Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-04-11
TY COBB Tells
ABOUT BATTLE
Detroit Infelder Claims Herzog
Had Been Abusing Him
Throughout Day.

Ty Cobb's version of his historic
rough and tumble battle recently with
Charley Herzog of the Giants, at Dali
las, Texas, was given to the public at
Cincinnati for the first time.
1T vas evident from the start OF
our series with the Giants" said
Cobb, that they were trying their
game they rode me continually. Her.
zog was especially vicious in his re-
marks and SO was McGraw, whom 1
consider n of the biggest muckers
in the game. They pulled a lot Of
dirty stuff in that game.
when we started the second game
with them at Dallas they commenced
attacking me at once. Herzog was
awfully raw, and / warned him that I
would attend to his case If he did not
stop using such vile language. He
kept it up and 1 warned him again,
but he persisted.
IAN inning or two later 1 got to
first base. n the stage was set. 1
told Bobby Eeach, who followed me
in the batting order. to let the first
m go. as I was going to steal.
schupp was pitching and he held me
so close to the base that I got a bad
start and was thrown out by 10 feet.
Herzog had the ball waiting for me
and he could easily have stayed off
the base line and touched me out. but
he rushed up to meet me and dove
for me to ride me into the bag on one
of his g%randstand plays, which fool
some of the fans but not the other
players.
When I saw what he was doing, I
slid, with my foot up in the air. and
spiked him on the leg. 1t was not an
accident, but if you knew the vile
names he had been calling me, you
would consider it excusable. We got
to u feet and my arms were seized
from behind by Fletcher. while Her
zog made a couple of wild passes at
I my face, but did not hit me. Then
some of his fellow players rushed in
him go. but they would not. Then
Bill Brennan, who is travelling with
the Giants and favoring them on
every close play so that they can win
the series, ordered me out Of the
game. but let Herzog stay in.
That night at the hotel Herzog
came over to my table in the dining
room and said he wanted to see me
in my room after dinner. At first
he soon made it clear that he was
coming up to fight it out. I told him
I would be there in half an hour.
Then I went upstairs. moved the bed
out Of the way, and got ready for the
fray. At h appointed time Herzoe
came up, attended by HeineZimmer.
man. while I had stanage and our
trainer. larry Tuthill. with me. Her
zog first k me If I would apologize
to him and call it of. I told him tina,
he was the M who should apologize
and that I vas at his service. 7 told
him that I wasn't much Of a boxer
and asked him If he wanted to f1gh,
straight rules o. rough-and- tumble
He said to make 1t straight rules an6
we went at 1t.
Zimmerman kept getting in gu,
referee, and I stopped and told him
to get put Of our road, or Stanage
would throw him downstairs. Then
he wanted to leave the room, but we
made him stay 90 that Herzog could
not say that he did not get fair treat.
ment. The fight did not last very long
He hit me a glancing blow on the side
Oft the TACT. and that was the only
time he&touched me. I knocked him
down twice with blows between The
eyes and cut his Forehead. The sec.
ond time. I helped him to his feet
and then he said he had enough and
shook hands with me and left the
room. That a all there was to It.
II don't like to get into arrow OF
this kind. 1t doesn't look very vel
for q married man. with a wife and
three children. to be fighting on thu
field and In hotel rooms. But there
was no waysout Of it Herzog forced
1t on himself and I had to do. It. Am
ball player will know that I couidn:
rave spiked him II he had known how
to touch me properly, as he had the
hsll long before ! got to the base. III
deliberately got in my way to cause
trouble and he got what was comins
to him."