, establishing league records for both, while holding the Athletics to only two scores. Cobb went 5-for-6 with a pair of doubles and a triple, and received a nice ovation by the Philadelphia crowd the next afternoon. The newspaper stated that the Philly crowd, after the show of respect, turned on him and jeered him every chance they got.70 By early August, he was batting over .340, but still seemed distracted. The reasoning behind his occasional preoccupation was because in a matter of days, he was going to be wed, and begin his life anew with a young lady from Augusta, Georgia, by his side.
Cobb’s wedding had been in the works for months, in fact, he was engaged as early as December 1907.71 His approaching matrimony was also a likely contributing factor to his preseason holdout, as he knew he was soon responsible for his wife as well. The future Mrs. Cobb, Charlotte (Charlie) Marion Lombard, was about a month over eighteen years of age, and a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy, an Augusta girls’ school run by the Sisters of Mercy.72 Her father, Roswell Lombard, was a successful entrepreneur and amassed a fortune of over $218,000 through land and business investments.73 Living nine miles southwest of Augusta in “The Oaks,” a rolling estate, Charlie’s mother, Nancy, raised four children in total, including siblings Alfred, Francis, and Roswell.
The Lombards were no strangers to baseball. The Lombard Iron Works, the company founded by Charlie’s grandfather, long employed an amateur team, and her brother Alfred was involved in Augusta’s Indoor Baseball League as a member of the Olglethorpes squad.74 Press reports claimed Cobb met his soon-to-be bride during his stint as a player in Augusta, and since he was at least four years older than Charlie, he was relegated to a long-distance relationship after leaving for the majors in 1905. Following each season, he spent more and more time in the Augusta area, and it was apparent that the two were inseparable.
Finally, a summer wedding was planned, but the date was up in the air due to Cobb’s Detroit commitments. He spoke with Hugh Jennings and received the blessing of the team, and expected to be out anywhere from five to seven days.75 “With Davy [Jones] there,” Cobb said, “they won’t miss me.”76 Because of the irregularity of train schedules, Cobb still didn’t know which day he’d arrive at “The Oaks” for the ceremony, and the Lombards left final preparations open until things were definite. Their home was decorated in a simple yet beautiful manner, and only the closest friends and family were invited. Notably, Amanda, Florence, and Paul Cobb were not in attendance for Ty’s wedding. The reason why is unexplained. Keeping everything basic, the wedding didn’t include any groomsmen or bridesmaids.
Word came to Augusta that Cobb was to arrive on the morning of August 6, 1908, and a large delegation awaited his disembarkation at 7:15 a.m., when the train pulled into the station. However, in a very Cobb-like fashion, he wasn’t where he was expected to be. More than two hours later, he turned up on a different train, along with his uncle Clifford Ginn, and dressed at the home of a local friend.77 From there they drove to the ceremony, and arrived a minute before the formal start time at “high noon.” With Reverend Thomas Walker officiating and a brass band providing the music, the wedding went off without a hitch, and guests returned to Augusta to continue festivities at the Hotel Genesta.
It was originally reported that Mr. and Mrs. Cobb would depart on the 3:30 p.m. train headed to Detroit, but instead, they enjoyed the pageantry at the special reception, and didn’t leave town until after 11 p.m. that night.78 The newlyweds missed a train at Cincinnati, but returned in time for a game against Washington on August 9. In a 5–2 win, Cobb went 1-for-3 with a triple, stolen base, and two runs to his credit. He also struck out, and a sportswriter on hand felt Cobb showed more anxiety than usual.79 But despite leaving during the midst of a pennant chance, there wasn’t an overflowing backlash to Cobb’s six-day departure, either from his teammates or the fans. The crowd loudly cheered for him upon his first appearance on the field and high society contributed innumerable presents to the couple. His fellow players gave him a $300 gift, and Cobb was right: the team would play well in his absence.80 They went 3–1.
Hoping to keep amongst the leaders, Detroit went east and Cobb fell into an odd slump. He was making contact, but unable to drive the ball for distance, and the deterioration of his offense affected all areas of his play. At New York on August 20, he misjudged a fly in the ninth and allowed the winning run to score. His two errors, plus two strikeouts contributed to what he called the worst day he’d ever experienced in baseball. Cobb went 0-for-5 and the Yankees won 4 to 3.81 During the Boston series, he nearly fought Cy Morgan after the Red Sox pitcher almost hit him in the head with a ball. Cobb thought Morgan’s act was purposeful, and Cobb’s riotous language drew calls to ban him from the local stadium for a year.82 In all, the Tigers completed the “most disastrous eastern jump” since Jennings took over as manager, going 6–7, and Cobb’s lack of hitting in conjunction with Crawford before him in the lineup and Rossman behind, was a significant reason.
