Ty cobb book not racist

A terrible beauty, charles leerhsen expected to uncover new examples of monstrous monstrosity. I was asked by the writer through netgalley if i would like to read his book about ty cobb. And by those relative standards, ty cobb was a garden variety racist, who grew with the others, and who allied. In ty cobbs case, the repetition has not only destroyed a mans reputation, it has obliterated a real story that is more interesting than the myth. Aug 30, 2011 ty cobb died on july 17, 1961, at age 74, and doubleday rushed to get his autobiography onto bookshelves two months later. In which ty cobb wasnt racist because he had black friends. It also textually is the first cobb one to stress his 32year postcareer, 1929 to 1961. More on ty cobb from his biographers son freakonomics. Ty cobb book by charles leerhsen official publisher page. That means seeing cobb not as a man of the twentyfirst century, but as he was perceived during and after his 24year career in major league. But a human being who was not the racist lunatic so many baseball fans assume him to be.

Debunking the facts about baseballs ty cobb newsday. Stumped by the storyteller a thorough debunking of the shotgun question. Author charles leerhsen joins bill littlefield to explain how his research. The original music score was composed by elliot goldenthal. New book shatters myths of ty cobbs meanness and racism. Discussion in journalism topics only started by lcjjdnh, jul 18, 2017. Despite all of his achievements as a baseball player, ty cobb is unfairly remembered as a dirty player and a violent racist. If not, then id say it is a pretty openandshut case about cobb being a racist. Ty cobb was one of the greatest baseball players of all time and king of the socalled deadball era. Al stump waved around a shotgun that he claimed ty cobbs mother had used to shoot his father, and offered it up to auction to the highest bidder. Finally a fascinating and authoritative biography of perhaps the most co. A true record was released shortly after cobbs death. Alvin john al stump october 20, 1916 december 14, 1995, was an american author and sports writer. Cobb spent 22 seasons with the detroit tigers, the last six as the teams playermanager, and finished his career with the philadelphia athletics.

Several scandalous and tabloid quality books have been written about him with many incidents that were largely made up. If i were forced to choose i believe i would give the nod to charles leerhsens book ty cobb. Cobb determined exactly how the game was to be played, how a ballplayer was to compete. Ty cobb was not a racist bleacher report latest news, videos. Ty cobb american athlete born on december 18, 1886, died on july 17, 1961 tyrus raymond ty cobb, nicknamed the georgia peach, was an american major league baseball outfielder. How ty cobb was framed as a racist war, greatest, general. Tyrus raymond cobb 18861961 was one of the greatest baseball players of all time, ending his twentyfouryear career the first twentytwo of which he spent with the detroit tigers with a.

The true story of dan patch, the most famous horse in america. Charles leerhsen is a former executive editor at sports illustrated. A true tale of mystery, mayhem, and the birth of the indy 500. Tyrus raymond cobb was by far the greatest player in major league baseballs history, but very few write about his personal sidethe side that has been. A terrible beauty is not only the best work ever written on this american sports legend, but its also a major rehaul of a reputation unfairly maligned for. A human being whose life did, indeed, come with its fair share of tussles and tumult. A new biography of baseball legend ty cobb disputes the longheld beliefs that cobb was a racist and a dirty player.

May 31, 2015 the two things everyone knows about ty cobb are that he was a phenomenal baseball player and that he was the worst racist ever to play the game. Tyrus raymond cobb 18861961 was one of the greatest baseball players of all time, ending his twentyfouryear career the first twentytwo of which he spent with the detroit tigers with a lifetime batting average of. The building that housed one of ty cobbs most famous fights is gone. In my house is a framed photograph of me standing beside the great ty cobb. It seemed almost as if todays media mentality was out to get ty cobb back in the 1990s. This book goes into detail about dispelling the myth about him being racist through articles that were written about him at the time. The virulent racist of legend, supposedly driven to derangement if even touched by a black man, attended negro league games, threw out a first pitch, and often sat in the dugouts with black. In which ty cobb wasnt racist because he had black. To research for the book, leerhsen traveled to detroit and georgia and read contemporary newspaper reports about cobb. View ty cobb s page at the baseball hall of fame plaque, photos, videos. A lot of the socalled stories about ty cobb seem incredibly far fetched. In defense of ty cobb, perhaps the detroit tigers most. Stump spent time with detroit tigers hall of fame baseball player ty cobb in 1960 and 1961 collaborating on cobbs autobiography.

