The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-16
"Reminiscences of a
 Big League Player
A Few Personal Experiences Since My Connection with
 Organized Baseball
CRv Tv CObb.l

(By Ty CObb.)
 The Editor of the Baseball Maga- zine has supplied me with a list o1 questions which he assures me the great American public would like to have answered. Some of the ques- tions are a bit personal and Such as I would prefer to let someone else an swer or dodge altogether, but ball players are after all a type Of publlc servant and as such are in a way re- sponsible to the public for their rec ords on the diamond. At any rate, the public, through the pages of the Baseball Magazine, seems to have me up for cross-examination, so l will try to answer some of it's quest1onE at least as well as I can.
 What are the greatest plays ever
 made?
 It is pretty hard for a ball player to write about the greatest plays ne ever made. If he didn't 1Ia make n an to get out of the business, because that is what he is hired for. And player in the ordinary run of the luck are foolish and gets so many call downs. from his manager and fellow teammates as vel as the pubic that he is perhaps entitled to little satls- faction when he has done something slightly above his average work. lli any case, since the public has asked me this question 1t will pardon me for trying to answer it as briefly and simply as l can.
 Tn a game at Cleveland in 1909 I was fortunate to score under circum- troit wel9 one run behind when came up to bat in the ninth inning. l nit sharply to short, who Jagged on the throw 90 that it fell by first hase- :! was safe, and immediately af erward stole second. I saw that the throw to second was bad so kept on to chance on a bad throw, and started for hone. As I expected. the throw so I menaged to beat out the throw home by a hair, thus tying the score. Detroit finally won the game
 In Philadelphia in the season of singled. By doing the hurry-up act managed to get home on this, dodging Thomas at the plate by very close play.
 Tn the same city in 1911 had great luck in base stealing on one occasion. The Athletics were one run to the their pitcher was in great form and I could scarcely expect a safe hit to bring ne home I had to steal. I did manage to steal second and third and though they beat us out in the hn1sh.
 In tatting my mind always goes back to the now celebrated 17-innlng tie which we played in Philadelphia in 1907. Rube Wadde1 was pitching and when l went to the plate feit none bo sure of the outcome as It
 
 were n the lead. However, some thing mad to be done, so I made a desperate try at one of Rube,s fast ones. and ] can assure you felt greatly relieved when l saw the ball sailing into the distance for a home run and knew that defeat was chang ed at least to a tie.
 Tn fielding I remember very well an iacident in Washington toward the close of the 1909 season. Detroit had six games to play and had to win five of them to be sure of the pennant. The score was 3-2 in favor of Detroit in the ninth inning. There was a man ter at the plate hit a low, hard liner to field. If it went safe the runner wou1 score and the game would be tied. When 1 started after 1t there didn't seem to me one chance in a thousand of my getting 1t. However, was determined to try for 1t. had to run and dive for it, landing flat on my face. but I caught the ball and the game was a victory for Detroit What position on the diamond is the
 hardest to play?
 I have been told that the average player imagines his own position Is the hardest to play, but don't think so. There is nothing to my mind in the outfeId to compare with the trou bles. of a catcher. He has more work than any other man on the team ex- cept the pitcher, and he has more chance to make costly mistakes than any other player. He does all tht: In1nklnS TOT the 1nnelQ ana alIT1OSL all the checking of base runners. He en- gineers most of the defensive plays and is the constant adviser of the pitcher. He has in my opinion the hardest all-round job in baseball. What city do like best to play in?
 Every player likes his own city best and I shall always be loyal to De- troit- When on the road. however, I always round the fans of that city particularly considerate and have re- ceived the best of treatment there. Boston is almost an ideal ball town.
 Who is the hardest pitcher to hit?
 I can only say that this depends all together on the batter. In my own ease I am free to admit that I have found Ed Walsh of the White Sox line of pitchers. The late Addie Joss was always a puzzle to me and I have a wholesome resnect for Walter John son of the Washington team.
 What is the hardest type of pitcher to
 hit?
 A batter always watches a pitchers every move and tries to guess what he is going to throw next. The pitch CT who can most successfully mask his movements is the one who $ hard has a side arm delivery or who turns his back when pitching is the most difficult proposition to face.
 What Is the Hardest Type of Ball to Tn my opinion the hardest kind of ball to hit is the spit ball, espec' ? fly a low ball. The spit ball is always hard to hit when it is work Ing right. Every batter will admit this, though all batters differ on their strong and weak points.
 What Other Occupation Outside of
 Baseball Ann Specially In-
 terestcd in?
 Every ball player has his hobby. aIways thought I should like to be specialist in surgery. I still think SO That profession has a fascina ton for me that I shall probably however, never have the opportunity to gratify. As for business interests other than baseball I invest most of my money in bank stock and farm lands I have