Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-28
~ the Associated Press.

~ HICAGO. January 2S.-The
rafting of base ball skeletons
has blended into the tinkling
of gold as base ball clubs,
major and minor, bid for the
services of the two Southerners-Ty
-Cobb of Georgia and iris Speaker of
Texas.
Cobb. at Augusta, Ga, today def
nitely announced that he would return
In base ball this year. Speaker al
ready is in training for the season
and admittedly looking about for the
best 1927 contract.
The former manager of the Detroit
Tigers said he was going back for
one more big year" after having been
vindicated by Lands. but that he had
not decided where he would play.
IN what he termed his first official
statement since reading Lands de-
cision generating him. Cobb said he
did not want ii said that his last
game had been played while lie was
under a cloud of suspicion and that
lie felt he was honor bound" TO get
r. back into base bail.
Cobb considers himself a free agent,
he said in his statement. which was
made over the telephone from George
town, 5. c., where he is duck hunting.
Il have never resigned from the
Detroit club and that club does not
hold my resignation" he said but
!. have been released by that cub"
Cobb said he had received a num-
Der of offers and it probably would
take him sometime to decide which
was the best one.
Wants One More Big Year.
I. Il fully intended to retire perma.
nently," the Georgia Peach continued,
! but since this thing has come up
i have decided l will have to go back
and have one more big year"
He expressed confidence in his
ability to play base ball with the
best of them
Il was innocent of the charges
. and knew | would be cleared" said
Ty in commenting on Lands ruling
: words fail to express my happiness
over my vindication. have suffered
deeply, but never lost hope that
eventually right and justice would
prevail. | wish to thank from the
, bottom of my heart the base ball
fans, the newspapers. sporting
writers and all my friends for their
wonderful confidence in me-
For % years l have given my all
TO base ball. / am supremely happy
TO know that what / gave was not
given in vain"
Formally eXonerated of charges
. that limited of a fixed" game and of
betting by the two, Speaker and Cobb
today were the center of managerial
interest, not only in the American
League, where they long have been
outstanding performers, but in the
National, the International and the
ambitious Blue Ridge League as we'll
By decision of Commissioner lands
yesterday and by subsequent action
m Ia aasfr Of % %I,,
troit and Cleveland clubs, which Cobb
and Speaker, respectively, managed
last year, the players are now free
agents, able to make whatever ar
engagements they desire for their base
ball future.
Technically each is on the reserve
list of his club. President Frank J.
! Navin of the Detroit Tigers. however,
! Informed Cobb by telegraph yester-
. day that he may dicker with any
American League team he cares to,
and that his transfer from Detroit will
! be effected without cost to the club
. that may wish to sign the Georgian.
Speaker to Change.
President L. S. Barnard of Cleve.
land pointed out that while he. per-
sonally was delighted with Speakers
generation, lit would not be good
/. for base BALI for Speaker to appear
; this year in a Cleveland uniform.
President Barnard said that following
; Speakers retirement" last Fall, a
new manager was signed, whose con-
. tract could not he broken, and that
: le did not believe it would be right
. for Speaker to be merely a player on
/. team which for eight years he man.
aged.
There was much talk of offers for
: the services for both Cobb and Speak
! er, but thus far negotiations have not
: reached farther than the "feeler"
stage.
Z Speaker, who has not played ball
: as long as the Georgian. has shown
: himself still to be a fast, shrewd,
: quick-throwing fielder, despite his
Z gray locks. Cobb remains a dangerous
: batsman, a sure fielder and a crafty
. baserunner, despite slowing limbs.
Griff in Quest for Iris.
Clark Griffith, president of the
: Washington Senators, has asked
{ Speaker to join that club. Col. Jacob
RUPERT, speaking for the New York
: Yanke es, of which he is president,
said the Yankees ARE interested in
: both players, especially Speaker"
Then, too, there is an opening
/. awaiting Speaker in the Philadelphia
= Americans outfield. Speaker has
= accepted an invitation to attend the
: annual dinner ~ Philadelphia tomor-