Ty Cobb
Outfielder
Born: December 18, 1886(1886-12-18) Narrows, Georgia
Died: July 17, 1961 (aged 74) Atlanta, Georgia
Batted: Left	Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 30, 1905 for the Detroit Tigers
Final game
September 11, 1928 for the Philadelphia Athletics
Career statistics
AVG	. Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in Baseball farthest from the batter Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the Year 1886 ( MDCCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Narrows is an unincorporated community in Banks County Georgia. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The Detroit Tigers are a professional baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan, USA Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Oakland Athletics are a professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively 367
Hits	4,191
RBI	1,937
Teams
As Player Detroit Tigers (1905–1926) Philadelphia Athletics (1927–1928) As Manager Detroit Tigers (1921–1926)
Career highlights and awards
All-Time Records Career batting average (. In Baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H) sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches The Detroit Tigers are a professional baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan, USA Champions World Series: New York Giants over Philadelphia Athletics (4-1 Awards and honors MLB Statistical Champions World Series: St Louis Cardinals over New York Yankees (4-3 Negro League World Series: Chicago The Oakland Athletics are a professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. Headline Event of the Year Murderers' Row lead New York Yankees to World Series victory Champions World Series: New York Yankees over St Louis Cardinals Awards and honors League The Detroit Tigers are a professional baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan, USA Headline Events of the Year First Radio broadcast of the World Series. Champions World Series: St Louis Cardinals over New York Yankees (4-3 Negro League World Series: Chicago 367)[1] Career steals of home (54) Career batting titles (11 or 12)[1] Notable Achievements Batted over . 320 for 22 straight seasons Batted over . 400 three times (1911, 1912 & 1922) Won the Triple Crown in 1909 American League pennants: 1907, 1908, 1909 Name honored by the Tigers in 2000. Auto racing January 21 - The first Monte Carlo Motor rally May 30 - At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Baseball World Series - Chicago Cubs defeat New York Giants, 4 games to 3 with one tie April 20: The Baseball (Major League World Series - New York Giants defeat New York Yankees, 4 games to 0 with one tie For other uses of this term see Triple crown In Baseball, the Triple Crown refers to A batter who (at season's end leads Baseball World Series - Pittsburgh Pirates defeat Detroit Tigers, 4 games to 3 Boxing June 19 The Detroit Tigers are a professional baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan, USA One of the 5 inaugural members of the Hall of Fame
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Elected	1936
Vote	98. 2%

Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961), nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was a Hall of Fame baseball player and is regarded by historians and journalists^[2][3] as the best player of the dead-ball era and as one of the greatest players of all time. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the Year 1886 ( MDCCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The dead-ball era is a Baseball term used to describe the period between 1900 (though some date it to the beginning of baseball) and the emergence of Babe Ruth Cobb also received the most votes of any player on the 1936 inaugural Hall of Fame Ballot. The first elections to select inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame were held in 1936. ^[4]

Cobb is widely credited with setting 90 Major League Baseball records during his career. ^[5][6][7][8] He still holds several records as of 2007, including the highest career batting average (. Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively 367) and most career batting titles with 12 (or 11, depending on source). The batting championship is awarded to the Major League Baseball player in each of the American League and the National League who has the highest Batting average ^[9] He retained many other records for almost a half century or more, including most career hits until 1985 (4,191 or 4,189, depending on source),^[10][11] most career runs (2,245 or 2,246 depending on source) until 2001,^[12] most career games played (3,035) and at bats (11,429 or 11,434 depending on source) until 1974,^[13][14] and the modern record for most career stolen bases (892) until 1977. In Baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H) sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches In Baseball, a run is scored when a player advances safely around first second and third base and returns safely to Home plate, touching Games played (most often abbreviated as G or GP) is a Statistic used in Team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has In Baseball, an at bat ( AB) or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including Batting average, On base In Baseball, a stolen base occurs when a Baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the Pitcher is delivering the ball to Home plate In Baseball, a stolen base occurs when a Baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the Pitcher is delivering the ball to Home plate ^[15]

Cobb's legacy as an athlete has sometimes been overshadowed by his surly temperament, severe racism, and aggressive playing style,^[16] which was described by the Detroit Free Press as "daring to the point of dementia. List of racism-related topics|Racism by country Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily Newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. "^[17]

