The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-05-18
COBB LEAVES BASEBALL
FOR ONE DAY AND DRIVES RACE
AUTO ON SPEEDWAY
Great Baseball Player Would Become
Speed Demon If Opportunity Was
Afforded in Long Race.

Ty Cobb, the champion batsman of
the American League and the famous
star of the Detroit Baseball Club. is
d speed demon The famous Tyrus
demonstrated his proves at the
wheel of a racing automobile at the
indianapolis Motor Speedway, recent
ly, when he turned a mile in a Ma
tional 40" in % seconds, with Brick
Owens. the American Association UNI
pire, riding in the mechanician's seat.
The weather was inclement and the
track was rather damp, but the nervy
outfielder sent the big car over the
minutes fat or at the rate of seventy
rate.
While Cobb was not after Barney
Oldfield's fast mf1e of 1868, made on
the big brick oval. he did turn some
fast miles. The course was wet and
made it all the more hazardous to at
tempt fast time, but this did not de-
ter the Georgia Peach" and after two
trips around the track with Happy
Johnny" Aitken, the star of the Ma
tional racing team, Ty took the wheel
he could reel off,
The Speedway management made
an exception for the famous diamond
star and the National Company took
new roadster off the floor. and the
blue finish of the car excited the adj
miration of the crack outfielder. Clad
in the habiliments of a professional
speed demon" the fans would hardly
have recognized jennings star as he
crouched behind the big wheel. Ty
made one circuit of he track to get
accustomed TO handling the car and
then waved the timers to catch him
on his next trip. Considering that the
car, in automobile parlance. was
green Ty's feat of going the two and
one-half miles in , 20 shows that he
was hitting it up some. although. as
he expressed it, 1t was fun-not half
so hard as Judging long fly"
TiriEg OF driving 4 car. with all the
parts necessary to make a finished
car. Cobb signifed his desire to try
out a test car. but not until he had
turned mile IN 30 seconds in the
ROADSTER three test cars were on the
track, but none of them had beer lin
bered up and the car turned over to
Cobb had not done twenty miles after
coming off the floor, but the fact that
the motor was stiff did not cause the
diamond speed demon to hssita tie
and he clambered into the test car. ~
made mile in SO seconds, which. con-
sidering the stiffness of the motor. was
making good time.
1t was not long until Brick" Ow-
ms caught the fever and when Cobb
balted in front Of the grand stand
again, Owens agreed to trust his life
with Cobb il Cobb would agree to "let
her out" as Owens expressed it. This
was what Ty was aching to do and let
!, It out he did.
maniac" Cobb let the motor out
enough to rip the tread of the right
rear tire on the back stretch. and as
Owens expressed 1t. why 1t looked
like he was trying to put on a new
necktie." BY this time 1t was grow
ing dark and much to Cobb's regret
he was unable to continue Keeling of;
the miles and he had to leave the fu-
ture stellar work On the track to the
racing stars entered in the big Me-
mortal Day event at the Speedway.
This was Cobb's first experience
holding the whee. of a high-power
car on track, although he has driv-
en- fast cars for number of years.
Last year Tyrus was carded to meet
Nap Rucker, the Brooklyn pitcher. ia
a match race, but President Nayfn-
of the Detroit Club, interviewed and
the event was called on. Cobb kept
his plans for ths Speedway carefully
guarded and but few knew of the pro.
posed trip.