ATLANTA — A statue of Ty Cobb that for years stood in front of Turner Field has a new home.
The statue, created in 1977 by sculptor Felix de Weldon, is headed to Royston, Ga., Cobb’s hometown. The Atlanta Braves, meanwhile, are leaving Downtown Atlanta for a new stadium in suburban Cobb County.
The city council in Royston recently voted to place the statue in front of the town’s public library. The city of about 2,500 residents acquired the statue in January, according to reports.
“I think everybody pretty much agreed already that there’s where it should go,” accessWDUN quoted Julie Ridgway, director of the Ty Cobb Museum in Royston, as saying. “Everybody is excited, and we’re moving forward.”
Cobb is one of the greatest players to take the field, but he did not play for a Braves team. He holds the all-time career batting average record with a .366 average, and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 as part of the inaugural class.
Yet, many people remember him as an angry racist.
Anyone interested in learning more should head to the Ty Cobb Museum in Royston, which is a roughly 90-minute drive from Atlanta. The museum is home to an incredible collection of Cobb memorabilia, including rare artifacts and photos, helping to dispel many of the rumors that cloud Cobb’s legacy.
The Georgia Peach is buried in nearby Rose Hill Cemetery.
A lot could be said about Ty Cobb, but he was an amazing ball player. With @ermdefeo.