In biographies and magazine stories, cobb has been accused of beating up black men, simply because they were black and handy. In the movie field of dreams, shoeless joe jackson says. Presumably cobb had editorial control on that book. Cobbs father was a georgia state senator from the 31st district who voted. Actually, there are four of us teenage hopefuls flanking cobb we in ragged baseball garb, the balding cobb in slacks. What you think you know about ty cobbs personality is largely based on one man, and his account should not be trusted while i was working on the detroit tigers alltime 25man roster not long ago, i started to write the entry on ty cobb based on what i knew about him from being a lifelong baseball fan.

His racism is a fabrication by his biographer al stump. Cobb was also, by several accounts, a racist, and a violent one at that. Well into the 1960s, cobb was hailed as one of the five original members of the baseball hall of fame, the georgia peach who held some of. Cobb is a 1994 biopic starring tommy lee jones as the famed baseball player ty cobb. What i foundand again, not because i am the babe ruth of researchers, but because i actually did some researchis that ty cobb was descended from a long line of abolitionists. The book sold well, but in december 1961, true magazine published a story. Setting the record straight about ty cobb richard pennington. Ty cobb, who still holds the majorleague career records for batting average. It was the first time cobb had not led the al in batting since 1906, and he would be.

The article, and later expanded book, further accused stump of numerous false statements about ty cobb, not only during and immediately after their 1961 collaboration but also in stumps later years, most of which were sensationalist in nature and intended to cast cobb in an unflattering light. The two things everyone knows about ty cobb are that he was a phenomenal baseball player and that he was the worst racist ever to play the game. Ty cobb unleashed does the legwork for them and recommends a practice that publishers should adhere to in revisionist history titles. The knife in ty cobbs back history smithsonian magazine. Ty cobb was not a racist, he did not sharpen his spikes to slash other players just to steal a base, he did not kill a man in detroit, as alleged by recent nickel writers, and he did not live the. Leerhsens book may not knock hornbakers book off the shelf but hornbaker is definitely going to have to move over and make room for leerhsens book. Ty cobb book by charles leerhsen official publisher. History look, i have been going over articles and history in baseball for a while, and one sticks out as still being fed to people in the day and age where racism is hightier media controversy wherever it is sold. I consider both to be worthwhile to have in your library as i do. Ty cobb was not a racist bleacher report latest news.

One hundred years ago, in 1916, ty cobb enjoyed a typically spectacular season for the detroit tigersin 145 games, he had 542 atbats, scored 1 runs first in the american league, had 201 hits including 31 doubles, 10 triples and 5 home runs, 68 rbis, 68 stolen bases first in the al and batted. He was an ignorant southernbred racist, evidenced by what he didnt do, rather than what he did do. How ty cobb was framed as a racist war, greatest, general user name. General admission50 centswas still a half days pay for many americans, and yet surely here was a man who was worth four bits to ogle. Exceeded rookie limits during 1905 season full name.

Take the case of ty cobb, one of the greatest baseball players ever. Tys dirty laundry daughter angered by cobb movie, book why dont they leave the private life alone and stay with daddys records and give him his due. But charles leerhsen accomplishes this unusual feat in his biography, ty cobb. In spring training in 1907, cobb, considered a racist by many, fought a black groundskeeper over the condition of. The movie they made about ty showed him as a drinker. Superbly reported, wonderfully written and often quite funny, charles leerhsens ty cobb. When a friend discovered i was reading this book, he said i really hope the ty cobb book just says he was a gigantic racist asshole and leaves the rest of the pages blank. In my book, that goes not just for baseball but for all walks of life. Yes, he discredits the old al stump biography and is not the first to do so but throughout this book ty cobb is painted as some saintly, unbiased, almost gentle at times, nonracist, not so very violent tempered and there is very little but mr. Oct 24, 2018 in ty cobbs case, the repetition has not only destroyed a mans reputation, it has obliterated a real story that is more interesting than the myth.