Between July 14 and September 20, the Tigers held first place, but began to slide, falling to third on September 23 before snapping off a 10-game winning streak that helped them withstand the historic challenge of both the Cleveland Naps and Chicago White Sox. The American League pennant was officially snagged by Detroit on October 6 behind Bill Donovan’s 7–0, two-hit masterpiece at Chicago. Detroit finished with a 90–63 record and Cleveland was only 0.5 games back at the finish. Chicago was in third, 1.5 games behind the Tigers. The enthusiasm and abilities of young shortstop Donie Bush, a recent call-up from Indianapolis, was a big element in Detroit’s strong finish.83 For Cobb, it was a grand achievement. He personally battled stomach trouble and a sore leg, but with Charlie on the road with him, her company was enough to keep his spirits up.84
Cobb worked through a number of rocky patches, but found his rhythm at the plate, and headed for his second-straight batting championship with a .324 average. Cobb led the American League in hits (188), doubles (36), triples (20), RBIs (108), total bases (276), and slugging percentage (.475). Crawford came in second in the league with a .311 batting average. Honus Wagner, however, batted .354 in 1908 and had better all around numbers. Cobb’s .324 would be the lowest average for an American League batting champion until Snuffy Stirnweiss of the New York Yankees won the title with a .309 in 1945.85
The year before, after losing to Chicago in four consecutive games, Detroit was ridiculed. Cobb was reduced “from a world beater to a large amateur,” one pundit said, and the dominant Cubs walked right over them.86 With Chicago effectively going over the New York Giants in a one-game playoff and c
apturing their league flag, a rematch was established, and it was a remarkable opportunity for the Tigers to regain credibility against their superiors of 1907.
As expected, the Cubs were the favorites, but outside hardcore enthusiasts, baseball fans didn’t want the same match-up again. A Chicago-Cleveland or New York–Detroit battle would have been much more popular. Nevertheless, the Series kicked off at Detroit on October 10, 1908, and Cobb was determined to show his critics that he was a capable postseason batter.
To start the Series on October 10, less than 11,000 fans were present at Bennett Park on a rainy afternoon, but the Tigers caused much excitement by overcoming a deficit to grab a one-run lead going into the ninth. Rookie pitcher Eddie Summers, who’d gone 24–12 during the regular season, was trusted to close the game away and send the crowd home happy. He instead managed to give up five runs and Detroit lost, 10–6. Cobb went 2-for-4, and was a spirited base-runner throughout the contest, grabbing extra bases and pushing the defense to make risky throws. He tried to extend a single with two outs in the first, but Cubs right-fielder Frank Schulte saw the writing on the wall and threw him out.87
Game Two was another loss for the Detroit Tigers and Donovan, despite giving up one hit in the first seven innings, was unable to prevent a 6–1 rout. Cobb’s base hit in the ninth scored the lone run, but other than that, there wasn’t much to speak of.88 That would change in Game Three on October 12. Chicago fans saw the Tigers in their best form to date, and Cobb was the star attraction. He went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, and in the ninth, he stole second and third before attempting to sneak home as part of a double-steal with Rossman. He was caught, but it didn’t matter, as Detroit sailed to its first victory over the Cubs, 8–3.89 Turning right around, Cobb’s offense was stifled against Mordecai Brown in Game Four and his error trying to catch a drive by Frank Chance in the ninth gave the Cubs its third and final run, while the Tigers were held scoreless.90
Down three games to one, the Series was eerily reminiscent of 1907, and any lingering enthusiasm was yanked from Detroit baseball fans. On October 14, for Game Five, Bennett Park was filled by less than half capacity in what would ultimately be the smallest crowd in World Series history (6,210). The big right-hander for Chicago, Orval Overall, proved to be far too much for the Tigers to handle, striking out 10 and allowing three hits in a 2–0 win. Cobb went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and a walk.91 And just like that, the Cubs had repeated as world’s champions and the members of the Tigers were left to pick up the pieces and make sense of their defeat. The team batting average of .209 had a lot to do with it, and a weakened pitching staff didn’t help. Both Donovan and Summers lost two games apiece for Detroit, and Mullin was the only winning pitcher. Cobb batted .368, the only Detroit starter to bat better than .300, which undoubtedly went a long way to help his credibility.92
With the campaign over, Cobb was ready for a full and exciting winter, and wasn’t about to let inactivity wear down his conditioning and strength. He had grandiose plans, and while his original idea to venture to Asia with his new bride fell through, he was going to stay busy enough.93 And most importantly, contrasting from the situation in 1908, he’d be the first man to sign his 1909 Tigers contract.94
6
THE LUCKY STIFF
The playing style of Tyrus Raymond Cobb was distinctive in more ways than one. As sportswriter H. G. Salsinger put it, he was leading a “revolution,” and his fresh perspective to running bases and hitting the ball was extraordinary. At the same time, he flatly ignored many of the recommendations of veterans who tried to coach him, all because he wanted to implement his own methods. Salsinger noted that conventionality was the golden rule in baseball and anyone that stepped outside the traditional customs was generally considered loony.1 Cobb challenged that establishment. He was doing things his own way and, headed into his fifth season, he’d already proven to many American League spectators that he wasn’t a temporary flash of greatness, but fit to be amongst the superstars of the game.
