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A third of a bowl left of pre-2014 Edward G. Robinson's Pipe Blend in a 2014 Basil Meadows smooth slight bend squashed tomato with an aluminum band and a black pearl acrylic stem in the military mount style. Watching Mad Dog Russo.
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Eutychus said:
Most of what I know about Cobb is from the Ken Burns "Baseball" documentary, which I watched for the first time recently. It's been a while since I saw the movie "Cobb" with Tommy Lee Jones in the title role, and I'm not sure that I would place that much stock in the Hollywood version of any biography. So, how do opinions vary about Cobb?
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I lost some respect for Ken Burns because of his coverage of Ty Cobb (and the failure to mention the impact Bing Crosby had in bringing Jazz to white people in that documentary). Neither Burns or his staff did proper research. They relied on Al Stump, who wrote two books of lies about Cobb, and has since been widely discredited. The second Stump book which the movie Cobb was based on was mostly fiction. I knew that the second I read that book because there was absolutely no attribution for any of the stories, not to mention that Cobb's health in later years would have precluded many of those tales. And if any of it was true, why weren't there any newspaper reports about him killing people or shooting up casinos in Las Vegas? News like that would have certainly made the papers at the time.

I suggest reading this book: Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty.

Here's an article that Leerhsen wrote: https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/who-was-ty-cobb-the-history-we-know-thats-wrong/

I have noticed that Burns shades his documentaries with a political and social bias, and by doing that, occasionally leaves out things that would make some of what he does more complete. Painting Cobb as a racist who did physical harm to blacks fits Burns' thinking so he didn't bother to see what was true and what was not. When those stories were heavily researched in later years, it turns out those encounters were with white people and not black people. Burns fails to mention that the reason only four of Cobb's old teammates went to his funeral was because it was a private ceremony, and only those men were invited. Burns did not mention that thousands of people waited outside the church paying their last respects to Cobb. Burns did not mention that Cobb secretely gave financial help to old teammates. Burns did not mention that Cobb set up a scholarship foundation that helped blacks as well as whites. Burns did not mention that Cobb came from a family of abolitionists either. I could go on and on, but you get the message.

As a comic book historian for over twenty-five years who has written hundreds of biographies, I know the importance of checking bias at the door. You research, ask questions, listen to the answers, and don't leave out what doesn't fit a personal agenda.
 
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JimInks said:
I lost some respect for Ken Burns because of his coverage of Ty Cobb (and the failure to mention the impact Bing Crosby had in bringing Jazz to white people in that documentary). Neither Burns or his staff did proper research. They relied on Al Stump, who wrote two books of lies about Cobb, and has since been widely discredited. The second Stump book which the movie Cobb was based on was mostly fiction. I knew that the second I read that book because there was absolutely no attribution for any of the stories, not to mention that Cobb's health in later years would have precluded many of those tales. And if any of it was true, why weren't there any newspaper reports about him killing people or shooting up casinos in Las Vegas? News like that would have certainly made the papers at the time.

I suggest reading this book: Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty.

Here's an article that Leerhsen wrote: https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/who-was-ty-cobb-the-history-we-know-thats-wrong/

I have noticed that Burns shades his documentaries with a political and social bias, and by doing that, occasionally leaves out things that would make some of what he does more complete. Painting Cobb as a racist who did physical harm to blacks fits Burns' thinking so he didn't bother to see what was true and what was not. When those stories were heavily researched in later years, it turns out those encounters were with white people and not black people. Burns fails to mention that the reason only four of Cobb's old teammates went to his funeral was because it was a private ceremony, and only those men were invited. Burns did not mention that thousands of people waited outside the church paying their last respects to Cobb. Burns did not mention that Cobb secretely gave financial help to old teammates. Burns did not mention that Cobb set up a scholarship foundation that helped blacks as well as whites. Burns did not mention that Cobb came from a family of abolitionists either. I could go on and on, but you get the message.

