Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 109, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1917 — CLEVELAND IS HOME OF BATTING EYE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CLEVELAND IS HOME OF BATTING EYE

There must be something in Cleveland’s general atmosphere to bolster up the batting eye. First there was Nap Lajoie, and shortly after his arrival the Cleveland club one season boasted no fewer than eight .300 hitters in Lajoie, Flick, Clarke, Bemis, Rossman, Bay, Bradley and Turner. Then as Larry began to wane Joe Jackson arrived. Jackson’s first two years were .408 and .395. When Jackson passed on to Chicago, Tris Speaker soon arrived from Boston. The Texan could always hit, but his general average had been about 40 points below Cobb’s. But once established in Cleveland harness, his first official act was to dethrone Cobb and end his nlne-year reign. And now the new campaigri Speaker is once more out in front of the pack. Cobb’s main opponents have always been Cleveland entries—Lajoie, Jackson and Speaker. And if any citizen outhlts Cobb this season the fusillade is almost sure to come from a Cleveland rampart.

TY COBB AND HIS CLEVELAND OPPONENTS.