Evening star., 1924-12-09
BY HI. G.. SALSINGER.

tt. Y COBB was fortunate in en-
tering base ball-when he did.
= Those were the days of tight
pitching duels. The list of 800 bats
men each season rarely consisted of
more than a dozen regular players.
Those were the days before the
lively ball; when teams had to fight
for each run and when base run
ming was of paramount Importance
in the attack. Runs did not come
in clusters as in recent seasons.
Cobbs best work was done on the
bases; not alone in stealing bases,
but in running out hits and running
on fielding chances. He appealed to
the student of base ball who under
stood his work. and he appealed to
the heart of the bleacher that did
not understand the inner workings
of the plays, but that liked to see
Cobb run because he always was
picturesque and spectacular.
They Play Safe Now.
Because hits have been so easy to
get in recent years; because teams
have adopted a policy of playing
safe on the bases and waiting for
the hit which was likely to come
(for between so and rs batsmen in
each major league were hitting 800
and better), the kind OF base run
been neglected. The percentage of
late has been in waiting and playing
safe. Ball teams play percentage.
But, during the first 10 years of
Cobb's career, he was at his best.
After he was in the game a few
years longer the lively ball came in
and there was no longer need for
the Cobb flash and daring on the
bases. 1t was just as well for
Cobb's sake. When the lively ball
was introduced Cobb had slowed
down enough to prevent him from
making the kind of plays that gave
him his remarkable reputation. He
could not have done the same tricks
then no matter how badly he want
ed to.
He brought many innovations into
the game with his base running. He
was the first man to score from
was the first man to score from first
on a single. He got much assistance
from Claud Rossman, who played
first base for Detroit and who fol-
lowed Cobb in the batting order
Rossman was one of the best bats
men of his day. He was by far the
surest bunter in the majors. Ross
man could bunt a ball no matter
where 1t was pitched, as long as he
could reach, il. And he bunted any
kind of delivery. Some people think
fast balls are the easiest kind to
bunt, but they are mistaken. 1t is
much easier to bunt a curve ball than
a fast one, but Rossman bunted any
thing; all he asked was ball within
reach.
Always CO-Opernted.
With Rossman coming up behind
him, Cobb could get cooperation
when he wanted IT. The perfect
bunts of Rossman and the fact that
Rossman always bunted when he
signaled that he would, gave Cobb
the help he needed in his speetacu-
lar exhibitions. But as a rule Cobb
worked alone. He created his own
opportunities as he planned, or as
the occasion arose.
Fred Mitchell who was a catcher
in the American League and later a
manager in the National, describes
one of Cobb's base running plays to
show how he took advantage of op-
----t"nity in a flash.
Sas catching that day against
detroit and La Porte was playing
third for US. 1t was a tight game.
Two men were out when Cobb
reached third. / had my suspicious.
l figured that Cobb would try to pull
something. He made a sudden move
toward the plate. / whipped the ball
to La Porte. Cobb beat the throw
back.
Once more Cobb moved off third.
and 1 again whipped the ball to La
Porte. Cobb slid back easily. Cobb
NaI 1,s u
with one foot on the bag. La Porte,
holding the ball in his gloved hand,
took a few steps toward the pitcher.
The pitcher walked toward La Porte.
"As La Porte moved toward the
pitcher and as the pitcher moved to-