Ty Cobb: Baseball
Tyrus Raymond “Ty” Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961) was a Hall of Fame professional major league baseball player, known for his toughness and for being a fierce competitor. He was nicknamed “The Georgia Peach”, played for the Detroit Tigers for 22 seasons and being the last six as the team’s player-manager and finished his career with the Philadelphia Athletics. He joined the Detroit Tigers in 1905. Cobb described himself as a “sadistic, slashing, swashbuckling despot who waged war in the guise of sport”.
Ty CobbGreatest Sporting Achievements
Ty Cobb has a career batting record of .366 that until today remains unbroken — runs batted in 1,937; 2,245 runs; 4,189 hits – after so many years is still standing. For 23 straight seasons, he batted at least .300, an all-time record and his three years of batting over .400 also represent a record. Cobb won a total of nine consecutive AL batting titles from 1907 to 1915 and three more during his career.
Why Was He So Good?
Ty Cobb was known to be the best all-around baseball player that ever lived. He was known for his aggressive base-running style and his notorious way of sliding into bases feet first with his spikes high. One thing everyone is sure about is that Cobb had a burning desire to win.
"I never could stand losing,” he said. “Second place didn't interest me. I had a fire in my belly."
What You May Not Know
- His teammate Sam Crawford said, “He [Cobb] didn’t outhit and he didn’t outrun them, he out thought them.”
- He retired a very rich and successful man, taking his family touring all over the world. During his retirement, he hunted, played golf, polo and fishing. He became a millionaire and lived in a millionaire’s community.
- Cobb’s estate was said to be an equivalent to $93 million after his death including $10 million worth of General Motors stock and $1.78 million in the Coca-Cola Company stock.
- He managed the Tigers from 1921 to 1926.
Related Pages
- More great baseball players
- Who is the greatest baseball player of all time?
- Athlete Database home
- About the sport of baseball
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