Bill's Ty Cobb Photos

[Bill Burgess]

Frances (Fairbairn) Cass (Cobb)(McGrath)---Ty's 2nd wife

Born: September 25, 1909, Buffalo, NY
Died: June 17, 2000, Exeter, NH, age 90

Father: John F. Fairbairn, Buffalo, NY (otolaryngologist)(ear, nose, throat);
1st. husband: William R. Cass, died in plane crash in Catskills, NY, (June 13, 1934).
2nd husband: J. Allen Fusca (1937), divorced him (July 23, 1949) in Reno, NV) for cruelty.
3rd husband: Ty Cobb, retired millionaire. September 24, 1949 - 1956.

Frances accused Ty of irreconcilable differences and mental cruelty. She alleged that when he drank, which was often, he was virtually impossible, and was verbally and emotionally abusive.

Frances was with Ty when they dedicated the hospital that he had donated $100,000 towards, January 22, 1950. He contributed the money in the names of his parents. The federal government donated $72,000 more towards the hospital in Royston, GA.

The total cost was $210,000. It was a 40-bed, one-story, red-brick structure. Ty had planned for the hospital since 1945. Ty & Frances wed in Buffalo, NY. They planned to live at Ty's residence in Glenbrook, NV.

At her father's summer home in Point Abaino, Ontario, ----------------- -------------------------A week after marrying his 2nd wife, Frances Cass, October, 1949, Stork Club, NYC
shortly before they married on September 24, 1949.----------------------------------------Frances finally died June 17, 2000 in Exeter, NH at the age of 90. Her name then was Frances McGrath.

[Bill Burgess]

The Cobb home in Augusta, Georgia in 1924. Much more modest than some other rich folk lived. Looks like Ty and Charlie on the front porch with the kids.


Another shot of the same house in Augusta, located on Williams Street.
This photo is taken from Don Rhodes' 2008 book on Ty Cobb, entitled, 'Save at Home'. It's a great read. I highly recommend it!

[Bill Burgess]

------------------------------------Ty in his old age.----------------------------------------------------------------Ty near the end of the line, in the hospital, offering an autographed baseball.

[Bill Burgess]

Ty's Atherton home. He moved his family into this Spanish Mission style villa in 1932. It was located at 48 Spencer Lane. It had 15 rooms, 7 bedrooms, with swimming pool, guest house, and servants quarters. Was several acres. Ty's wife, Charlie lived here until August, 1939, when she moved into her own apartment in adjoining Menlo Park, CA.
When I arrived from NYC in California October 9, 1979, one of my early acts was to drive over to this house. I parked across the street and meditated there, like a shrine for about half an hour.

[Bill Burgess]

Paul Krichell and Ty Cobb.

In his 1961 autobiography Ty told a story which I wonder if it is true. Here is what he said.

"American League catchers were out to stop my base-running. The St. Louis receiver, Paul Krichell, had a vicious habit of hooking my leg when I slid into the plate and flipping me over so that I scraped up dirt with my face. The second or third time it happened, I advised him, "Don't ever do that again."

Krichell gave me the hook once more, and this time I scissored my legs, caught him under an arm and almost detached it from his body. The arm was forced back and badly torn at the shoulder. Krichell's career ended right there, after only two major league seasons.

"I'm sorry about it," I told the St. Louis players, "but I warned him." ('My Life in Baseball - The True Record', by Ty Cobb with Al Stump, 1961, pp. 94.)

Now that is Cobb's version of the incident. But every story has 2 sides. Here is Paul Krichell's side of it. It appeared in his Sporting News' obituary.

"Collision With Ty Cobb Left Lasting Impression on Paul"
New York, N. Y.--Ty Cobb left a lasting impression on Paul Krichell during a game between the Browns and the Tigers in 1911.

"I was catching for the Browns," Krichell recalled several years ago, "and Cobb came tearing into me at the plate. And when you talk about explosions, that was one. Cobb must have been loaded with TNT.

"He knocked the ball out of my hand and it hit the grandstand on the fly. I was mad and stunned. He was mad but unshaken. I started cussing him and he had a few choice dirty words that he shouted at me.

"The next thing I knew we were fighting. It was one of those baseball fights, where more words than blows were exchanged. Billy Evans was the umpire and he had us both fined.

"In a way, it was really my fault. I was standing in front of the plate instead of on the side, where I could tag Ty as he slid in. But out of that mixup I learned one thing. Never stand directly in front of the plate when Cobb was roaring for home. If you did, it was at your own risk." (Sporting News, June 12, 1957, pp. 28.)

Whose version was the more accurate? I have no clue. But at least Krichell bore no lasting grudge and even blamed himself for blocking the plate.

Does anyone have any further information, based on newspaper accounts?

This photo is often used to show the play that Ty Cobb used to disable Paul Krichell. I doubt if this is the play. Paul is clearly blocking the plate. Standing right in front of it.


Ty Cobb crashing into catcher Paul Krichell, 1912


I looked up some newspaper accounts.

1. Paul Krichell's last MLB game was on September 22, 1912.
2. The Browns played the Tigers on September 7, 1912, and Krichell and Jimmy Austin were evicted from the game by umpire Silk O'Loughin for disputing a decision. No mention was made of an injury or controversy.
3. Krichell played a game against the Highlanders on September 10, and had 3 at-bats.
4. Krichell played in the second game of a double-hitter against the A's on September 22, 1912 but had no at-bats. Maybe he was walked. Another Browns' catcher, Alexander is listed as having taken part.

[Bill Burgess]

At conclusion of 1910 season, after winning a Chalmers automobile.--------------------1914
Both Ty and Nap Lajoie were awarded a Chalmers car.


Ty Cobb/Judge Ken Landis: On first meeting, April 29, 1921.------------------1914-16.


----------------------------1914-16.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1927, as a Philadelphia A.


---------------1914-16

[Bill Burgess]

Ty Cobb, Tigers' CF, Atlanta, GA, April 2, 1924---BB Reference

[runningshoes]

Have you seen this photo of Cobb, Bill?

[runningshoes]

Here's another intersting one.

[runningshoes]

Here's another I've never seen before.

[Bill Burgess]

1921-26, manager of the Tigers.

[MLB4LYF]

1909: Stealing against Jimmy Austin---Source: Baseball's Golden Age, The Photographs of Charles M. Conlon, by Neal McCabe/Constance McCabe, 1993, pp. 26.

Thanks for this picture it is now my desktop wallpaper. And I also have Jimmy Austin's baseball card (1912 Recruit Little Cigars T207)

[Bill Burgess]

Ty Cobb testifying at the 1951 Congressional Hearings in 1951.-------------------------------------Ty chatting with Mickey Mantle.

[csh19792001]

1921-26, manager of the Tigers.

Where'd the color photo from the 20's come from? That is cool!!!!

[Bill Burgess]

Actually, it's not really, true color. I photo-shop my photos to add a golden sepia tone and add flesh-tone. Some turn out better than others.

Here are some of my other efforts. Thanks for the appreciation, Chris & Bruce! Much obliged!

To colorize or not to colorize. That is the question?