The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-03-24
| ALKINC
IT OVER
BY JOE WILLIAMS
49, YORK. March =


"A writes in % ask why Ty Cobb
is no longer in baseball why
should a great PLAYER like Cobb be
left out OF the game IN every ca
pacity this year" the reader writes.
. why all the silence about Cobb.
who has given so much to the
game? l. he not eligible to play
or coach. or play and coach? It IS
obvious that ne is being DoycOtred
By the mOguls. Why? Personal
dislike? Cobb has great popularity
with the fans. He is colorful. II IS
fascinating to watch him in action
at The bat. in the field. on the bases.
He still is a great athlete even at
his age. Is there no place in the
game for him? II not, then 1t is a
funny game. an ungrateful and
poorly run game that it would leave
such A character out Of it, a genius
In his own way. an idol and ire
mendous drawing card
The reason Cobb is no longer
in baseball is that fter twenty
four years of the most bristling
sort of competition ever known by
an individual on the field, he has
grown weary and tired.
There Is no boycott against the Georgian
he quit in Philadelphia OF his own ac-
cord. lie could have STAYED another sea
son with Connie Mack. lie could have
gone To st. Louis with the Browns Tie
could have made other connections. But
the. fire has sone cold in his soul. Per
haps II Is closer TO the truth to say the
zip has gone out Of his legs and the
sparkle has left his batting orbs
Cobb never was fashioned to be side
line observer. Some impetuous figures Of
the diamond have made the move from
the front line trenches 10 the less blister
ing atmosphere OF the dugout, notably Nc
Craw. with an easy naturalness but Cobb
could never be happy cast in the role OF
a non -combatant Take his bat away from
him and his intensity for the game I'M
mediately fades.
Fortunately, Cobb does not have to wor-
~ about the future. He is a millionaire
in his own right-the only ball player to
leave the game with such fortune. I'm
I'll Ruth came along he was always the
highest paid PLAYER In baseball. Added TO
his earnings have been many thousands
OF dollars Welded by fortunate invest
ments.
TOBB was in town the other day.
~ He seemed more interested in
his golf than baseball. Until he
quit baseball he had little patience
for the Ancient Scottish pastime.
Now he is a keen enthusiast. One
Of these days he will be a tough
opponent for anybody He has gone
about the development OF his game
with much of the same blazing
spirit he threw into baseball. His
natural aptitude for any sport in
volving the hitting Of a ball with
a stick is shown by the fact that
he broke 90 in the first month of
his play. He scores consistently in
the SOS today.
Cobb Is planning another trip to EurOpe
this summer. This Is proof enough tRat
he has no notion Of making new base
ball utilization. He spent last summer IN
Furope and enjoyed 1t. AT first, j was
restless and III at ease" he said. but
presently that wore off and much TO my
surprise I soon found that could pick
m paper without looking for the box
scores"
Before sailing last summer Cobb
predicted the Athletics and the
Cubs would be in the world Sc
ries. He thinks the prospects OF
both teams repeating this season
are equally bright. But don't go
out and make a bet on it" he ad-
monished "AIl that 1 know about
the game these days is what read
in the sports pages
Cobb has q big family. but he hopes that
none Of his BOYS ever take up baseball as
= profession. There is little in the game
for YOU unless YOU are star he eX-
planned. There is q gayety and ad-
venture about the life that Is not without
its appeal but onlv the top notchers are
able to make a real monetary success Of
the game was unusually fortunate both
in being able to plav the game with
certain skill and IN escaping injuries. Not
e-crv body can count with any degree Of
security on such breaks.
IT don't think would care to have
bov OF mine run the risks that are neces-
sarv in holding a big league career"
Incidentally. Augusta, Ga. is soon
TO lose its most illustrouS contribu-
ton to sport. The lure of Cali
fornia is on Cobb and unless some
thing develops to cause him to
change his mind. the family will
take up a permanent residence in
the vicinity of Los Angeles, where
the greatest ball player of all time
will settle down TO the prosaic life
Of gentleman farmer.
BREAKS MARATHON MARK
b. United Press
ST. GEORGE. N. Y. March "a