Anyone Read the book COBB by Al Stump? Warning Spoliers!!!!!!!

Morgoth · August 13, 2008 1:42AM

He wrote the autobiography of Cobb "My Life in Baseball" but had to leave out all the "bad stuff" as Cobb had complete control of that book. In this new look at Cobb, Stump tells all and man is it crazy. Some stuff I learned as I haven't finished it yet.

Warning spoilers ahead

Cobb actually was mentally disturbed, maybe insane for most of his playing days.

Cobb beat all of his wives.

He was incredibly racist his whole life.

Cobbs father had his head blown off by his mother who was charged with murder.

He set up charities to help give college educations to poor children and gave money to old time players in hard times.

When he died only 2 people associated with MLB showed up for the funeral.

His own children shunned him along with all other relatives and friends at the time of death.

He killed a man for robbing him.

He was worth over 12million and invested in the stock market heavily. Carried 1 mil in bonds wherever he went.

I am actually torn about owning cards of his because he was such a horrible person.

hotmush · August 13, 2008 1:53AM

Great movie, though.

fur72 · August 13, 2008 1:56AM

Indeed Tommy Lee Jones was good in that movie. Did we leave that off the best sports movies list?

Stingray · August 13, 2008 2:07AM

I think I read once where he was heavily invested in Coca-Cola.

originalisbest · August 13, 2008 2:13AM

That's OK, I refuse to own any cards of Barry Bonds since he's such a horrible person.

Morgoth · August 13, 2008 2:18AM

In reality no one can compare with Cobb. He was mentally ill and had real demons in his head. I don't think he was schizophrenic but I think he had meglamonia and alot of unresolved issues due to his fathers death. Bonds and these guys today are just dishonest people trying to make money he was a person that beat women and men alike and hated unlike anyone I have read about.

In the book a review listed states Cobb is closer to Hitler and sometimes makes Hitler look cuddly.

Pete14Rose · August 13, 2008 2:25AM

Cobb was indeed a complete %^&*^*$# (best way I can put it).....he was also a great player. I actually like Cobb's style, always have. He played hard and lived hard. My take is that he wrestled with a lot of demons his whole life. It made him who he was. While he was rotten to the core for the most part, he also was VERY charitable to those less fortunate. I have more respect for turn of the century players (and all of their pros & cons) then I will ever have for today's primadonnas.

He was certainly a unique person - on and off the field.

I've always said that he were alive today or if I had lived back then, I would have loved to have been friends with Cobb. But then again, I don't try to be everyone's favorite person...so I think I would have gotten along with him famously

.

Morgoth · August 13, 2008 2:32AM

Until he threw a whiskey bottle at your head or pulled a gun on you, which he did to the author of the book who was working for him and the only person taking care of him while dying.

Morgoth · August 13, 2008 2:35AM

His hating of Ted Williams was awesome due to the fact that they were buddies until Ted said that Hornsby was just as good as Cobb hitting for a few years not knowing Cobb was insanely jealous and hated Hornsby.

pandrews · August 13, 2008 2:43AM

<< and sometimes makes Hitler look cuddly. >>

yeah probably not.

originalisbest · August 13, 2008 2:52AM

So you bring up Hitler as a comparison? Isn't that not only offensively stupid, but pretty much signals the end of an intelligible thread? There's a term for it that escapes me at the moment. But, really.

cwazzy · August 13, 2008 2:57AM

<< So you bring up Hitler as a comparison? Isn't that not only offensively stupid, but pretty much signals the end of an intelligible thread? There's a term for it that escapes me at the moment. But, really. >>

I believe that is actually from the book. Chill my friend. It's just a comparison and not meant to offend.

Chris

originalisbest · August 13, 2008 3:21AM

Regardless of the source, it's a bizarre comparison -- which is being kind.

Stingray · August 13, 2008 3:27AM

I guess we could compare Henry Ford to Hitler, in at least their anti-semitic views??

Morgoth · August 13, 2008 3:38AM

You could argue that Hitler was evil and Cobb was sick but sometimes when you read about Cobb he comes across as having to be evil or just too self centered to know any better. Wasn't me just a book review that compared him to Hitler.

They way everyone was afraid of him made him sound like a freddy kreuger

Morgoth · August 13, 2008 3:44AM

<< guess we could compare Henry Ford to Hitler, in at least their anti-semitic views?? >>

Ford and Cobb wouldn't be alone in that comparison as being anti semetic was pretty standard in the early 1900's. Cobb was definately a product of the reconstruction south but you would have thought by the 1960s he would have softened some but he never did.

billwaltonsbeard · August 13, 2008 3:48AM

I'm ignoring the ridiculous squabbling over Hitler.