Contents 1 Early life and baseball career 2 Major League career 2.1 The early years 2.2 1910: Chalmers Award controversy 2.3 1911 season and onward 2.4 1915–1921 2.5 Cobb as player/manager 2.6 Move to Philadelphia 3 Post professional career 3.1 Later life 3.2 Death 3.3 Legacy 3.4 Racism 4 Crawford-Cobb rivalry 5 Regular season stats 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References 9 External links

Early life and baseball career

Ty Cobb was born in Narrows, Georgia, in 1886 and was the first of three children to Amanda Chitwood Cobb and William Herschel Cobb. Narrows is an unincorporated community in Banks County Georgia. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule

Ty spent his first years in baseball as a member of the Royston Rompers, the semi-pro Royston Reds, and the Augusta Tourists of the Sally League. The South Atlantic League or "Sally League" is a Minor league baseball League which operates mostly in the Southeastern United States, However, the Tourists cut Cobb two days into the season. ^[18] He then went to try out for the Anniston Steelers of the semi-pro Tennessee-Alabama League, with his father's stern admonition still ringing in his ears: "Don't come home a failure. Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States. "^[19][20] After joining the Steelers for a monthly salary of $50,^[21] Cobb promoted himself by sending several postcards written under different aliases to Grantland Rice, the sports editor of the Atlanta Journal. Grantland Rice ( November 1, 1880 &ndash July 13, 1954) was an early 20th century American sports-writer. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the only major daily Newspaper in Atlanta Georgia, USA and its suburbs. Eventually, Rice wrote a small note in the Journal that a "young fellow named Cobb seems to be showing an unusual lot of talent. "^[22][23] After about three months, Ty returned to the Tourists. He finished the season hitting . 237 in 35 games. ^[24]

August 1905 was an eventful month for Ty. The Tourists' management sold Cobb to the American League's Detroit Tigers for US$500 and $750. The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League ( AL) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in The Detroit Tigers are a professional baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan, USA The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been ^[25][26][27] Additionally, on August 8, 1905, Ty's father was shot to death by Ty's mother. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting William Cobb suspected his wife of infidelity, and was sneaking past his own bedroom window to catch her in the act; she only saw the silhouette of what she presumed to be an intruder, and, acting in self-defense, shot and killed her husband. ^[28] Mrs. Cobb was charged with murder and then released on a $10,000 recognizance bond. In British, Canadian and American Law, the term recognizance is usually employed to describe an obligation of record entered into before some Traditionally bail is some form of Property deposited or pledged to a Court in order to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding ^[29] She was acquitted on March 31, 1906. In Criminal law, an acquittal is a verdict of not guilty, or some similar end of the proceeding that terminates it with prejudice without a verdict Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting ^[30] Cobb later attributed his ferocious play to the death of his father, saying, "I did it for my father. . . He never got to see me play. . . But I knew he was watching me. . . and I never let him down". ^[31]

Major League career

The early years

Three weeks after his mother killed his father, Cobb played center field for the Detroit Tigers. On August 30, 1905, in his first major league at-bat, Cobb doubled off the New York Highlanders's Jack Chesbro. Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. John Dwight Chesbro ( June 5, 1874 &ndash November 6, 1931) was a Major League Baseball Pitcher at the turn of the That season, Cobb managed to bat only . 240 in 41 games. Nevertheless, he showed enough promise as a rookie for the Tigers to give him a lucrative $1,500 contract for 1906.

Although rookie hazing was customary, Cobb could not endure it in good humor, and he soon became alienated from his teammates. He later attributed his hostile temperament to this experience: "These old-timers turned me into a snarling wildcat. "^[17]

The following year (1906) he became the Tigers' full-time center fielder and hit . Baseball World Series - "Hitless Wonders" Chicago White Sox defeat Chicago Cubs, 4 games to 2 316 in 98 games. He would never hit below that mark again. Cobb, firmly entrenched in center field, led the Tigers to three consecutive American League Pennants from 1907-1909. Detroit would lose each World Series, however, with Cobb's post-season numbers being much below his career standard. For other events named "World Series" see World Series (disambiguation. For other events named "World Series" see World Series (disambiguation.

