Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 118, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1920 — TY COBB OVERLOOKED BY HUGHIE JENNINGS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TY COBB OVERLOOKED BY HUGHIE JENNINGS

“Peach” Was Regular Rusher, Says Bill Donovan. Detroit Had Chance to Secure Geon, plan on Training Trip in 1905, but Passed Him Up, Taking Clyde Engle Instead. This is a new story of the discovery of Ty Cobb. It was told by “Wild Bill” Donovan. “It was back in 1905 when Detroit was training In Augusta, Ga., and the future cap’n In our army was a regular busher. Ty attracted little attention, for he was a terrible fielder and tried to run through the fence In every game. Hughie 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. “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 bis ball elub 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. “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 IL “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 nqt 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, 1 attribute the speedy journey to first base that day in Augusta to Cobb’s Joining the Detroit club."

Ty Cobb.