Cobb's athletic prowess, fierce competitiveness, and propensity for fighting made him both controversial and widely admired. After his death in 1961, his on-the-field success was overshadowed by off-the-field accusations of racism and hatred of women and children. For his book, Leerhsen looked beyond the rumors and myths to discover the truth in Cobb's life and times. He will discuss the importance of righting wrongs and telling the truth even when it is not what people want to hear or believe.
Hampden-Sydney College President Larry Stimpert says, "Since Hampden-Sydney is home to Ty Cobb Ball Park, it is fitting that our students learn from his life valuable lessons about honesty, integrity, and determination. We are delighted to have Mr. Leerhsen speak on our campus."
Charles Leerhsen has written for Sports Illustrated, Esquire, Rolling Stone, The New York Times Magazine, Smithsonian, Money, People, TV Guide, and Seventeen. He has been an editor at Sports Illustrated, People and Us Weekly, and spent 11 years at Newsweek where he won the National Mental Health Association award for a cover story on alcohol and the family. Leerhsen's previous books include the award-winning Crazy Good: The True Story of Dan Patch, the Most Famous Horse in America, and Blood and Smoke: A True Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and the Birth of the Indy 500. He has also co-written several best-selling biographies, including Press On! Adventures in the Good Life, with pioneer aviator Chuck Yeager, and The Last Great Ride, with entertainment mogul Brandon Tartikoff. He is an adjunct professor at the City University of New York's Graduate School of Journalism.