In one notable 1907 game, Cobb reached first, stole second, stole third, and then stole home on consecutive attempts (He did this twice more in his career). Baseball World Series - Chicago Cubs defeat Detroit Tigers, 4 games to 0 with one tie Minor leagues ^[32] He finished that season with a league high . 350 batting average, 212 hits, 49 steals and 119 Runs batted in (RBI). ^[27] At age 20, Cobb became the youngest player to win a batting championship and held this record until 1955 when fellow Detroit Tiger Al Kaline won the batting title when he was one day younger than Cobb. The batting championship is awarded to the Major League Baseball player in each of the American League and the National League who has the highest Batting average Albert William "Al" Kaline, also known as Mr Tiger, (ˈkʰeɪˌlaɪn born December 19, 1934 in Baltimore Maryland) is a former ^[33] Despite great success on the field, Cobb was no stranger to controversy off it. At Spring Training in 1907, he fought a black groundskeeper over the condition of the Tigers' field in Augusta, Georgia. In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the Regular season. Augusta Georgia is a city in Richmond County, Georgia, United States. Ty also ended up choking the man's wife when she intervened. ^[8]

I always find that a drink of Coca-Cola between the games refreshes me to such an extent that I can start the second game feeling as if I had not been exercising at all, in spite of my exertions in the first. Ty Cobb, 1907 Coca-Cola newspaper ad [34]

In September 1907, Cobb began a relationship with The Coca-Cola Company that would last the remainder of his life. Coca-Cola is a carbonated Soft drink sold in stores restaurants and Vending machines in more than 200 countries The Coca-Cola Company ( is the world's largest beverage company largest manufacturer distributor and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and Syrups in the world By the time he died, he owned over 20,000 shares of stock and three bottling plants: one in Santa Maria, California; one in Twin Falls, Idaho; and one in Bend, Oregon. A bottling company is a commercial enterprise whose output is the bottling of Beverages for distribution. Santa Maria is the largest city in Santa Barbara County California. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. For the motion picture see Twin Falls Idaho (film Twin Falls is the County seat and largest The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. Bend is the County seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. He was also a celebrity spokesman for the product. ^[34]

The following season, the Tigers defeated the Chicago White Sox for the pennant. The Chicago White Sox are a professional Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. Cobb again won the batting title with a . 324 batting average. Despite another loss in the Series, Cobb had something to celebrate. In August 1908, he married Charlotte "Charlie" Marion Lombard, the daughter of prominent Augustan Roswell Lombard. Augusta Georgia is a city in Richmond County, Georgia, United States. ^[35] In the offseason, Cobb and his wife lived in his father-in-law's Augusta estate, The Oaks. In November of 1913, the couple moved into their own house on Williams Street. ^[36]

The Tigers won the American League pennant again in 1909. Champions World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Detroit Tigers (4-3 Awards and honors MLB Statistical During the Series, Cobb stole home in the second game, igniting a three-run rally, but that was the high point for Cobb. He ended batting a lowly . 231 in his last World Series, as the Tigers lost in seven games. Although he performed poorly in the post-season, Cobb won the Triple Crown by hitting . For other uses of this term see Triple crown In Baseball, the Triple Crown refers to A batter who (at season's end leads 377 with 107 RBI and nine home runs – all inside-the-park. In Baseball parlance an inside-the-park home run or "leg home run" is a play where a hitter scores a Home run without hitting the ball out of play Cobb thus became the only player of the modern era to lead his league in home runs in a season without hitting a ball over the fence. ^[37]

It was also in 1909 that Charles M. Conlon snapped his famous photograph of a grimacing Ty Cobb sliding into third base amid a cloud of dirt, which visually captured the grit and ferocity of Cobb's playing style. Charles M Conlon was an American photographer He worked for New York City newspapers in the early 1900s ^[38]

1910: Chalmers Award controversy

Main article: 1910 Chalmers Award

Going into the final days of the 1910 season, Cobb had a 4/10s of a percent lead on Nap Lajoie for the American League batting title. Before the 1910 Major League Baseball season, Hugh Chalmers of the Chalmers Automobile Company announced a promotion in which a Chalmers Model 30 Automobile Champions World Series: Philadelphia Athletics over Chicago Cubs (4-1 Awards and honors Napoléon "Nap" Lajoie or often la-ZHWAY per the Canadian French pronunciation or as he himself usually pronounced it LAJ-a-wayLee Allen in ''The American League The prize for the winner of the title was a Chalmers Automobile. Chalmers Motor Car Company was a United States based Automobile company located in Detroit Michigan. Cobb sat out the final games to preserve his average. Nap Lajoie hit safely eight times in his teams' doubleheader. Doubleheader is the term used to describe two Baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day However, six of those hits were bunt singles, and later came under scrutiny. Regardless, Cobb was credited with a higher batting average.

