By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
OXFORD TWP. — Oxford Township will launch their historical marker program next month by unveiling a marker honoring baseball Hall of Famer Ty Cobb during a public event at Stony Lake Township Park on April 4, at 10 a.m., according to a township press release.
The marker will be a bronze plaque mounted on a boulder donated by the Dearborn-based Edward C. Levy Co., which has a gravel mining operation in Oxford. Edward C. Levy Co. also donated the funds to cover the plaque’s cost. Koenig Materials will also donate boulders.
Boulders were selected because of Oxford’s long relationship with the gravel industry, according to a press release from Oxford Township. The community has been known as the “Gravel Capital of the World” for decades.
Cobb’s marker was one of 16 possible markers identified by Oxford Township Communications and Grants Manager C.J. Carnacchio, who created the program. It will highlight people, places, structures and events that are significant in terms of local history.
“There’s history all around us,” Carnacchio said. “These markers will encourage residents and visitors to explore our community.”
Cobb, a Georgia native, played for the Tigers for 22 seasons from 1905 through 1926 – winning the American League Most-Valuable-Player award for his 1911 season.
In 1906, his second year playing Major League Baseball, Cobb began taking fishing trips to Oxford and continued to do so for more than a decade. He frequented Stony Lake, according to the press release.
In August that same year, Cobb suited up in an Oxford baseball uniform and played three games for the town’s team.
By the end of his career, Cobb held career records for games played, at bats, runs, hits, total bases and batting average, according to the MLB’s website.
Markers will be placed throughout the township, and consist of a boulder with a 16-by-20-inch bronze plaque mounted on it.
Each plaque will contain one or two images taken from vintage photos, a historical narrative and a QR code that will eventually be linked to a webpage containing historical information and a marker map.
Carnacchio is seeking donations and searching for grants to pay for the plaques, which cost $3,435 each. Individuals, organizations or businesses interested in sponsoring plaques are asked to call Carnacchio at 248-462-9997.
Oxford-based Saradan Construction agreed to transport the boulders to their sites. Oxford Township parks and recreation employees will install the plaques.
Stony Lake Township Park is located at 1397 N. Lapeer Rd.