New Britain herald., 1926-12-23
Cobb Is Defended

Chicago, Dec. 2s lP - Detroit, which less than two years ago gave civic testimonial banquet and pre- sented him with a sl.000 gift paid for. from the treasury of the city itself. has risen as one man to the defense of it's baseball idol against charges os crookedness in baseball.
 Ninety miles across Lake Erie, as the crow flies, Cleveland has writ ten the same positive endorsement across the record of Iris Speaker, whose name has been coupled with Cobbs and with that of "Sm ckey Joe" Wood, former Cleveland pitch CT, in one of baseball's most astound- ing episodes.
 Detroit fandom for years applaud ed and liked the sOuthpaw pitching of Hubert tDutch) Leonard, author of the charges that now cloud the names of two of the games greatest centerfelders. By the same token, a large portion of Detroit fans were openly critical of Ty Cobb as man. ager. Now that the two have come in conflict over a matter involving the integrity of one of them. and of the game itself, Detroit has been sure and swift in its endorsement of Cobb.
 Two Detroit recorders court judges-Guy A. Miller and Edward J. Jefferies--haye coupled their pub lie endorsement of Cobb with sharp criticism of Baseball Commissioner K. NJ. Landis for making public what they feel are calumnious ! charges.
 The commissioners action Is de- scribed by Judge Miller as ''inde- fensible, and in line with his history of hypocritical sensatioaalsm'
 Judge Jetferies believes Commits soner Landis has gone out of his way to destroy two of the greatest idols of the day." and that Iandis has fouled his own nest in his de- sire for sensationalism.' He goes further, predicting that the 'reac- ton to baseball if this man con- | tinues muckraking will destroy the ! game"
 | Fans were just as ready to rally ! behind Speaker. and the phone in his ! Cleveland home today continued to ring in the messages of assurance of | his integrity. Speaker in 8 state ment asked the public to base their opinion of him on twenty years of hard, honest effort for the game 1 have loved" rather than take the statement of a disgruntled player who has refused to meet me face to ! face"
 Rallies to Defense Tn Cobb's home town, Augusta. i Ga, the city council at a special in dignation meeting last night passed a resolution asserting complete con- fidence in the honesty. probity and integrity of Tyrus Raymond Cobb. V The coupling of Cobb with any plan to fix a baseball game, the resolution said, lis conspiracy to defame his good namo."
 Believe in Cobb Some of the participants In that  game in September, 1919, in which Detroit defeated Cleveland to ,, have been no less positive than the Augusta council in their expressions of belief in the integrity Of Speaker and Cobb.
 Pep" Young. former Detroit sec ond baseman, said in Philadelphia that Speaker and Cobb are 'on the level" and that ito question their honesty is almost unbelievable.
 Cobb and Speaker were always on the square. I don't believe these charges" was the comment of Del Drake, who played the outfeld with Cobb and Sam Crawford
 Bernie Roland. who pitched the game in question for Detroit, said he did not believe the game was fixed and couldn't believe Cobb would have anything to do with such an affair"
 Athletic officials at Yale university where Joe Wood is baseball coach ! witt another year of his contract to