As a result of the incident, Ban Johnson was forced to arbitrate the situation. Byron Bancroft "Ban" Johnson ( January 5, 1864 &ndash March 28, 1931) was an American executive in Professional baseball Arbitration, a form of Alternative dispute resolution (ADR is a legal technique for the resolution of Disputes outside the Courts wherein the He declared Cobb the rightful owner of the title. However, the Chalmers company elected to award a car to both of the players.

1911 season and onward

Cobb regarded baseball as "something like a war," Charlie Gehringer said. Charles Leonard Gehringer ( May 11 1903 – January 21 1993) nicknamed “ The Mechanical Man,” was a Major League Baseball "Every time at bat for him was a crusade. "^[39] The baseball historian John Thorn has said, "He is testament to how far you can get simply through will. John Thorn (born April 17, 1947) is a noted Sports Historian. . . Cobb was pursued by demons. "

Cobb was having a typically fine year in 1911, which included a 40-game hitting streak. Champions World Series: Philadelphia Athletics over New York Giants (4-2 Awards and honors In Baseball, a hitting streak refers to the consecutive number of official games in which a player gets at least one base hit. Still, ”Shoeless” Joe Jackson had a . Joseph Jefferson Jackson ( July 16, 1888 &ndash December 5, 1951) nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American 009 point lead on him in batting average. What happened next is discussed in Cobb's autobiography. Near the end of the season, Cobb’s Tigers had a long series against Jackson and the Cleveland Naps. The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Fellow Southerners, Cobb and Jackson were personally friendly both on and off the field. Cobb used that friendship for his advantage. Whenever Jackson said anything to him, he ignored him. When Jackson persisted, Cobb snapped angrily at Jackson, making him wonder what he could have done to enrage Cobb. As soon as the series was over, Cobb unexpectedly greeted Jackson and wished him well. Cobb felt that it was these mind games that caused Jackson to "fall off" to a final average of . 408, while Cobb himself finished with a . 420 average. ^[7]

I often tried plays that looked recklessly daring, maybe even silly. But I never tried anything foolish when a game was at stake, only when we were far ahead or far behind. I did it to study how the other team reacted, filing away in my mind any observations for future use. Ty Cobb, The New York Times[40]

Cobb led the AL in numerous categories besides batting average, including 248 hits, 147 runs scored, 127 RBI, 83 stolen bases, 47 doubles, 24 triples, and a . 621 slugging average. The only major offensive category in which Cobb did not finish first was home runs, where Frank Baker surpassed him 11-8. John Franklin "Home Run" Baker ( March 13 1886 - June 28 1963) was an American Third baseman in Major League He was awarded another Chalmers, this time for being voted the AL MVP by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Baseball Writers' Association of America ( BBWAA) is a professional association for Baseball Journalists writing for daily Newspapers, Magazines

The game that may best illustrate Cobb's unique combination of skills and attributes occurred on May 12, 1911. Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Playing against the New York Yankees, Cobb scored a run from first base on a single to right field, then scored another run from second base on a wild pitch. The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. In the 7th inning, he tied the game with a 2-run double. The Yankee catcher began vociferously arguing the call with the umpire, going on at such length that the other Yankee infielders gathered nearby to watch. In Baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game including beginning and ending the game enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds making Realizing that no one on the Yankees had called time, Cobb strolled unobserved to third base, and then casually walked towards home plate as if to get a better view of the argument. He then suddenly slid into home plate for the game's winning run. ^[7] It was performances like this that led Branch Rickey to say later that "[Cobb] had brains in his feet. Wesley Branch Rickey ( December 15 1881 &ndash December 9 1965) was an innovative Major League Baseball executive best known "^[41]

