Cobb v. Ruth -- relative popularity in their day

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Cobb was the biggest star in baseball until Ruth and his homeruns took over. By 1928, Cobb was about done and Ruth was in his heyday. Check out the language on the back of this Yeungling's Ice Cream Cobb:

"One ice cream novelty will be given free for each picture of Babe Ruth

ALSO

... Babe Ruth may be saved for quarts of ice cream or a $5.00 skooter."

[Whatever a skooter is]

This kind of stuff must have driven Cobb crazy.

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Posted By: Pennsylvania Ted

started in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. And, during the years of Prohibition switched to producing Ice Cream.
Hence, the neat little 1928 BB cards with the Ruth premiums. Collecting this set is quite a challenge.


T-Rex TED

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

Maybe they could have worked out a cross-promotion. Something on the order of: "And don't forget, for those delicious Yeungling's Ice Cream floats, always use refreshing Coca-Cola". That would have kept Cobb happy.

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Posted By: Steve

That Cobb received by far the most votes for the original HOF induction vote in 1936. We have had autograph letter collections from the 1940s where contemporary players by far considered Cobb to be the superior player...

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Posted By: MVSNYC

speaking of prohibition...

i had some absinthe the other night at a lounge in the west village...

they just legalized it last week in NY (only state in the US)...was banned in 1912.

the brand is called "lucid"


(sorry to hi-jack, jeff).

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

That probably should have been an "h" not a "k". A $5 shooter (one shot of whiskey).

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Posted By: judson hamlin

Mike - Did you do it up with the slotted spoon and sugar? have any urge to start reading Coleridge?

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Posted By: MVSNYC

judd-

slotted spoon (more like a strainer)
huge piece of rock sugar
lit on fire
ice added...

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Posted By: Scot

1927

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Posted By: E, Daniel

Terrific pics Hoss, or should I just call you sarge?

And I agree with the sentiment espoused within, one player the greatest ever, the other undeniably the greatest slugger (still!) and 'character' the game has ever known.

I'd take the all round player Cobb every time, a little like I'd take Ichiro 100 times out of 100 over Pujols.


Daniel



Edited for a mis-spell.

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Posted By: Jason L

especially now that we know even Pujols' mgr would pick Aaron Rowand over him in a pressure situation with the game on the line

Did you see Ichiro not even winded after flying around those bases on Tuesday night?!?!?!? amazing stuff

Edited to say:
Sorry, back on topic...that is an interesting point you bring up Jeff, and I wish I had a collection that was extensive enough to demonstrate some of these neat ideas, but also...didn't Nap Lajoie have an entire game card set named for him? Honestly, I could be wrong, but I thought I saw that somewhere. Perhaps other players also had similar featured sets or presence within sets that could shed more light on relative popularity?

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Posted By: Scot York

E.Daniel,

I agree, Cobb over Ruth on the field. I'd probabely be found with Ruth after the game though.

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Posted By: identify7

It is not Cobb nor Ruth, it is Hornsby.
It is not Suzuki, nor Pujols, it is Helton.

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Posted By: Scot

Yeah, They had something to say about Hornsby as well.



Edited to say: Jeff, I like that Yuengling Ty Cobb you have. If you ever upgrade or sell LMK...

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Posted By: Glyn parson

Why are some people debating who contemporaries thought was better isnt the post about who was more popular?

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Posted By: MVSNYC

cobb v. ruth- popularity?

no question here...

cobb was hated by most men he played with and fans alike...yes, he was argueably the greatest player ever, BUT, if we are having a popularity contest here, "babe" ruth wins hands down! not only was he the most popular player of his day, but the most popular player to ever put on a pair of spikes...no other player lived life like the babe, and the fans adored him, no matter what he did.

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

Peter, you might want to get this one. Amazon has it for $16:



Frank

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Posted By: identify7

How about Wagner vs. Ruth - popularity?

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Posted By: Paul

"cobb was hated by most men he played with and fans alike...yes, he was argueably the greatest player ever, BUT, if we are having a popularity contest here, "babe" ruth wins hands down! not only was he the most popular player of his day, but the most popular player to ever put on a pair of spikes...no other player lived life like the babe, and the fans adored him, no matter what he did."

I couldn't agree more with what MVSNYC said !

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

"How about Wagner vs. Ruth - popularity?"

Wagner, among people in the baseball world, may well have been as well-liked as Ruth, but Ruth was a phenomenon who transcended sports. He became a cultural Icon, much like Muhammed Ali. Everyone loved the Babe.......well, except for maybe Japanese soldiers during WW 2 .

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Posted By: identify7

No one can win a debate if they choose to argue against the supremacy of Ruth's popularity, I think. However his popularity is more akin to that of the party guy with a lampshade on his head than that borne out of respect. Wagner enjoys a stature among the best to have ever played the game, eventhough his stats do not appear to bear this status out. Why do you suppose this is?

And that is it. From this point, Ruth wins every round. Go ahead. Now prove me wrong.

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Posted By: Wesley

"Wagner enjoys a stature among the best to have ever played the game, eventhough his stats do not appear to bear this status out. Why do you suppose this is?"


I am not sure why, but that certainly seems to be the case. When I listen to the interviews on the "Glory of Their Times" CD, the players interviewed seem to think that Wagner was by far the best player they have played with or against. When their contemporaries say Wagner was the greatest, I think this has to hold a lot of weight.

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Posted By: Mark L

In the old days, they emphasized inside baseball and winning depended a lot on brains, strategy, execution, speed, and defense. Wagner seems to have excelled at inside baseball all the while racking up the great offensive numbers that we all know.

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Posted By: Steve

Nap Lajoie have an entire game card set named for him?

He also had a team named after him. Cleveland Naps.


Steve

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

Yes Steve, but there are only 2 cards in the set, a red and a blue.



Frank

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Frank: cool cards.

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Posted By: William Brumbach

Yuengling was/still is based out of Pottsville PA, a good bit up the road north of Pottstown PA, but still a good bit down the road south of West Pittston PA. I have nothing else constructive to add, just had to make that distinction.