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Lot 355
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Lot Number: 355
Description: 1955 Ty Cobb nine-page handwritten letter with significant baseball content. Incredible nine-page letter penned by Cobb in green ink on his personal stationery discusses Cobb's viewpoints on the game of baseball and disputes alleged inaccuracies that have been attributed to him in previously published articles. Cobb derides writers who have misquoted him stating, "I have never thought it my right to criticize a ball player in print, my name has been used, advantage taken of me...many times with those writing baseball as I class them as critics also for their advantage to make his story provocative. I have been {sic} the chopping block so many times and will add that nothing has hurt me as much inside as this practice... I wanted to follow something else in life but I ended up as a ballplayer, and I do reverence {sic} baseball and fully appreciate what it has done for me." Cobb refers favorably to an article written by him for Life magazine in 1952 called "They Don't Play Baseball Anymore". The two-part article appeared in consecutive issues of Life and was written, as Cobb puts it, in "the words of mine." Cobb refers to statements made in the Life article regarding numerous players from the period including Joe DiMaggio - "Joe would never know how great a player he could have been, per conditioning and also hitting to right..."; and Ted Williams - "...great ability to hit, but neutralized by his determination to hit to right..."; and mentions other players including Rizzuto, Musial and Reese. Cobb's letter also includes his fascinating comparison of "old timer vs modern" players including an analysis of differences in equipment, conditioning, desire and "attitude shown to win the game, the hustle...". Perhaps most fascinating is his comparison between the dead ball era and the lively ball era and his preference for the former. Cobb mentions Babe Ruth stating, "There will never be no doubt {sic} another Babe Ruth that something he had that made him the greatest drawing card of all time, but the game has deteriorated since the infliction of the lively ball..." The letter is rich with Cobb's musings on nearly every facet of the game, down to evolving characteristics of stadiums. Cobb's letter makes continual references to his own 1952 Life magazine article. Six pages are written on single sides of 7 1/2"x10 1/4" leaves of stationery, with one double-sided leaf, and the last page being a small 4"x6" notebook page with Cobb's name printed at top. Cobb closes the letter "Sincerely Ty". All writing rates 8-9 out of 10. Pages each have three punch holes at left edge and typical fold lines. Copies of the two original 1952 issues of Life magazine containing Cobb's two part article "They Don't Play Baseball Anymore" are included. A complete transcript of the letter is available upon request. Includes LOA from JSA: Letter: EXEstimated Price Range: ($2,500-$3,500)
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