On May 15, 1912, Cobb assaulted Claude Lueker, a heckler, in the stands in New York. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Lueker and Cobb traded insults with each other throughout the first three innings, and the situation climaxed when Lueker called Cobb a "half-nigger". Cobb, in his discussion of the incident (My Life in Baseball: The True Record, Ty Cobb and Al Stump, Doubleday, 1961, pp. 131-135), avoided such explicit words, but alluded to it by saying the man was "reflecting on my mother's color and morals". Cobb also states in the book that he warned Highlanders manager Harry Wolverton that if something wasn't done about the man, there would be trouble. Harry Sterling "Fighting Harry" Wolverton ( December 6, 1873 - February 4, 1937) was a Third baseman who played for No action was taken. Finally, at the end of the sixth inning, and after being challenged by teammates Sam Crawford and Jim Delahanty to do something about it, Cobb climbed into the stands and attacked the handicapped Lueker, who due to an industrial accident had lost all of one hand and three fingers on his other hand. When onlookers shouted at Cobb to stop because the man had no hands, Cobb reportedly replied, "I don't care if he has no feet!"^[42] The league suspended him, and his teammates, though not fond of Cobb, went on strike to protest the suspension, and to the lack of protection of players from abusive fans, prior to the May 18 game in Philadelphia. Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. ^[43] For that one game, Detroit fielded a replacement team made up of college and sandlot ballplayers, plus two Detroit coaches, and lost, 24-2. Some of major league baseball's all-time negative records were established in this game, notably the 26 hits allowed by Allan Travers, who pitched the sport's most unlikely complete game. Aloysius Joseph "Allan" Travers, aka Rev Aloysius Stanislaus Travers ( May 7, 1892 – April 19, 1968) was a Major In Baseball, a complete game (denoted by CG) is the act of a Pitcher pitching an entire game himself without the benefit of a Relief pitcher ^[44] The strike ended when Cobb urged his teammates to return to the field. According to Cobb, this incident led to the formation of a players' union, the "Ballplayers' Fraternity" (formally the Fraternity of Professional Baseball Players of America), an early version of what is now called the Major League Baseball Players Association, and garnered some concessions from the owners. The Major League Baseball Players Association (or MLBPA) is the union of professional major-league baseball players ^[45]{[vc}}^[46] During Cobb's career, he was involved in numerous fights, both on and off the field, and several profanity-laced shouting matches. For example, Cobb and umpire Billy Evans arranged to settle their in-game differences with a fistfight, to be conducted under the grandstand after the game. William George Evans ( February 10 1884 &ndash January 23 1956) nicknamed "The Boy Umpire" was an American Members of both teams were spectators, and broke up the scuffle after Cobb had knocked Evans down, pinned him, and began choking him. Cobb once slapped a black elevator operator for being "uppity. " When a black night watchman intervened, Cobb pulled out a knife and stabbed him (The matter was later settled out of court). ^[17]

"Sure, I fought," said an unrepentant Cobb in a revealing quote. "I had to fight all my life just to survive. They were all against me. Tried every dirty trick to cut me down, but I beat the bastards and left them in the ditch. "

1915–1921

In 1915, Cobb set the single-season record for stolen bases, with 96. George Herman Ruth Jr (February 6 1895 &ndash August 16 1948 also popularly known as " Babe " " The Bambino " and " The Sultan of This record stood until Maury Wills broke it in 1962. Maurice Morning Wills (born October 2 1932 in Washington DC) is a former Major League Baseball Shortstop and switch-hitting ^[47] Cobb’s streak of five batting titles (believed at the time to be nine straight^[48]) ended the following year when he finished second with . 371 to Tris Speaker’s . Tristram E Speaker ( April 4, 1888 - December 8, 1958) nicknamed “Spoke” (a play on his last name and “Grey Eagle” (for his prematurely 386. ^[27][49]

In 1917, Cobb hit in 35 consecutive games; he remains the only player with two 35-game hitting streaks to his credit (Cobb had a 40-game hitting streak in 1911). ^[50] Over his career, Cobb had six hitting streaks of at least 20 games, second only to Pete Rose's seven. ^[51]

Also in 1917, Cobb starred in the motion picture Somewhere in Georgia for a sum of $25,000 plus expenses. Somewhere in Georgia is a 1917 Silent film, starring baseball great Ty Cobb. ^[52] Based on a story by sports columnist Grantland Rice, the film casts Cobb as "himself", a small-town Georgian bank clerk with a talent for baseball. Grantland Rice ( November 1, 1880 &ndash July 13, 1954) was an early 20th century American sports-writer. ^[53] Broadway critic Ward Morehouse called the movie "absolutely the worst flicker I ever saw, pure hokum. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Ward Morehouse ( November 24, 1899 - December 8, 1966) was an American theater critic newspaper Columnist, Playwright, "^[52]

