El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-01
Georgian Peach Once Was
on the Market For Pal
try $50.

Boston, Feb. Talk about casting
pearls before swinei Think of a base
ball manager who would release Ty
Cobb after two days trial as not fast
enough for the select company of the
South Atlantic league Sounds incredi-
bic, doesn't il, after looking over some
OF the recent performances Of the dia-
mond's most conspicuous figure2 Yet
1t happened, according to a no less
well informed person than the Peach
himself, who certainly ought to know.
Many or the fans who have admired
the Georgia boy since his advent as a
big Lacquer will be surprised to hear
that his early efforts 10 break into
the professional ranks were by no
means crowned with Instantaneous
success. On the contrary, Ty had his
struggles and disappointments Just
like many Of the lesser lights and sew
eral times baseball came near losing
him altogether. Among the unpleas-
ant things connected with his early
career were the release mentioned
above and being peddled' for $50 be-
cause he wanted the princeIy salary
of S125 a month to play for a southern
club.
Father Didn't Like Game.
On top of all this Ty had to over
come the strenuous objections of his
father to his adopting baseball as a
means of livelihood Eventually the
senior Cobb became an enthusiast of
TIE game out at Al4SL ne lEONueQ on IL
as something fit only for frivolous per-
sons and beneath the dignity of a
southern gentleman
Con Struthers, the former Detroit
first baseman. who was manager of
the Augusta club of the South Atlantic
league in the spring of 1904, was the
man who didn't think enough Of me as
a ball player TO hold me any longer
than two days Of the cham piOnship
season" said Ty, in telling of his early
Nan IN III reF~ e.
that he has been trying to claim credit
for developing me now that 1 have
achieved some success what really
happened when 1 was with his club is
interesting
Il reported to Augusta in the spring
Of 1904, and after working hard through
the spring training period was lucky
enough to get into the opening game
through the absence Of one of the reg
ulars for some reason or other. The
absentee was an infielder and one OF
the regular outfielders was shifted to
his position, so got my chance to
play in the meadows ] made a home
run and a double in the first game
and came back with a single and a
couple of sacrifice hits the next aft
ernOon.
Comes As Surprise
BY that time ] figured that I had
shown enough to earn a place on the
club. but to my surprise and chagrfn
Struthers Informed me that evening
that I had been released uncondition-
ally. I was pretty mad and pretty dis
cOuraged and I called my father on the
long distance telephone to ask his ad-
vice about an offer to go to Admission,
Ala, for the munificent salary of s65
a month which was SIS less than I
had signed for in Augusta.
MY father had begun to take an in
terest in the game by this time and. as
I had been given a couple Of boosts in
the Augusta papers he told me to try
it again over in the Tennessee Alabama
town where I had an offer. I took his
advice and reported to Admission. I did
well in the smaller town and had an
average Of about 400 when Augusta
took me back. Struthers by this time
had got into trouble and had been
forced to resign as manager. otherwise
I wouldn't have gone back to the club
for I vowed never to work for him
again
Batted .23S With Malaria.
IT finished out the season with Au-
gUsta and had an average Of .2SS for