Excellent new book....COBB vs RUTH

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

This book is very timely, with respect to the recent thought-provoking thread on this forum
posted by Frank Wakefield...."Best/Greatest baseball player ever".

Written by Tom Stanton, TY AND THE BABE details the fierce rivalry between Cobb and Ruth
during the 1915-1925 era. It is a fair and balanced treatment of this rivalry, which actually
resulted in both players, playing their best. Especially fascinating is the chapter titled "War
of 1921"....Cobb's first year as the playing/manager of the Detroit "Ty-gers".

After reading this book, I gained a better understanding of a 1942 poll of which Frank Wake-
field cited in his thread regarding Cobb's contemporaries (Ban Johnson, Walter Johnson‚ Con-
nie Mack, George Sisler, Tris Speaker‚ etc.) favoring Cobb over any other HOFer. Prior to 1919,
Cobb's "small-ball" style of play was the game of the day....and indeed, Cobb was the best
there was. Most of his contemporaries were accustomed to this style of play. And, although
many disliked Cobb, they still acknowledged that Cobb was the "greatest" in the game.

Then came 1919, Ruth, with his "long-ball" style and his flamboyant ways were a real dramatic
change. Most of the old-school players & managers considered this (power vs a thinking-man's
game) as a "corruption" of the game (as they knew it). Some never adjusted to this change;
however, one player that adjusted was Cobb, as he started hitting more HR's in 1921.

The Appendix highlights Cobb vs Ruth....game by game (200+ ga.), starting from May 11, 1915
to Sept. 11, 1928.

If you haven't already read this book....try it. It is well written and this Cobb vs Ruth story has
a happy ending.





TED Z

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Thanks for posting this!!! Now to get it, then wedge it into my reading pile beside the bed...

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Ted, if I recall, Cobb whipped Ruth in that golf tournament! Babe probably had 19 beers the night before while Cobb trained for a month just to beat him.

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Posted By: barry arnold

many thanks for the recommendation, TRex.
i'm in the process of going through Alexander's Ty Cobb,Stump's Cobb,
and Montville's The Big Bam again and will make sure this new volume
becomes the icing on the cake.

all the best,

barry

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Once you turn the page upon getting this book, you wont put it down. I started reading it at Borders this past Saturday,
and my wife realized that the only way she was going to get me out of there was to buy it for me.

TED Z

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Posted By: Craig W

There are a lot of copies on eBay under $20 (incl S&H). I just ordered mine thanks to Ted's review.

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Posted By: boxingcardman

4-5 rounds, by KO. He's going to be much nastier inside unless he gets DQ'd for biting Babe's ear off.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

...."Cobb whipped Ruth" ! ?....Which Golf tournament ?....What are you talking about ?

Actually, they had three Golf matches in 1941......

1st.....Newton, Mass...........Cobb 81....Ruth 83
2nd.....Fresh Meadow, NY.....Ruth 90....Cobb 91
3rd.....Grosse Ile, Mich.........Cobb 78....Ruth 81

Here's my guy....looking good in his golfing outfit....and, Ruth looks like he could still hit some
more 600 foot HR's.
Let's see a golfing pix of your guy....Cobb.






TED Z

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Ted, I just finished reading a bio on Cobb -- I'll get some particulars and post it on here. The golf matches were a small part of the Alexander bio but very interesting.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Sounds like you are also interested in the golf playing days of these two giants. Then, I highly recommend
this book to you. The last 10 chapters of this book's 30 chapters are devoted to their golfing days and their
three golf matches.

Another aspect that you might appreciate....Stanton is quite kind to Cobb. He alludes to Al Stump's "merci-
less biography" and the follow up movie, COBB; as the begining of Cobb's reputation plummenting. And, fur-
thered by such movies as the Field of Dreams.

One chapter is devoted to Cobb's influence in Joe DiMaggio's early playing days in the PCL. Furthermore,
Cobb (on the QT) was very instrumental when Joe D. was negotiating his Yankee contract with Ed Barrow.

TED Z

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Posted By: Brian Macdonald

While on the topic of Babe Ruth, can anyone recommend a good biography?

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Brian, although I have not yet read it, I understand that "The Big Bam" by Leigh Montville is a very good bio.

Ted, just ordered the Cobb/Ruth book on Amazon.

Ted: I loved the Stump bio though it did paint Cobb as a psycho -- but he probably was! I just finished Charles Alexander's bio of Cobb which is evenhanded. According to his book, Stump's was a bit exaggerated. But unlike Alexander, Stump had first-hand info on Cobb.