In October 1918, Cobb enlisted in the Chemical Corps branch of the United States Army and was sent to the Allied Expeditionary Forces headquarters in Chaumont, France. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The American Expeditionary Forces or AEF was the United States military force sent to Europe in World War I. ^[54] He served approximately 67 days overseas before receiving an honorable discharge and returning to the United States. A military discharge is given when a member of the Armed forces is released from his or her obligation to serve ^[54] Cobb served as a captain underneath the command of major Branch Rickey, the president of the St. Louis Cardinals. Wesley Branch Rickey ( December 15 1881 &ndash December 9 1965) was an innovative Major League Baseball executive best known The St Louis Cardinals (also referred to as "the Cards " or "the Redbirds " are a professional Baseball team based in St Other baseball players serving in this unit included captain Christy Mathewson and lieutenant George Sisler. Christopher "Christy" Mathewson ( August 12 1880 &ndash October 7 1925) nicknamed "Big Six" "The Christian Gentleman" For the minor league baseball executive see George Sisler Jr For the Medal of Honor recipient see George K ^[54] All of these men were assigned to the Gas and Flame Division where they trained soldiers in preparation for chemical attacks by exposing them to gas chambers in a controlled environment. Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of Chemical substances to kill injure or incapacitate an enemy. ^[54]

By 1920, Babe Ruth had established himself as a power hitter, something Cobb was not considered. Champions World Series: Cleveland Indians over Brooklyn Robins (5-2 Awards and honors George Herman Ruth Jr (February 6 1895 &ndash August 16 1948 also popularly known as " Babe " " The Bambino " and " The Sultan of When Cobb and the Tigers showed up in New York to play the Yankees for the first time that season, writers billed it as a showdown between two stars of competing styles of play. Ruth hit two homers and a triple during the series, compared to Cobb's one single.

As Ruth's popularity grew, Cobb became increasingly hostile toward him. Cobb saw Ruth not only as a threat to his style of play, but also to his style of life. While Cobb preached ascetic self-denial, Ruth gorged on hot dogs, beer, and women. ^[55][56][57] Perhaps what angered him the most about Ruth was that despite Ruth's total disregard for his physical condition and traditional baseball, he was still an overwhelming success and brought fans to the ballparks in record numbers to see him set his own records.

After enduring several years of seeing his fame and notoriety usurped by Ruth, Cobb decided that he was going to show that swinging for the fences was no challenge for a top hitter. On May 5, 1925, Cobb began a two-game hitting spree better than any even Ruth had unleashed. Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He was sitting in the dugout talking to a reporter and told him that, for the first time in his career, he was going to swing for the fences. In Baseball, the dugout is a team's bench area and is located in foul territory between home plate and either first or third base That day, Cobb went 6 for 6, with two singles, a double, and three home runs. ^[58] His 16 total bases set a new AL record. The next day he had three more hits, two of which were home runs. His single his first time up gave him 9 consecutive hits over three games. His five homers in two games tied the record set by Cap Anson of the old Chicago NL team in 1884. Adrian Constantine Anson ( April 17 1852 &ndash April 14 1922) known by the nicknames "Cap" (for "Captain" and ^[58] Cobb wanted to show that he could hit home runs when he wanted, but simply chose not to do so. At the end of the series, 38-year-old Cobb had gone 12 for 19 with 29 total bases, and then went happily back to bunting and hitting-and-running. For his part, Ruth's attitude was that "I could have had a lifetime . 600 average, but I would have had to hit them singles. The people were paying to see me hit home runs. "^[59]

On August 19, 1921, in the second game of a double header against Elmer Myers of the Boston Red Sox, Cobb collected his 3,000th hit. Events 43 BC - Octavian, later known as Augustus compels the Roman Senate to elect him Consul. Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Elmer Glenn Myers (born March 2, 1894 in York Springs Pennsylvania - July 29, 1976 in Collingswood New Jersey) is a The Boston Red Sox are a Professional baseball team based in Boston Massachusetts, and are the reigning (2007 World Series Champions. Aged 34 at the time, Cobb is the youngest ballplayer to reach the milestone, and in the fewest at-bats (8,093). ^[60][61]

