Evening star., 1924-12-08
BY H. c.. SALSINGER.

~OMPARISONS often are
drawn between Ty Cobb
~ and George Sisler or Rogers
Hornsby. Some believed Sisler
might ovcrtake the Georgian, but all
unfortunate eye ailment cut down
the brilliant career OF the former
University OF Michigan star. Horns
by has steadily improved. Ot the
two Sisler most resembled Cobb.
But. returning to the matter of
comparison. If there is one man
who should be in position to pass
Judgment, it is Branch Hickey. lie
resigned as base ball coach at Michi-
gan to become manager of the ST.
Louis Americans. He took Sisler to
St Louis from the campus at Ann
Arbor and saw him develop into one
of the truly great players of the
game. Then he went over to the
National League and BECAME man
ager of the ST. Louis Cardinals. on
{ his team he found Rogers Hornsby
and he has seen Hornsby develop
into the leading player of the Ma
tfonal Hickey saw much OF Cobp
while mana ging the Browns. lie has
seen much of Sisler and of Hornsby.
Asked which OF the three was the
greatest player, Hickey replied:
cobb Is easily the greatest. No
one can doubt that Cobb is the great
est that ever lived Why, l believe
that Cobb carried brains in his feet.
He at least played that way. l saw
Cobb make one play while was
manager of the Browns that l Will
never forget. That one play, if moth
ing else, would convince me that Cobb
was a superplayer.
Cobb Against Weiiman.
I'VE were playing in Detroit and
the score was tied in the ninth. Two
were out Carl Weilman, who had it
on Detroit all the while he was in
the American League was pitching
that day. 1t was Cobb's turn at bat.
"Weilman had more success against
Cobb than any other pitcher Cobb
over batted against. 1t was chiefly
because Cobb could do nothing against
weilman that Weilman was able to
beat the Tigers eight times in one
season. But this day Cobb scored
point over Weilman.
when Cobb came to bat Weilman
started working on him. He never
was convinced fully that Cobb was
, easy, although the records show that
he was, as far as Weilman was con-
cerned Well. there was Weilman
working on him and Cobb shifting
around in the batter s box and doing
everything he could to disrupt Well
man. He finally managed to get a
base on balls.
"As soon as Cobb reached first he
took a long lead off the bag. We'll
man threw to Leary, our first base
man, to catch Cobb off but Cobb
easily beat the throw, sliding grace
fully into the sack. Leary lobbed the
ball back to Weilman and Cobb i'm
mediately dashed away. again and
drew another throw which he man.
aged to beat to the bag.
'Leary lobbed the ball back to
Weilman and Cobb dashed away
+ again. Weilman snatched the ball out
of the air and whipped it back to
Leary but again too late to catch
Cobb. He once more beat the play.
Weilman Urged On.
fright here / thought I saw a
chance to retire the side by catching
Cobb off first. I stood up in the dug
out and yelled to Weilman:
"'Do it again"
"weilman snapped the ball back to
Leary but he had no more success
than before. This time Leary, dis
gusted at failing to catch Cobb, lob
bed the ball back to Weilman even
higher than before and away Cobb
went, this time for second base.
AWeilman snatched the ball out of the
air and shot 1t to Johnny Lavan, who
was playing second base for us. But
weilman overhurried and the ball
struck the ground near Lavan's feet