Complicated Shadows: Ty Cobb and the Public Imagination

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Few figures in recent history have been as poorly suited to modern sensibilities as Ty Cobb. Often violent, racist, misogynistic, and misanthropic, was, in many respects, antithesis of egalitarian virtues that American society has come to profess. Because of this, is now regarded by many as an unredeemed madman who was able to channel his near psychotic rage into dominance on baseball However, prevailing attitude too often separates from context of his time and has served to inflate this deeply troubled figure into monster despite justification for more objective examination of Cobb's actions on and off field. died in 1961, rich and bitter and alone at age of 74, Kevin Bolland wrote of Cobb, there were few at his funeral in Atlanta [sic] who would disagree that sons-of-bitches of world had just lost their leader. (1) While it is beyond dispute that was often irascible, violent, and cruel, Cobb's character was not uniformly dark. For example, used his personal fortune to endow scholarship fund for Georgia college students and founded state-of-the-art hospital in his hometown of Royston, Georgia. Cobb's son James remembered his father as loving family man wracked by physical and emotional pain. 'Till day died, James said, he never failed to put his arms around me after we'd been apart for while. Cobb's daughter Beverly McLaren remembered her father similarly but also hinted at his darkness: was very intelligent and well read man who could discuss many, many subjects. had good sense of humor and could be pleasant and interesting--if not rubbed wrong way. When you have genius and man devoted to thing ... you certainly don't think that could come home and forget it, do you? (2) Similarly, Furman Bisher reacted with sadness to attention recently paid to Cobb. He never had any peace in his life, said Bisher, Now they won't let him have any peace in death. ... I know all stories and references about and what terrible man was. wasn't to me. gave me his time. May be I just have an affection for scoundrels. (3) Nevertheless, three decades after his death, Philadelphia Inquirer asserted that was one of most offensive human beings ever called upon to play role of sports hero. (4) Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert said that was a mean-tempered, vicious, drunken, wife beating, racist SOB who was impossible to spend any time with. Ebert then memorably compared enduring two-hour biopic to being seated next to notorious gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson on three-day bus trip. (5) Beyond such avowedly popular sources, scholars have often presented as more nuanced figure, but have arrived at scarcely different results. Cobb was noisy, combative, and intensely disliked by nearly everyone, wrote historian Benjamin Rader. (6) Stephen Riess called Cobb, a crude misanthrope who fought with players, fans, and friends. (7) David Quentin Voigt concurred, writing in American Baseball that Cobb occupied special niche as hot-tempered devil of baseball. (8) Charles Alexander concludes his authoritative biography of with thought that was the most volatile, most fear-inspiring presence ever to appear on baseball diamond. (9) While these assessments of are reasonably accurate, nearly demonic image of which currently inhabits popular imagination is, to large degree, modern conception built to suit modern sensibilities. However poorly suited Ty may be for our time, did, often to an alarming degree, accurately reflect mores of American society, early twentieth-century baseball, and preferences of sporting press. In Cobb's own time, perception of him and of his play was far more nuanced than current scholarship often indicates. …