Cobb as player/manager

Frank Navin, the Detroit Tigers owner, signed Cobb to take over for Hughie Jennings as manager for the 1921 season. Frank Joseph Navin ( April 18, 1871 – November 13, 1935) was the principal owner of the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball Hugh Ambrose Jennings ( April 2, 1869 &ndash February 1, 1928) was a Major League Baseball player and manager from 1891-1925 Headline Events of the Year First Radio broadcast of the World Series. Cobb signed the deal on his 34th birthday for $32,500. To say the least, the signing caught the baseball world off-guard. Universally disliked (even by the members of his own team) but a legendary player, Cobb's management style left a lot to be desired. He expected as much from his players as he gave, and most of the men did not meet his standard. ^[11][62]

The closest Cobb came to winning the pennant race was in 1924, when the Tigers finished in third place, six games behind the pennant-winning Washington Senators. Champions World Series: Washington Senators over New York Giants (4-3 First Negro League World Series: Kansas The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Tigers had finished second in 1922, but were 16 games behind the Yankees. Champions World Series: New York Giants over New York Yankees (4-0-1 Statistical Leaders Major

Cobb blamed his lackluster managerial record (479 wins-444 losses) on Navin, who was arguably an even more frugal man than Cobb. Navin passed up a number of quality players that Cobb wanted to add to the team. In fact, Navin had saved money by hiring Cobb to manage the team.

Also in 1922, Cobb tied a batting record set by Wee Willie Keeler, with four five-hit games in a season. William Henry Keeler ( March 3, 1872 - January 1, 1923) in Brooklyn, New York, nicknamed "Wee Willie" was This has since been matched by Stan Musial, Tony Gwynn and Ichiro Suzuki. Stanley Frank Musial (born November 21, 1920) originally Stanisław Franciszek Musiał, (ˈmjuːziəl nicknamed "Stan the Man" and Anthony Keith Gwynn (born May 9 1960 in Los Angeles California) is a former Right fielder in Major League Baseball, statistically one of the best and often known simply as, (born October 22 1973 in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai, Aichi Prefecture, Japan) is an Outfielder for the Seattle Mariners

At the end of 1925 Cobb was once again embroiled in a batting title race, this time with one of his teammates and players, Harry Heilmann. Champions World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Washington Senators (4-3 Negro League World Series: Hilldale Harry Edwin Heilmann ( August 3, 1894 &ndash July 9, 1951) nicknamed “ Slug,” was a Major League Baseball player who In a doubleheader against the St. Louis Browns on October 4, 1925, Heilmann got six hits to lead the Tigers to a sweep of the doubleheader and beat Cobb for the batting crown, . The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 393 to . 389. Cobb and Browns manager George Sisler each pitched in the final game. For the minor league baseball executive see George Sisler Jr For the Medal of Honor recipient see George K Cobb pitched a perfect inning.

Move to Philadelphia

Cobb finally called it quits from a 22-year career as a Tiger in November 1926. Auto Racing Indianapolis 500 - Frank Lockhart Baseball (Negro League Rube Foster, founder He announced his retirement and headed home to Augusta, Georgia. ^[7] Shortly thereafter, Tris Speaker also retired as player-manager of the Cleveland team. The retirement of two great players at the same time sparked some interest, and it turned out that the two were coerced into retirement because of allegations of game-fixing brought about by Dutch Leonard, a former pitcher of Cobb's. Hubert Benjamin "Dutch" Leonard, ( April 16, 1892 - July 11, 1952) was an American left-handed Pitcher in ^[7]

Leonard accused former pitcher and outfielder Smokey Joe Wood and Cobb of betting on a Tiger-Cleveland game played in Detroit on September 25, 1919, in which they allegedly orchestrated a Detroit victory to win the bet. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Leonard claimed proof existed in letters written to him by Cobb and Wood. ^[7] Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis held a secret hearing with Cobb, Speaker, and Wood. Kenesaw Mountain Landis ( November 20 1866 &ndash November 25 1944) was an American Jurist who served as a federal ^[7] A second secret meeting amongst the AL directors led to Cobb and Speaker resigning with no publicity; however, rumors of the scandal led Judge Landis to hold additional hearings. ^[7] Leonard subsequently refused to appear at the hearings. Cobb and Wood admitted to writing the letters, but they claimed it was a horse racing bet, and that Leonard's accusations were in retaliation for Cobb's having released Leonard from the Tigers to the minor leagues. Part of the History of baseball series Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of Professional baseball leagues in North ^[7] Speaker denied any wrongdoing. ^[7]

