The Lives of Eccentrics - Episode 2
History's Greatest Hitting Machine! Ty Cobb (史上最高！強打製造機『タイ・カッブ』, Shijō Saikō! Kyōda Seizōki "Tai Kabbu"), simply titled Ty Cobb (タイ・カッブ, Tai Kabbu) in its original serialization, is the second episode of The Lives of Eccentrics series, written by Hirohiko Araki and illustrated by Hirohisa Onikubo. It was originally published in two parts in issues 10 and 11 of Manga Allman on May 31 and June 6 of 2001. In the volumization, this chapter serves as the first chapter of the series.
Summary
Part 1: The Vengeful Specter, Ty Cobb
The narrator introduces himself as Hollows, a pitcher who entered the American League and was one of the best players of the league by 1912. However, Hollows claims that there was one player who surpassed all his contemporaries and became known as one of the greatest of all time. With that, he begins recounting the true story of Ty Cobb.
In 1908, the Boston Red Sox play the Detroit Tigers at Boston's Huntington Avenue Grounds stadium. Stepping up to bat, a certain player openly declares his intent to steal second base during the next pitch. As the pitcher winds up, the player rushes toward the base, somehow slicing the baseman's arm in the process. The player is declared safe, despite the baseman's accusations that the player had sharpened his cleats and used them as weapons. Undeterred, the player announces his intent to steal third base next, which he does, shortly followed by home plate. This player's name is Tyrus Raymond Cobb, but most simply call him Ty Cobb. Ty Cobb would set several records and invent several techniques over the course of his career, becoming one of baseball's greatest pioneers. And yet, despite being such a genius, he always acted as if he were possessed by some vengeful spirit.
Ty Cobb was born on December 18, 1886 in the state of Georgia to a beautiful mother and well-to-do father. He was an honest boy who dreamed of starting a career in baseball against the wishes of his father, who considered the sport to be too vulgar and lowly for his son. In 1905, however, Cobb's father was killed by his own wife: though official records state that she mistook him for a burglar, rumor has it that he had caught her being unfaithful and was killed in retaliation. Regardless, Cobb's personality changed dramatically after the incident. Cobb became egocentric, arrogant, violent, and vengeful. Several of his teammates attempted to assault him on his way home once, but Cobb turned the tables with a shotgun inside his baseball bat case. When Cobb accidentally put a bullet in his own arm while hunting, he began to think himself as invincible when the shot left no lasting injury, even refusing to have the bullet removed. Anyone who dared to pass him while driving would soon find themselves relentlessly tailed and involved in a crash. Ty Cobb quickly became one of the most talented yet hated players in the league. When a disabled spectator dared to say Hollows was better than him while heckling him, Cobb went so far as to leap into the stands and assault the paraplegic within an inch of his life.
Part 2: The Spitball Massacre
When faced with criticism from society, most human beings would subconsciously be forced to reflect on their actions. Ty Cobb was different. Accused of racist behavior, religious blasphemy, and assaulting a paraplegic spectator, Cobb was suspended from his baseball team indefinitely. Rather than owning up to his transgressions, however, Cobb announced that he would only return to the team if he was hired for triple his previous starting pay and salary.
Cobb was rehired after one day following a strike by his teammates, who argued he was an irreplaceable part of their team (though it is rumored that Cobb threatened them into striking on his behalf). The main benefit Cobb brought to the sport, however, was the audience that came to see him. Whether they came to jeer at him or await his downfall, Cobb's team consistently drew three to five times the normal crowd. For Cobb's part, the incident only reinforced his feeling of invincibility. Cobb would continue to hit every fair ball, steal every base, and tower over every other player in the league... with one exception.
During one game in the American League of 1912, Cobb faces Hollows himself, against whom his batting average is significantly worse than normal. At the top of the eighth inning, with two outs on the board and no runners on the field, Hollows has managed to gain two strikes on Cobb, whose team was behind by two points. Hollows is the master of a special technique known as the "spitball": by using a small file, Hollows creates a scratch on the ball before pitching, causing it to waver in front of the batter. To top it off, no part of the technique violates the league's rules. Suddenly, Cobb calls a time out and uses it to taunt Hollows, claiming that he told the pitcher's not to come to the game last night and facetiously using her panties as a handkerchief. As the game resumes, Hollows throws the ball directly at Cobb, striking him in the stomach and indefinitely halting the game. Cobb, insulted by Hollows's disdain, rushes directly toward the pitcher, drawing the pistol he carries at all times and striking him with the handle. As an all-out brawl between the two teams ensues, Cobb sticks his pistol into Hollows's mouth and intimidates him.
Hollows never threw a spit ball again. Even before it was banned within a year of the incident, the pitcher had already given up on the technique, scarred by the memory of his battle with Cobb. Soon, Hollows faded into irrelevancy. Cobb, however, continued hitting at an average of at least .300 for the entirety of his 23-year career before retiring at the age of 41. When the National Baseball Hall of Fame was created in 1936, Cobb was the first inductee. Also, having invested heavily in Coca-Cola and General Motors in his prime, Cobb never found himself short on money before or after retirement, though he refused to pay even the electricity bill. Cobb married twice in his life, with both marriages ending in divorce.
At the age of 75, Cobb finally succumbed to cancer. Though he was taken to the hospital, Cobb still refused to relinquish his gun and insisted to be taken home without paying the hospital bill. On July 17, 1961, Tyrus Raymond Cobb would pass away, leaving his vast fortune to his children and relatives and ordering the creation of a mausoleum for himself alone in his will. His butler remained to take care of his house, making sure that the lights were off at all times.
Appearances
Author's Comment
Author's NoteA: The hot springs are great. But I don't enjoy kaiseki dinner all that much.
Gallery
Page 1, colored
Page 4, colored
Trivia
- In real life, while Cobb was known for his violent tendencies, Cobb's alleged racism is attributed to biographies written soon after his death, which have been largely discredited by historians. Furthermore, according to newspapers at the time, Cobb publicly supported black players such as Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and Willie Mays.
- Hollows is a fictional character made up for the sake of the plot, rather than representing a real person.
- Cobb is stated to have lived to the age of 75, despite his birthdate suggesting he should be 74 at the time of his death, as he was in real life.
References
- Ty Cobb on Wikipedia
