Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-30
WIN, LOSE OR
GNAV By FRANCIS sTANN
The Tiger Wore Spikes

THE MEMOIRS OF AGING MEN are inclined to be more
interesting and controversial than awessy factua
true of exbal players well politicians Ty Cobhs
informal biography titled The Tiger Wore Spikes points up
OF special interest here Cobbs disclosure that in his
early days Ty who to become the greatest hitter all
me once feared that Dr. Guy Harris White would drive him
out of the American League In you late Doc
White, Georgetown aumnuS had been superb southpaw
for the old Chicago White many decades had
been gentle, respected mentor in Washingtons schools
At the moment the 77yearod White patient Doctors
Hospital, undergoing surgery for an eye cataract
Doc was hard for Ty to hit, Author John McCallum
writes tanning him frequently with drop Whites drop was
thing of beauty Cobb beginning to fear that the
southpaw would drive him the league All of sudden
Ty had Doc figured out He could picture him
the pitching mound, as plain day Editors note This
solution occurred in a Chicago hotel lobby
1--WE got it," Ty shouted
Got what?' asked Wild Bill Donovan who was parked
next to Cobb
"a way to hit Doc Whites drop Ty blurted"
THE NEXT DAY Cobb recalls that with new back-in-
stance he waited for Whites drop safely over
second base Doc struck Ty again. Author McCaum
asserts, and quotes Cobb follows:
Il was sorry to him (Whte) league He had
become soft spot for All that necessary to hold
my swing until his drop broke"
But Writer McCalum apparently threw Cobb curve of
ms own AT what expenditure of time it will not be estimated
McCaum complied the record of Cobb against every pitcher
OF every club Who went the against Ty When
remembered that Cobb played "a in the American
League, the enormity of the task is apparent
Possibly just scanning the end product too much for
TyruS Raymond At rate he baed only 27S for his
career against Doc White a super-hitter whose
lifetime average Including his 4Oth year of life 367 he
could not have regretted Docs departure deeply
or else he had whatsoever against White
Great Revelation in a hotel lobby.
BUT COBB WORE OUT great many of the other
standout pitchers of his time Ty incredibly successful
against Bob Shawkey during that hurers years with
the Yankees batting 506 The Yanks had another great
pitcher Southpaw named Herb Pennock against this
Hall OF Fame member Cobb batted AIS
Eddie Ccotte notorious figure in the 1919 Black Sox
World Series fine pitcher but mattered little Cobb
apparently where he moved When Cicote with the Red
Sox, Ty thumped him for $50 When Eddie shifted to the
White Sox the Georgian a 342 against him.
Ted Lyons was another who didn't battle Tyrus very
much according to Tvs 1927 against him. Thomas
another White Sox STAR retired Cobb only half the
time Average VS. Thomas471 Versus Ed Walsh was 327
COBB GAVE THE BETTER Yankee pitchers fits too
although for no particular Not only did thump
ShaWkey and Pennock but in earlier he was 1854
against Jack CheSbro and 426 against Ray Caldwell
interesting to note that old Yankee although he would
have been the last to bring up the fact Clark Griffith
Old Grif done in as pitcher but managing the High
anders Yankees) with eligibility to play faced Cobb
game, according to McCalum. The was that Gri
retired Ty in all four times at bat much Gris and
own fierce spirit behodened him unknown but
See WIN, LOSE OR DRAW, Page CO