While I've never been a big baseball fan (Football is another matter) I listened to and (after they got a tv) watched a lot of games with my Granddaddy. The only team I ever gave a hoot about was, believe it or not, the Yankees. (I know, expecting a lightning bolt any minute).
Granddaddy played a lot of baseball as a kid and then after going into the Navy. Every ship or duty station had their own team.

Even though Cobb wasn't playing, I do remember hearing him say many times during the tv games that people just never understood Ty. It wasn't until I was waaaay older he told me what he meant. He said if people had any knowledge of what Ty Cobb's home life was like as a kid, they'd not judge him as harsh. He knew him. They grew up in the Bowman, Elberton, Roysten, Hartwell area in Georgia and the families were aquainted. Granddaddy was at Cobb's funeral and somewhere I have a picture of Cobb's headstone Grandaddy took right after it was placed.

Granddaddy said he learned to pitch from his Grandfather. The one who found a Bible on the battlefield at Malvern HIll and brought it home to his wife. I'd think at least in the early times during that war they could have played a few games.

Pam