The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-01-20
Indicated Willy Faces Naugy Tonight
TODAY'S
SPORT
PARADE
By HENRY A1cLEA1ORE

By HENRY McLEMORE
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent
san Francisco, January 20. =
(UP) - The only spikes he wears
these days are the ones built for
fairways and green's, but as much as
he loves golf, Ty Cobb's first, real
and lasting affection is for baseball.
I rode out to the San Francisco
match play open with him and
Grantland Rice yesterday, and as
the car rolled along toward the
course their conversation rolled back
the years and Cobb was once again
rookie In Roslyn, Georgia, dream
ing Of q chance to make good In
baseball.
Knowing what he later accom-
plished, as the greatest star the
game ever produced, It was hard to
believe that Cobb suffered the heart
aches and Disappointment and re-
Bluffs that he did as youngster
trying to break in.
He played his first game Of pro-
fessional baseball for the little town
Of Hartwell, Georgia, and for his
services was paid the fine sum Of
$2.50. A year later the Augusta
team offered him q tryout - pro-
vided he paid his own railroad fare
and board and room during the try.
out.
Objection
II went as q shortstop," Cobb said,
land much against my dads wishes.
He had arranged to get me an ap-
pointment to either West Point or
Annapolis, and he was dead set
against baseball. ! didn't tell him
! was going to Augusta for a try
out until the night before 7 was to
leave. He walked the floor most Of
the night, and offered me every
possible argument against such .
tep. But when he saw I wouldn't
be satisfied until I gave baseball q
try, he wrote me out q batch Of
checks - each for $l5 - and told
me to do my best"
The Augusta manager moved
Cobb from shortstop to centerfield,
but he started the season against
Admission, Alabama, at first base,
due to an injury to the regular first
baseman.
II got q home run and q double
the first day, and q single In three
times up the second" Cobb said,
'but the third day, when the regu-
lar first baseman came back, they
gave me my release. It nearly
broke my heart ana hated to call
up my dad because ] was sure he
would say he knew that would be
the result all the time, and to come
on home. But when ! talked to him,
and told him ! had q chance 10 60
to Admission, he said, Son, 60 on TO
Admission and don't come back until
you've made good. And know you
will That message from dad was
the greatest Inspiration ever had,
and I owe everything ever did in
baseball to the words he told me
over the telephone that night. II
you don't think I gave everything
I had to make good In Admission,
you're crazy"
"You even wrote some letters to
the newspapers about how good you
were, didn't you, Typ, Rice asked
with a laugh.
Cobb chuckled.
Popular
IT know you did," Rice said, 'be-
cause I was q sports editor Of the
Atlanta Journal at that time, and
used to get letters from towns all
over the south telling me to watch q
young fellow with Admission named
Cobb. The letters described what
hitter he was, how he could run
the bases, and how he could play the
outfield. The letters were signed
John Jones, Ed Smith, Tom Brown,
Phil Harris, Joe Thomson, and every
other name"
II wrote them ALL" Cobb admitted.
II knew you could give me the pub
Lefty needed, and ] used to write
you every time I got a hit or made
q good catch or did anything. The
stories you wrote helped, too. It
got me o job In Augusta again, and
this time at the fancy salary Of 900
o month"
A year with Augusta and Detroit
bought him for the then impress
sive price Of $500. II ever there was
q gerater bargain in baseball you
try to name 1t. Wonder what q
major league team would pay these
days for q rookie who for "a years
could get q, batting average Of 1888
per year.