The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-19
TY COBB SIGNS
AS TIGER LEADER
ON HIS BIRTHDAY
Georgian Will Get $4,000
for Managing Club Next
Season.
TO TRAIN NEAR GIANTS
DetrOits VIII Prepare at Hot
Wells, on Outskirts of
San Antonio.
BY DANIEL.

in baseball, yesterday afternoon cele-
brated his thirty-fourth birthday by
becoming the manager of the Detroit
club of the American League. Whether
Cobb is a believer in omens and is
superstitious and purposely waited
until his natal day he would not say.
But he admitted that he was thirty
four--that he had been born on De-
cember is, 1886, at Royston. Ga.
Cobb met Frank Navin, owner of
the Tigers, in this city and after a
short conference affixed his signature
to aecontract which calls for his get
ting 100000 for leading the club for
one season. Cobb, of course, will con-
tinue to play in centre field.
Cobb's new contract makes him the
highest salaried man playing base
ball and the second highest salaried
manager. John McGraw holds the
financial lead among the managers,
but he also is a stakeholder and vice.
president of the New York club. Under
his old contract with Harry Hemp
stead it was understood that McGraw
drew $4,000 a year in addition to
bonus. Babe Ruth's contract calls for
$4,000 a season.
The elevation of Cobb to the position
which not so long ago was given up by
Uughey Jennings, since engaged as as
sistant toMcGraw comes as no surprise.
When last week 1t was announced that
George Stallings had purchased the
Rochester club of the international
art it- no "
II practically became certain that Cobb
would become the leader of the Tigers.
Cobb Boosted StalIings.
Navin was very anxious to land Cobb
as manager, but the outfielder seemed
10 be reluctant and had the offer under
consideration for some time. He In
formed Navin that he wanted to see
Stallings lead the Tigers. Clarence
Rowland, former manager of the White
Sox, also was candidate for the job.
hut he retired from the field last week
when he accepted the position with Co
lumbus OF the American Association,
vice Joe Tinker. resigned.
Cobb has been a member of the De-
troit club for sixteen years. and for
twelve years he was the champion bats
ran OF the league, always over the 300
mark. and reaching the top average OF
.fSU III Jtll. AZ AL llilltS nc mus DtSI
colorful athlete whose batting Prov
ess, fine fielding and fire and dash on
the bases have made him one of the big
gest drawing cards In the history of the
game.
II was In 1904 that Cobb first broke
into professional baseball with the An
niston (Ga.) club OF the Southeastern
League That same summer he went to
the Augusta club OF the South Atlantic
League. where he was a team mate OF
Nap Rucker, the slow ball pitcher who
was to become famous with Brooklyn.
Brooklyn could have had the outfielder
too. but Ty did not look like world
heater in those days and the Dodgers
passed him up.
Bought for 500.
On August 2s. 1906. Detroit bought
Cobb from Augusta for the princely sum
of S700-one of the most fortunate in
vestments ever made in baseball. In
forty-one games In 1905 Cobb hit for
only 240. but in 1906 he started his
great hitting. with an average OF .420.
And Tyrus has been in the limelight
ever since. as fielder and hitter, as par
tlclpant in a battle with various Giants
on an exhibition trip In the South in
1917 as chastiser OF foul mouthed fan
and the leading figure in ensuing
alteration which threatened a strike OF
players Cobb was suspended for hit
ting the spectator and his fellow players
resented that action At the close OF
the 1918 season Cobb. along with
Christy Mathewson. became an officer
I'm the Chemical Warfare Service.
Last season Cobb fell off in his hit
ting and his fielding. too. being handl-
capped greatly by injuries which kept
him out OF the game early in the sea-
SON Critics say that he is slipping the
way of all veterans. But Ty takes good
care of himself. He has a happy fam
ily down in Georgia.
Train mt San Antonio.
Cobb faces hard task. as the Tigers
will have to be reorganied. Several
players. who are openly opposed to
Cobb no doubt will be released. Cobb
said that San Antonio had been selected
as the training camp--a fact which will
make the Tigers training neighbors OF
the Giants. The New Yorks are to work
ut the Texas League ball park In the
Alamo City, while tho Tigers will stay
ut Hot Wells. about three miles from the
centre of the city The sulphur baths at
Hot Wells make II fine spot for
camp.
With the Tigers at San Antonio. II
seems likely that the Giants will meet
the Cobb outfit i'm several exhibition
games However. before these are
played feud between the Giants and
Cobb will have 10 be buried
The Giants toured the South with the
Tigers in 1916 and 1917. and in the lat
ter year good deal Of bitter feeling de-
ve1oped between the Georgian and few
NJ the New York players. Finally II
broke out in the form Of fight between
cobb and Charley Hcrzog at Wichita
Falls. Texas. Zimmerman became en-
broiled in &C. too and McGraw an
nounced that he would have nothing
more TO do with the Tiger star.
Col. Rupert yesterday did not seem
20 be greatly chagrined over the latest
outbreak OF cheap politics In the Amer
lean League. He admitted that Ban
Johnson's move in barring the insur-
gents from the board of directors had
come as n surprise 10 him He had been
led 10 believe that the past had been for
gotten and that the league would follow
the forward march OF progress.
The Yankees stili are trying TO get an
outfieder from Washington, but yester-
day they could not even report progress.