As a comic book historian for over twenty-five years who has written hundreds of biographies, I know the importance of checking bias at the door. You research, ask questions, listen to the answers, and don't leave out what doesn't fit a personal agenda.
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@JimInks, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question so fully! I will certainly read the Imprimis article, and will look into the author's book. I've noticed Burns' leanings, and that fits with his close association with PBS. Although I have appreciated a number of his documentaries. Cobb's story looms large in the documentary, and if Leerhsen is correct, or even has a good case, then it was egregious of Burns to portray Cobb as he did. And failure to do the research would be no excuse.
 
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Enjoyed a tasty lunch, and am half way through this bowl of year 2016 D&R Two Timer Gold in a 1982 smooth straight Sasieni Ivory 105 Apple with a black vulcanite saddle stem. This was my first Sasieni. Bought it at my local Tinderbox for $9.95. Gold Star 50th, neat, is my drink. Been extra busy today and have been running behind all day, but I'll catch up in due course.
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Eutychus said:
@JimInks, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question so fully! I will certainly read the Imprimis article, and will look into the author's book. I've noticed Burns' leanings, and that fits with his close association with PBS. Although I have appreciated a number of his documentaries. Cobb's story looms large in the documentary, and if Leershen is correct, or even has a good case, then it was egregious of Burns to portray Cobb as he did. And failure to do the research would be no excuse.
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The problem with some "historians" is that they allow their political and social bias to influence their version of history. One of the worst offenders was Nancy Isenberg's biography of Aaron Burr. She found excuses for durn near every bad thing he ever did. That's hagiography cloaked as history. I find Burns is guilty of that from time to time, and he has publicly admitted he has a political and social agenda in his work in the past. Doris Kearns Goodwin, a two time plagiarist who paid bundles of money to those she stole from to avoid prosecution, mixes her political beliefs with her history in spots, too, though she's not as egregious as Burns.

A worthwhile biography presents all sides and lets the reader decide. You've never seen David McCullough, Hans Holzer, Robert Caro, or Walter Issacson shade their history writings.
 
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Did a second set of walking reps, and chatted with neighbors about finding a home for Long Tail. And, smoked a bowl of year 2015 D&R A.B. Rimboche in an undated slight bend, smooth flame grain Wessex Standard egg with a brown accent on the black vulcanite saddle stem.
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Now smoking and reviewing B. Frog's Mossy Forest in a medium bend fumed tan crackled year 2020 Ahmet Govem reverse calabash meerschaum with a military mount silver band and black acrylic stem. Ice water and bergs is my drink.
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A quarter of the way through this bowl of year 2012 Dan Tobacco Treasures of Ireland: Limerick in a 2021 medium bend black sandblasted Peterson Newgrange 80S bent bulldog silver spigot with a tapered reddish brown, black striped acrylic stem. Just finished cleaning a few pipes.
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After a delicious supper of leftovers from yesterday's New Mexican dinner, I'm relaxing with Wilke 515 Double Shot in a Hardcastle's Crown bent billiard with saddle stem. My drink is Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Bourbon. And I'm listening to the audiobook of the second volume of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series, Post Captain.
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Relaxing after a wonderful salad, wild caught cat fish and green beans dinner with strawberries for dessert. I'm probably a couple of days away from an off diet day. Passing the half way mark of this bowl of Watch City American Cut Plug Mixture early version #3 in a medium brown 1982 smooth slight bend straight grain Ben Wade Martinique freehand sitter with a wide top and a black vulcanite stem.
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Now smoking year 2015 Mac Baren Virginia #1 in a straight black 1925 Dunhill patent shell Canadian 33 with a tapered black vulcanite stem. I notice that traffic has been down the couple of days here. There's too many of my posts in a row each day, so this is it for today. I'll see you tomorrow.
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Good Morning!
Last night after dinner, spatchcocked chicken and asparagus on the grill, I loaded up an MM Boone with GLP Westminster, closed up the birds and called it a day! It's a beautiful day and Lynda helped with morning chores. Starting the day in the usual way with Westminster in a Diplomat and coffee.
 
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