Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 279, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 November 1918 — COBB LEADS IN POPULARITY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COBB LEADS IN POPULARITY

Bats Bearing Autograph of Detroit Slugger Are In Greatest Demand by Soldiers. Who, Is the most popular major league ball player ainong the Yankee sdldlers abroad, and at camps at home? The question has been answered by the demands of American; soldiers on the Clark C. Griffith bat and ball fund for. bats. In applying for the baseball

outfits the soldiers are permitted to specify which player’s name goes on the . bats. Willows bearing the autograph of Ty Cobb are in greatest demand —5,882 sticks on which appears the name of the leading American league slugger have been distributed to Uncle Sam’s fighters. Walter Johnson is the next popular player. The famous twirler's name appears on 1,740 bats. Then in order come those stamped with Benny KaufFs name, 1,680; Sam Rice, 1,138, 'and Frank Baker, with 1,121. These are the only ones above the thousand mark. An outstanding feature of the request is that Tris Speaker’s name is marked ort only 821 of rnjre than 20.000 bats. ■ ■ • .7

Captain Tyrus Cobb.