Irvin S Cobb

A noted reporter,author, and humorist. He was a native of Paducah, started a journalistic career on the Paducah Daily News at age 17. He became the nation's youngest managing editor at 19. Cobb later worked for the Cincinnati Post and the Louisville Evening Post. He was first reporter to reach the side of Gov. William Goebel after his assassination in Frankfort in 1900. He called his story on the shooting of Goebel his finest piece of reporting. At age 28, he went to New York, working for several newspapers there and began writing a humorous column. He later turned to magazine writing by, covering World War I for the Saturday Evening Post. Cobb was a gifted after-dinner speaker and teller of tales; a close friend of and co-star in movies with Will Rogers. It is estimated that he wrote 60 books; tried his hand unsuccessfully at writing drama and musical reviews. He received the Legion of Honor from France, honorary degrees from two universities, and had parks, drinks, public works, a bridge, hotel, and apartment building named after him.