Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 141, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 June 1919 — “WILD BILL” DONOVAN CLAIMS HE WAS ONE TO BRING OUT TY RAYMOND COBB [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

“WILD BILL” DONOVAN CLAIMS HE WAS ONE TO BRING OUT TY RAYMOND COBB

When you are in a little group of fans and the talk is frittering away almost to a dead silende a good way to knock them all cold is to loudly announce : “I discovered Ty Cobb,” or “If it hadn’t been for me Eddie Collins would be selling ham sandwiches on the B. & O.” But anyway, Wild Bill Donovan comes out with the announcement that he was the real Edison who gave Ty Cobb to the baseball world. Harken to Willyum: Made Jennings Laugh. “It was way back in 1915 when Detroit was training in Augusta, Ga., and the captain was a regular busher. Ty attracted little attention, for he was a terrible fielder and tried to run through the fence in every game. Hugtife Jennings used to laugh every time Cobb ran out on the field, for there was nothing about him that even suggested a future star. His hitting was of the bush league variety, and when an outfielder can’t hit it’s time to forget all about him. “Detroit had a chance that year to get Cobb for nothing, for the Augusta club had made a deal with Jennings whereby he would have the privilege of selecting any player on the team if his ball club did its spring training in Augusta. To show what a hit Cobb

made, Clyde Engle, the infielder, was chosen and Tyrus the Great allowed to remain in the tall grass. Busher Rested on First. “I never forgot Cobb,” said Donovan, “for one day when I was pitching he hit a ball to me and I had to run toward third base to field it. It wasn’t a hard-hit ball, so I took my time, but before I could straighten up to throw to first you can imagine my surprise when I saw that busher roosting on the bag. Never before had I seen such speedy traveling toward first base, and I remembered it. “Later in the season one of our outfielders went bad and I suggested to Jennings that he take a chance with that fast guy down in Augusta. Jennings wired down there and a reply came back that Cobb would not be sent North unless the Detroit club- purchased'him for $750. President Navin sent them the money and Cobb was signed by Detroit. “The first year, as you know, Ty did not set the world afire, but barely got by. There was a noticeable improvement the next season, and now look at him. At the same time, I attribute the speedy journey to first base that day in Augusta to Cobb’s joining the Detroit club.”

Ty Cobb, Hughie Jennings and “Wild Bill” Donovan.