To research for the book, leerhsen traveled to detroit and georgia and read contemporary newspaper reports about cobb and many personal letters. The second most common response is worst racist eversaid with varying degrees of disapproval. Ty cobb died on july 17, 1961, at age 74, and doubleday rushed to get his autobiography onto bookshelves two months later. Removing the fangs from ty cobbs notoriety the new york times. How could someone born in georgia in 1886 not be a racist. I recommend you read charles leershens book ty cobb. Itd be very interested to hear anything about how his parents felt towards blacks. Tyrus raymond ty cobb, nicknamed the georgia peach, was an american major league baseball outfielder. I had heard all the stories suggesting ty cobb was a monster. Radcliffe wasnt the only person to label ty cobb a racist. The definitive counterbiography of the chastened racist howard w.

He has written for rolling stone, esquire, and the new york times. There is a heavy emphasis on setting the record straight on cobbs life. Oct 09, 2016 book, granddaughter present kinder image of ty cobb. Ty cobb was not a racist, so why did that myth exist for so long. Ty cobb a terrible beauty, written by charles leerhsen and published in 2015, is a colorful and well balanced biography. Aug 02, 2008 ty cobb was not a racist, he did not sharpen his spikes to slash other players just to steal a base, he did not kill a man in detroit, as alleged by recent nickel writers, and he did not live the.

On the field, he was said to sharpen his spikes to cutup rival infielders. The two things everyone knows about ty cobb are that he was a phenomenal baseball player and that he was the worst racist ever to play the. He broke cap ansons career hits record in 1923 and continued to add to it for five seasons before. Tys dirty laundry daughter angered by cobb movie, book. Yes, he discredits the old al stump biography and is not the first to do so but throughout this book ty cobb is painted as some saintly, unbiased, almost gentle at times, non racist, not so very violent tempered and there is very little but mr. If you buy one version of the image of ty cobb, leerhsen said, its so onedimensional and paper thin that its almost like a cartoon character. The film is told through the partnership between cobb and sportswriter al stump who served as a ghostwriter of cobbs autobiography. Fricks is thanked for providing, as a representative of the ty cobb museum, copies of cobbs fathers autopsy report and records regarding his mothers trial testimony. Ty cobb set more baseball records than anyone in history. A new cobb emergesmanyfaced and passionatein this important, original view of a figure well installed in baseball lore. In actuality, there is much evidence that he was a generous man with radical ideas about racial equality.

Cobb likely didnt learn to be a racist from his father, who, as a politician in the antebellum deep south, openly advocated for african americans rights and once stopped a lynching by standing. Leerhsens book yet, so maybe you can fill me in on two points that have always stuck with me about ty cobb and his racism. These same articles were not always referred to with accuracy in the different books about ty cobb. The negro should be accepted and not grudgingly but wholeheartedly, he said in 1952. He played in the major leaguesmostly for the detroit tigers but a bit for the philadelphia athleticsfrom 1905 to 1928, and was the first player ever voted into the hall of fame.

It has been a long time since i read it but my memory is that cobb comes across in that book as someone with lots of grievances against the world and was a bitter, old man. Ty cobb, the georgia peach, was anything but warm and fuzzy, but he was a heck of a hitter. The picture was written and directed by ron shelton and based on a book by al stump. Ty cobb biography life, family, children, parents, wife. From this research, stump later went on to write at least two books and at least one. Book, granddaughter present kinder image of ty cobb. A terrible beauty, is a highly enlightening and highly enjoyable book. Secondly, biographically on cobb, it resolves differences between the two books, especially on the tricky subject of racism. Ty cobb was not a racist, so why did that myth exist for so. Ty cobb did not commit murder the sabr article debunking stumps murder claim. The issue isnt whether cobb was a racist by our 21st century standards, because of course he was along with most everyone else back then, but the issue is whether or not he was a violent racist i. I didnt want it to say this, however, because i had discovered the book through an interview the author charles leerhsen had with keith olbermann on espn. But still far from the poster boy for racial virulence which hes now made out to be. Cindy cobb visits detroit for recent tigers games and wants it known her grandfather was not a monster.

Leerhsen dispels these historical recollections as apocryphal or exaggerated. Jun 01, 2015 removing the fangs from ty cobbs notoriety. The following year, 1906, cobb became the tigers fulltime center fielder and hit. For example, racist ty cobb in fact advocated for the rights of blacks to play baseball. The book did not make mention of any abuse towards his wives. Its very easy to trash someones reputation when theyre not here to defend their name.