Wasn't all this 'new' info in the movie version of COBB?

hotmush · August 13, 2008 3:48AM

Speaking of Williams, didn't I hear somewhere that Teddy Ballgame was a notorious jerk? Spitting on and giving the finger to the Boston fans?

Morgoth · August 13, 2008 3:49AM

The movie was based on this book and there was much left out of the movie.

originalisbest · August 13, 2008 4:12AM

If anything, I would've been extremely surprised if Cobb had softened. Anyhoo, at least Tris Speaker and Mickey Cochrane could be counted among his friends, 'specially Mickey, the way Cobb took care of him in his later years.

fur72 · August 13, 2008 4:46AM

<< The movie was based on this book and there was much left out of the movie. >>

As always books are better than the movie.

Boopotts · August 13, 2008 6:06AM

Interesting bit on Cobb's racism. It's from Wikipedia, so I don't know how reliable it is, but it's at least food for thought.

"While few would doubt Cobb's reputation for violent and outrageous behavior, there is some evidence that his alleged racism has been overstated. Indeed, he would certainly be considered a racist by today's standards, but he may not have been especially racist for his day. For instance, when baseball became integrated, he fully stood behind the decision, telling the Sporting News "The Negro has a right to compete in sports and who is to say they have not? They have been competing notably in football, track, and baseball and I think they are to be complimented for their gentle conduct both on the field, and, as far as I know, off the field." Furthermore, his charitable contributions such as the hospital he built in his home town, and a scholarship fund he started, were both open to blacks."

css23 · August 13, 2008 6:15AM

'He set up charities to help give college educations to poor children and gave money to old time players in hard times.'

Sounds like something Hitler would do.

Tabe · August 13, 2008 8:13AM

<< He wrote the autobiography of Cobb "My Life in Baseball" but had to leave out all the "bad stuff" as Cobb had complete control of that book. In this new look at Cobb, Stump tells all and man is it crazy. Some stuff I learned as I haven't finished it yet. >>

That "new look" came out in 1996

It's probably worth mentioning here that Stump has been embroiled in controversy over the last several years for selling "memorabilia" of Cobb whose authenticity is questionable. I believe there was a pink pair of pajamas involved, among other items. Lots of doubts as to whether the stuff was legit.

Tabe

originalisbest · August 13, 2008 8:27AM

Doubt that was Stump, since he passed away shortly after completing the book.

ArchStanton · August 13, 2008 8:40AM

I believe the shotgun Cobb's mother used to shoot his father was part of the Barry Halper collection. It is my understanding that the lack of MLB presence at his funeral is because he outlived most of his teammates. I've heard that Honus Wagner himself denied that Cobb ever made the "Kraut" comments that were so widely attributed to him.

Pete14Rose · August 13, 2008 12:12PM

<< 

<< He wrote the autobiography of Cobb "My Life in Baseball" but had to leave out all the "bad stuff" as Cobb had complete control of that book. In this new look at Cobb, Stump tells all and man is it crazy. Some stuff I learned as I haven't finished it yet. >>

That "new look" came out in 1996

It's probably worth mentioning here that Stump has been embroiled in controversy over the last several years for selling "memorabilia" of Cobb whose authenticity is questionable. I believe there was a pink pair of pajamas involved, among other items. Lots of doubts as to whether the stuff was legit.

Tabe >>

Stump died in 1995. I don't think that any controversy in recent years would have bothered him.

RoarIn84 · August 13, 2008 10:15PM

been meaning to order a cheap copy of that. Cobb is certainly my favorite ball player and all out villain. despicable man indeed, but we are products of our upbringing and surroundings and he never denied or tried to sugar coat his awfulness.

great movie, and certainly my favorite baseball movie after Eight Men Out. but please tell me all that crap with the Ramona doofus was glamourized for the screen. painful to watch.

one of the best lines ever-

Louis Prima: With all the great players playing ball right now, how well do you think you would do against today's pitchers?

Ty Cobb: Well, I figure against today's pitchers I'd only probably hit about .290

Louis Prima: .290? Well that's amazing, because you batted over .400 a... a whole bunch of times. Now tell us all, we'd all like to know, why do you think you'd only hit .290?

Ty Cobb: Well, I'm 72 f***ing years old you ignorant son of a b*tch

Anyone Read the book COBB by Al Stump? Warning Spoliers!!!!!!!

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