| . |
Ron Shelton's Cobb
A review by David Pietrusza
A review by David Pietrusza
SABR members eagerly anticipated Ron Shelton's film Cobb
but unless you lived in a major market it probably didn't make
it to a theater near you (and even then you had to get down to
the box office before it left on a no-return road trip).
In February, however, I had the dual pleasure of seeing Cobb
and of meeting its creator, writer-director, Ron Shelton.
As many of you may know Shelton, who also created Bull
Durham, is a former minor leaguer who spent five years in the
Orioles chain. I am pleased to report that like most former
ballplayers Mr. Shelton is both a fine gentleman and a
wonderful raconteur.
I must say I never been more surprised by a film more than I
was by Cobb. Most reviews have centered on its dark vision
of Cobb in his last days. That's hardly a surprise to anyone
who's ever read Al Stump's magnificent article "Ty Cobb's
Wild Ten-month Fight To Live." But Cobb also is a
wonderfully funny movie. And that should hardly be a surprise
to anyone who's ever seen Bull Durham.
Now, not everything in Cobb is factually kosher, although for
baseball movies (and motion pictures in general) it's accuracy
quota is remarkably high. A motion picture, nonetheless, is not
the Baseball Research Journal, and Ron admitted to a taking
dramatic license on occasion, particularly in regard to Al
Stump. Stump, for example, never did frighten the willies out of
that process server as you see late in the film. But it is true that
old Tyrus did know about that brunette in Al's past. And to this
day Stump has never figured out how.
Some background on Tommy Lee Jones, who by the way is
Ring Lardner's grandson-in-law. If you're wondering how he
could so marvelously mimic the halting movements of the
septuagenarian Cobb, he had a little help. Just before shooting
starting, he broke his ankle and performed with his leg with a
cast up to his knee. That cane he was using wasn't exactly a
prop. His baseball scenes had to be delayed until the end of
the schedule, and when a double wasn't running for him Jones
would just run until he collapsed in pain. Then Shelton would
yell "cut," prop Jones up again and try to get a few more shots
in the can.
One last thing. I had always wondered if Bull Durham's
hard-throwing (but wild) Nuke LaLoosh was based on another
Oriole farmhand Steve Dalkowski. My suspicions in that
regard had been heightened when I read Ron Shelton's chapter
on Dalkowski in Danny Perry's Cult Baseball Players.
You read it here first. Not only is Nuke LaLoosh based on the
Steve Dalkowski, the character of Crash Davis, the veteran
player sent down to steady a fireballing prospect, is based on
Joe Altobelli, who Shelton knew in the Baltimore system, and
who once roomed with Dalko.
As Casey Stengle used to say, you can look it up.
but unless you lived in a major market it probably didn't make
it to a theater near you (and even then you had to get down to
the box office before it left on a no-return road trip).
In February, however, I had the dual pleasure of seeing Cobb
and of meeting its creator, writer-director, Ron Shelton.
As many of you may know Shelton, who also created Bull
Durham, is a former minor leaguer who spent five years in the
Orioles chain. I am pleased to report that like most former
ballplayers Mr. Shelton is both a fine gentleman and a
wonderful raconteur.
I must say I never been more surprised by a film more than I
was by Cobb. Most reviews have centered on its dark vision
of Cobb in his last days. That's hardly a surprise to anyone
who's ever read Al Stump's magnificent article "Ty Cobb's
Wild Ten-month Fight To Live." But Cobb also is a
wonderfully funny movie. And that should hardly be a surprise
to anyone who's ever seen Bull Durham.
Now, not everything in Cobb is factually kosher, although for
baseball movies (and motion pictures in general) it's accuracy
quota is remarkably high. A motion picture, nonetheless, is not
the Baseball Research Journal, and Ron admitted to a taking
dramatic license on occasion, particularly in regard to Al
Stump. Stump, for example, never did frighten the willies out of
that process server as you see late in the film. But it is true that
old Tyrus did know about that brunette in Al's past. And to this
day Stump has never figured out how.
Some background on Tommy Lee Jones, who by the way is
Ring Lardner's grandson-in-law. If you're wondering how he
could so marvelously mimic the halting movements of the
septuagenarian Cobb, he had a little help. Just before shooting
starting, he broke his ankle and performed with his leg with a
cast up to his knee. That cane he was using wasn't exactly a
prop. His baseball scenes had to be delayed until the end of
the schedule, and when a double wasn't running for him Jones
would just run until he collapsed in pain. Then Shelton would
yell "cut," prop Jones up again and try to get a few more shots
in the can.
One last thing. I had always wondered if Bull Durham's
hard-throwing (but wild) Nuke LaLoosh was based on another
Oriole farmhand Steve Dalkowski. My suspicions in that
regard had been heightened when I read Ron Shelton's chapter
on Dalkowski in Danny Perry's Cult Baseball Players.
You read it here first. Not only is Nuke LaLoosh based on the
Steve Dalkowski, the character of Crash Davis, the veteran
player sent down to steady a fireballing prospect, is based on
Joe Altobelli, who Shelton knew in the Baltimore system, and
who once roomed with Dalko.
As Casey Stengle used to say, you can look it up.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |