New-York tribune., 1918-12-17
Iy Cobb Says
He May Quit
Greatest Game
Star Tiger Outfielder and
John Evers Back From
the War Zone Yesterday
By W. I. Macbeth


captain Tyrus Raymond Cobb, the
greatest living ball player and prob
aoly the greatest ball player of all
time, and John j. Evers, the brainiost
second baseman Of them all when he
starred with the Chicago Cubs under
the Peerless Leader, Frank Chance,
both returned in khaki from abroad
yesterday. Cobb, who was captain
OF the chemical warfare division. U. S.
A., arrived on the giant transuort
Leviathan; Evers, a secretary of the
hnights OF Columbus, was on La Lor-
raine
II would be difficult to say which of
the two diamond idols attracted the
greater attention, for while Cobb had
seen practically no action abroad he
had a very important announcement to
make; Evers, who sailed for France
last April as secretary and physical
director of the Knights of Columbus.
had more than once smelled gunpowdeY
IN the front line trenches and had
many interesting anecdotes to relate
OF his personal encounter with pro-
tessional players, we'll known to the
American public, on the other side.
Cobb's announcement is startling, if
true. He declares he is ready to pass
up the great national game.
"At the present moment" said Cobb
81 am free and have no intention of
| signing again with the Detroit Tigers
or any other club" he added. "Of
course, the fascination of the game
may prove too strong to resist when
the merry old springtime rolls round"
he went on.
Il tried to quit once before, but the
lure was too strong. And so it may
prove now. But l had always deter
mined to get out Of the game while at
the helght OF my career, and while l
had an excellent season last year
realize | am not getting younger.
thatched my roof while the weather
was fine and am Independent of my
physical prowess as a player.
"Ihere. is every. good reason to ex- :,
pect a big boom in baseball in 1919,"
the Georgian Peach continued.
Every one is talking baseball back
over there and If the magnates will
only forget politics and petty jealousies
the game will come back stronger than
ever. Despite what has been said, the
baseball player has upheld his end in
this war. The Stacker element has
been less pronounced than in any other
profession or business line. And the
dougbboys will tell you so.
"No," concluded Cobb, Il think you
may safely say I will not be in base
ball this year. l am not talking this
way for business purposes. l intend
to quit. But, as said before, I may
not have the same will power two
months hence. / always loved the
game, and | love it still. But I wish
to quit with my laurels untarnished."
Johnny Evers Back Home
Johnny Evers, chief cheerer-on of
the Umpire Batting League and for
merly of the Boston Red Sox and
Braves and the Chicago Cubs, made
home plate when La Lorraine nosed
into the harbor. The nemesis terror of
umpires has been in France directing
athletic activities through the Knights
of Columbus and has grown fat at the
job.
Evers has been buster than when
caught between first and second, and
teaching the neophytes of the great
and glorious slam bang game in France
to respect the umpire's decisions. He
says he said it. The heavier than usual
and modest-as- the -usual-violet key.
stoner stood up like good boy before
newspaper men yesterday and talked Of
baseball in France.
"The boys over there want the big
leagues to be going full tilt when they
return" he said. "They have no laci
of respect for big league players anC
F. 4,1~ -
accustomed speed in the United States
The first question that was hurled al
him on his arrival in France was from
truckload of doughboys whirling or
toward Verdun:
"How'd you get the title of 'crab'?"
Evers says he couldn't answer be
cause he denies the allegation.
Wooden Legs a Bar
His baseball classes began at {
o'clock in the morning. and consisted
of a chalk talk and then an hour and
half of actual labor story work on tn,
diamond. One day the practice gam,
was interrupted when the star pitche
> broke the suspender on his wooden ley
= Evers ran onto Joe jenkins as th'
latter was marching toward Verlun
He saw Grover Alexander putting ZEN
over with his gun in the 342d Fiel,
. Artillery. Evers says Alexander wa
busy with that gun until II O'Clock tn
day the armistice terms were agree,
upon, and that he was shooting then
right and left.
Til Huston, he says, is at the iron
a with the army of occupation, in com
, mand of the 18th Engineers. The frs
question Roy Bates asked was whethe
: Perry had gone to Boston or remaine
I with the Athletics
I Evers passes it out that the FrencI
: take to baseball in a hurry, and tn
: game will likely get good standin
l there.
Johnny did his turn lighting Gig
> arettes for soldiers in the front lin
trenches when he wasn't busy wit
boxing carnivals and baseball tourna
}. ments. Just whisper has come tina
Evers picked up gun dropped by
wounded American and cut down tn
German male census by two or three
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