Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-10-05
WAGNER AND COBB
SHARE LIMELIGHT
PlTTSBURG AND DETROIT STARS
ATTAIN BASEBALL GLORY IN
DIFFERENT WAY.
GREAT PLAYERS COMPARED
Not Alike in Temperament But Eacn
"Get There" with Equal Force
and Certainty-Both Hitters ana
Speedy Baserunners.

A few years ago many columns o.
space were wasted on the relative
abilities of Hans Wagner and Napoleon
Lajoie, the hitting kings OF the Ma
tional and American leagues, respec'
lively. You don't hear much ABOUT
Laioie any more, but his successor as
the star player of the American
league-Tyrus Raymond Cobb-is now
being compared to the Flying Dutch
man, and not to his disadvantage
either.
Wagner and Lajoie are temperament
tally alike Both are modest, quiet
men on and off the ball field. Neither
has ever appeared to be a brilliant
thinker or executor of plays; both
seem to have enough natural ability
to mechanically execute plays that
would appear sensational If performed
by another player.
The comparison between Cobb and
Wagner is an interesting one. Both
achieve great results, but not In the
same manner Wagner is ponder.
ously perfect athlete, while Cobb,
slender, delicate-appearing chap, pos
sesses ability which is constantly
brought to the surface by his brilliant
plays and the wonderful spirit that
has made him envied and hated by
others. ~,
Both men are wonderful hitters,
wonderful base runners, and wonder
full fielders. For more than twelve
years Wagner has kept up a dizzy
pace. He has played every position,
and not only that, has been sensa-
ton in every position. He has the
speed of Cobb, the terrific hitting
powers of Jajoie, the energy Of Jen-
nings, and the disposition of Willie
Keller Cobb, on the other hand, has
been. setting the kingly pace for but
three years.
But how different they are! You
point to Cobb with pride as the ideal
ball player, and then you watch Hans
Wagner and smile at the comparison.
For all that Cobb is, except in ability
to "get there" Wagner isn't.
In action Ty Cobb comes closer to
the athletic ideal than any other man
in baseball Built like q greyhound,
his wonderful 1.-THE body is always a
study. His slight waist, his magnifi-
csntly-formed shoulders, his < wiry
limbs with slight ankles and wrists.
and his wel1-poised head make one
thing of the idealizsd Grecian youth
who lives now only in the marble Of
the museums and art schools.
Wagner is without precedent in the
athletic world. As Cobb wins admira-
ton by his grace, Wagner awes one
by his bulk. Wagner just bulges all
over. He has to have shoes made to
order, he is cramped in an ordinary,
bed, his hands are as big as good.
sized hams. T..
When Wagner wabbles to the plate.
swinging his great bat, it looks as
though Gibraltar were topping over.
But when he is set to swing there is
action-wonderfu1 action. Before that
it seems as though the legs, arms and
body belonged to three different be-
ings; but once the great slugger
swings there is concentration of en-
ergy that makes the most stout-hearted
of pitchers vince.
Wagner hits 300 every year by
force of habit. He is worth we'll over
100000, is a bachelor and is re.
.sponsible to no one u
Cobb is different in every respect.
TO begin with the Georgian plays ball
because he loves the game. His whole
heart and soul is wrapped up in it.
Cobb could make four hits and play
q wonderful game, and yet, If the team
lost, he would be the bluest man on
the club. He likes his base hits, as
all ball players do, but he plays only
to win.