El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-13
TY COBB GREATEST
OF BASE STEALERS
Has Only One Close Com
petitor, Eddie Collins,
of Athletics.
By ". c. Farnsworth)-

game. There is no getting away lToiii
- although many will claim that Ed
die Collins. the fleet footed Athietlc'
6 his superior Last season Collins
slightly outpilfered the speedy Tiger
hut Cobb ran him a close second one
Years work alone cannot earn Collins
.ba crown. ~wait until he has played
as long as the Georgia Peach ana
then see if his base stealing record
totals as high as Hughey Jennings
bearcat.
Tho clements of Cobb's success as
-un petter are several In the mrs.
Mace of course, he is wonderful Mt
Only one man in the American
,.u,,e outhit him last season, ami
IA was Joe jackson, Of the Clevelano
- ,,,bo performed in only 20 games
oear the end OF the season
Taolxson hit 1897, while COLDS ma.
.,-o-oo co was 1856 It's a cinch thaI II
the Nan had played in as many ganles cams
b;~ mark would not have been as hls ~
There were many others VINO MT
nearly as hard as Cobb and ye. ulun
steal half as many bases Coop ~ -.
aa-f,,l ability to pilfer is due 10 ms
ues sneed and quick Judgment as
t7-a,s &c his consummate nerve IN ao-
,-a,.o,-,g each step on his journey AFTER
making his start
Cohb's fame came to him early on
account of his Introduction OF ne" az =.
,~t,v;nsl methods Of base running IN
han contra distinction to the oio
style OF advancing.
signals still Used.
Most clubs still rely mainly OF s.s
nails between the manager the pae 49,.
and the base runner The runner nus -
wait for his signal and then "onHs =.
oo,,,nina+ion with the batter ms -
40 modern scientific method, ana 1t
+be most effective when deahng
---,+7, the average base runner, VINO
.e5s holm from the batter in making
his way around the sacks
ut Cobb. while he is ready 70 play
team game when it looks IKE tiie
bas+ thing to do, does not depend "
anv great extent on assistance III 81
ing his way. He is very las ~, 49,.
an6 remarkably quick starter more
s-,,or+ant still he is quick thinker
80 canable of outguessing the aver
80 on1onent more than half the time.
The onposition has little chance 70
..,tonase him for, when once ne goes
~ he is always ready to advance anu
does not tip of what move ne Is 81
ing to make ,v base
Cobb takes a big lead on any pas
he NAV be occupying, and is alWays q
-o,,rce of great worry and annoyance
- o,9osine team, especially the
-.i.cber and catcher. The instant ne
Is 80 or he has everybody up in the
- No one knows just when ne Il
Going TO make dash for the next
cushion in his
favor and his boldness in executing I,S
moves is extraordinary. He can sloe
On anv style and he comes into pae
7-,+b rush that is terrifying TO the
-,e.5;a, of the sack, accompanied as
II IS. by flashing of polished spikes III
the air.
Not vicious Player.
cohh has been called a dirty play
o-r Int only by players who nave
Aued TO head of his wild oasheS
Ground the paths. There Is nothlns
vicious or dirty in his playing ne
simply sets out to gain his point anu
.ha onnosition must make way for him
or suffer the consequences
the bases without thought Oh INJURY
"a himself or others, and so he draws
&c times the salary of the cautious
atb1ete who is always getting out OF
somebody's way
Cohb is the cause of more WHO
+nroUzs than any other player IN Ihe
game today. He takes such big leao
that If always looks as though there
was q chance to get him, but the throw
must be hurried to nail the neet-IooI1u
lad and often the result Is a WHO
chuck.
Ol6 Nv Young tells story apou'
COINS wav Of doing business on the
hases which is typical Of his metnods
and fearless style.
ssT4 was when 1 was with the Boston
club" saws Cy, "and we were playlne
Detrott one day Cobb came to pa
and bounced one down in front OF tne
Mate. He was OF like snoI> iol
f7rst base. but should have been
a1,-. rativelv easy out<at that. The
ns+cher however, hurried, as maj
a1wavs does when Cobb is marching
erornd and threw slightly WILD
a7-ha first baseman reached out 1o1
.ho hall and partially stopped II, bu1
could not quite hold 1t and 1t carromeo
off his glove a few feet. Cooo JUS
kent on going, making the turn a
fun speed and heading Tor SECOND
AGAIN there were oceans of time L
- I'm but the first sacker in hi:
haste tossed high. The shortstop' Wn'
covered second, had to jump for the
hail II bounded off his finger tips ane
oiled into left center field for thfef
or four yards
"Cobb kept on going, never slack,
enine his speed and dashing for 'hir'
base with all his might. The ball wa:
quickly recovered, and once agal
there was certainty of putting nm
ont with a good play.
oRut all the infielders were now VI
in the air and none was sure OF M
aim. The shortstop's throw to thir'
was low. the ball bounced OF the sans
of the third baseman and rolled int
foul ground Cobb kept right IN go
ing. He rounded third, still at TN
limit of his speed, and rushed along 10
the plate
For the fourth time he could hav
heen headed off, for the throw wa
short and there was plenty of time u
get him after the third baseman ha'
recovered the ball. This time tn
throw was fairly good, but low, AM
Cobb. coming into the plate with on
of his long feet first slides. succeece.
in kicking the ball out of the eaten
ers mitt, slid over the plate an
scored his run
"He had made the complete circui
IL rO11Ar n the box