A number of Cobb’s colleagues disagreed with that line of thought. They considered his achievements to be the work of a “lucky stiff,” someone clearly in over their head and catching the breaks of an extremely fortunate man.2 Ex-major leaguer Dick Harley said, “Cobb is a wonderful ball player, but I fear his playing days are numbered if he continues his daring base-running. It will get him sooner or later.”3 Others made similar comments, basically limiting Cobb’s future in baseball to a handful of years. They predicted serious injury because of his reckless techniques and, seeing Cobb play, who could question it? But Salsinger chalked up much of the commentary to old-fashioned jealousy. It was simply amazing the way Cobb had made an impact on baseball in such a short amount of time, and his opponents were envious.
Detroit’s Bill Donovan, known as “Smiling Bill,” was a congenial guy and always level-headed. When he remarked about Cobb following the 1907 season, people took notice. “He won’t finish in the league next year,” Donovan explained. “He plays contrary to all baseball law and he won’t last. He can’t. He’s a wild man. Next year, they will just throw the ball to the home plate and wait for him to dash around to it. These freak players never last because they go contrary to the law.”4 Donovan couldn’t have been more wrong.
Cobb was practical in his methodology, not careless. He used his intellect to figure out the best path to success, and to a lesser degree he tossed caution to the wind and played on pure intuition. As he often admitted, baseball didn’t come naturally to him, and he regulated himself to extreme amounts of practice to even the playing field with his contemporaries. But that is also where he began to prove superior by strengthening his weaknesses to the point they were no longer weaknesses at all. His extreme level of commitment to self-improvement was a rarity in baseball circles. Now that’s not saying his peers weren’t devoted athletes, but Cobb was on another plateau of dedication. He had a deep, subconscious-type determination that was ever pushing him to be the best—almost a personal compulsion—and there was no room for anything less.
Doting on his flaws, Cobb religiously studied baseball, nitpicking what he did right and wrong with his game. He observed his rivals with a keen eye, and searched for ways to exploit their mistakes. Most of the time his brain was consumed by the deeper psychology of the sport, and when his mind and body were connected, he was usually able to outthink and outrun his opponents by a fair clip. Understanding his commitment to enhancing his skills, one could see why he didn’t believe in luck. Based on his hard work and dedication to the sport, he felt as though he controlled his own destiny on the diamond.5 Interestingly, though, his opinion of luck and how it applied to his career would soon change.
Engaged in his private ruminations, Cobb preferred to be alone. But a number of times in 1908, he stepped out of his protective shell and was sociable. On one occasion, he joined Herman Schaefer, Claude Rossman, and Charley Schmidt for a Detroit Wheelmen club function on Lake St. Clair. Cobb was pressured to make a speech where he thanked everyone for their support, but made a point to remind those in attendance that the other Detroit players were just as responsible as he was, if not more, for the club’s achievements.6 He also mingled with coworkers at theaters in Detroit and St. Louis prior to a major jamboree on October 8 at the Detroit Opera House.7 That night, in a gala celebration to honor the Tigers, Ty and Charlie Cobb mixed with teammates, including Sam Crawford and Davy Jones and their wives, as well as former major leaguers like Sam Thompson and Charlie Bennett.8
A couple of weeks later, he was the centerpiece attraction amongst the new recruits into the Order of Freemasonry at Royston. After a baseball-related initiation where Lodge members made Cobb perform baseball slides as they hit him with an oversized bat, he bestowed an Entered Apprentice degree.9 He visited family, rested, and went hunting as part of his postseason exercises. But on November 14, he was back in the saddle, playing ball in New Orleans for a semi-pro squad known as the Eddys, managed by G. E. P. Murray. Cobb saw his p
articipation as a way to not only stay in shape, but to gather a little extra money and visit a town he always wanted to see. In his first game, he went 3-for-4 in an 8–0 squash, and a sportswriter noted that Cobb played to the limit of his abilities, just as if it was the World Series.10 Things were strained, however, by Charlie’s prolonged stomach ailment, and her illness cast a shadow over the entire winter.
Cobb returned to the Augusta area shortly before Christmas and was surrounded by family and friends throughout the holidays. Elsewhere, baseball maneuverings were rampant, and he received reports on the acquisition of third baseman George Moriarty, the departure of Bill Coughlin, and the elevation of Herman Schaefer to team captain.11 He was excited about the reports, especially the arrival of Moriarty, and wrote numerous letters to Detroit pals, extolling the virtues of the Tigers in the coming campaign.12 When he wasn’t penning missives, he managed the Royston club in regional contests and made an appearance at Elberton, Georgia, where he blasted three homers in an impressive display of power.13 On the afternoon of March 9, 1909, he even donned a “Boston” uniform he had found at a local YMCA and took part in a friendly practice with members of the National League Boston Doves at Warren Park.14
All of his aforementioned activities on Georgia fields were a preamble to spring training at San Antonio, Texas, and Cobb arrived for official duties on March 16, a few days late. He was in excellent shape and predicted that he was on his way to his best season in the majors.15 So confident in his diamond competence, Cobb was itching to pitch and boasted about his work on the mound at New Orleans. His aspiration to be a pitcher wasn’t a secret. For the past two years, at least, he’d shown an interest, and often joined the hurler corps during training sessions to develop what he thought was a fine understanding of the craft.16