Evening star., 1924-12-07
T>Y COBB
Rernaker of Base Ball
imp Gasps : ss..;:n =" :: n,,'~ s....,-
And an Explanation
CHAPTER XxXyI.

sliding for third. He had stepped
over the hand, ticked the bag on the in
side corner turned sharply and con-
tinued on to the plate. Baker, failing
to md Cobb, Strengthened up and
snapped a throw to the catcher, but
COBB beat the throw by fraction and
Umpire Billy Evans called him safe.
Cobb Explains.
As Cobb jumped to his feet the um-
pire stood nearby gasping.
That play seemed like plain sui
eide" said Evans.
oh, no. 1T didn't. 1t was simple.
Baker expected me to slide. Ordi-
narily | would. But | knew that Ba-
ker expected me to slide and the way
he was reaching for the ball l knew
he thought he had a chance to tag me
coming in. He wouldn't stop to look,
he didn't have time for that No, he
would turn and plunge to the ground
to nail me. Not finding me he would
have to uncross his legs and set for
the throw. 7 had it all figured out.
knew that by the time Baker did all
of those things l would be scoring
and you got to admit that ! did"
There was Ttever a harder Ioser
than Cobb. He played TO win and
he used every ounce of brain and
energy at his command to succeed. He
could never give up. There was a
striking illustration of this in a game
between Detroit and New York while
Clark Griffith was manager of the
New York team.
1t was dreary game and the Ty-
gers were pounding the veteran Jack
Chesbro, then in his last DAYS as a
major league pitcher. For some rea-
son Griffith refused TO take Chesbro
out of the box. Managers do that
sometimes.
Not In His Nature.
IT seemed that Chesbro would never
set three men out in one Of the LAT >
innings. Cobb singled and as he wa
pTancing around the bag Bill Dono-
van, coaching at first base, said TO
Cobb:
Let EN- tag you out and get this
game over with. That's the only wav
they'll be able to get anybody out =
Yes go on and do that I'm get
ting tired myself" said Hal Chase.
playing first for New York.
Chesbro heard the remark and took
hint from the conversation He
threw the ball to Chase. Chase
reached over to put the ball on Cobb,
The runner jerked away a few inches.
Chase iunged at him to make the out
and Cobb jumped away again. Chase
began running after Cobb and then
the excitement started. Cobb ran up
and down the base line. jockeying be
tween infielders The entire New
York infeid gathered around him to
participate in the rundown. The ball
was thrown back and forth Finally
there was a wild throw TO second
Cobb slid. out of reach Of a fielder.
hooked the bag with his toe and was
safe
Il just couldn't stand there and let
EN- put me out without giving en- a
run for it," said Cobb later on i'm the
way OF explanation and apology.
Never Laid Down
IT could never be said of Cobb thai
he laid down. Most every other play-
er does at times. Cobb always PLAYED
the string out. He tried his best on
all occasions.
In exhibition games, where nearly
all players loaf because there is moth
ing at stake and the record books are
closed as far as these exhibitions are
concerned. Cobb played his best while
he was on the field. In explanation
he always said:
Some OF these people came a long
way to see you. They have probably
never seen YOU before and they may
never see you again. The impression
they carry off with them is the pic
ture they get of you in that game and
if YOU want to make good on every
thing they have been reading abou,
you and everything they think you
are. you've got to go at top speed to
keep them from being disappointed
ands dsdisillusioned. Also. if you get in
the habit of loa fling at certain times
in games like these, YOU arc likely tC
catch yourself loafing when YOU cant
afford to loaf The habit gets on you
unconsciously. The only thing to dc
is TO keep going at top speed while
you're on the field. Always be ex-
tended. It's the best habit you car
acquire" Cobb acquired 1t early and
never got out of it.
(Tomorrow; Chapter XXXyII-
COmparisons.D
Copyrighted. 1924. in the United states
Canada and Great Britain by North American
Newspaper Alliance. All rights reserved.)