On January 27, 1927, Judge Landis cleared Cobb and Speaker of any wrongdoing because of Leonard's refusal to appear at the hearings. Events 98 - Trajan becomes Roman Emperor after the death of Nerva. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[7] Landis allowed both Cobb and Speaker to return to their original teams, and both became free agents. In Professional sports a free agent is a team player whose contract with a team has expired and the player is able to sign a contract with another team if that player ^[7] Speaker signed with the Washington Senators for 1927; Cobb signed with the Philadelphia Athletics. The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Baseball (Major League Babe Ruth hit 60 Home runs setting a major league record The Oakland Athletics are a professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. Speaker then joined Cobb in Philadelphia for the 1928 season. Baseball (Negro League In late May the Eastern Colored League disintegrates leaving the league's clubs to play independently for the rest of the season Cobb said he came back only to seek vindication, and so that he could say he left baseball on his own terms.

Cobb played regularly in 1927 for a young and talented team that finished second to one of the greatest teams of all time, the 1927 Yankees, which won 110 games. He returned to Detroit to a tumultuous welcome on May 11 1927. Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Cobb doubled in his first at bat, to the cheers of Tiger fans. On July 18, 1927, Cobb became the first player to enter the 4000 hit club when he doubled off former teammate Sam Gibson of the Detroit Tigers at Navin Field. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In Major League Baseball, the 3000 Hit Club is an informal term applied to the group of players who have made 3000 or more career base hits. Samuel Braxton Gibson ( August 5, 1899 – January 31, 1983) was an American right-handed Pitcher in Major League Baseball Tiger Stadium (formerly Navin Field then Briggs Stadium is a Stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. ^[7]

1927 was also the final season of Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson's career. The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Walter Perry Johnson ( November 6, 1887 – December 10, 1946) nicknamed "The Big Train" was an American right-handed ^[63] With their careers largely overlapping, Ty Cobb faced Johnson more times than any other batter-pitcher matchup in baseball history. Cobb also got the first hit allowed in Johnson's career. After Johnson hit Detroit's Ossie Vitt with a pitch in August of 1915, seriously injuring him, Cobb realized that Johnson was fearful of hitting opponents. Oscar Joseph "Ossie" Vitt ( January 4 1890 - January 31 1963) was a Major League Baseball Third baseman He used this knowledge to his advantage, by standing closer to the plate. ^[64]

Cobb returned for the 1928 season. He played less frequently due to his age and the blossoming abilities of the young A's, who were again in a pennant race with the Yankees. On September 3, 1928, Ty Cobb pinch hit in the 9th inning of the first game of a double-header against the Senators and doubled off Bump Hadley for his last career hit. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For other uses see Pinch hitter (cricket. In Baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Against the Yankees on September 11, 1928, Cobb had his last at bat popping out against pitcher Hank Johnson, grounding out to shortstop Mark Koenig as a 9th-inning pinch hitter. Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. "Fly ball" redirects here for the dog sport see Flyball. In Baseball, an out occurs when the defensive or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events and the umpire rules a batter Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and Third base. ^[7] He then announced his retirement, effective at the end of the season. ^[7] Cobb ended his career with 23 consecutive seasons batting . 300 or better (the only season under . 300 being his rookie season), a major league record not likely to be broken. ^[27]

Post professional career

Cobb retired a very rich and successful man. ^[65] He toured Europe with his family, went to Scotland for some time then returned to his farm in Georgia. ^[65] He spent his retirement pursuing his off-season activities of hunting, golfing, polo and fishing. ^[65] His other pastime was trading stocks and bonds, increasing his immense personal wealth. In Finance, a bond is a Debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and is obliged to repay the principal and Interest ^[66] Among his other holdings, Cobb was a major stockholder in the Coca-Cola Corporation, which by itself would have made him a wealthy man. The Coca-Cola Company ( is the world's largest beverage company largest manufacturer distributor and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and Syrups in the world

In the winter of 1930, Cobb moved into a Spanish ranch estate on Spencer Lane in the millionaire's community of Atherton outside San Francisco, California. Atherton is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city At that same time, his wife Charlie filed the first of several divorce suits;^[67] however, she withdrew that suit shortly thereafter. ^[68] Charlie finally divorced Cobb in 1947,^[69] after 39 years of marriage, the last few of which she lived in nearby Menlo Park. Menlo Park is an affluent City in San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California The couple had three sons and two daughters: Tyrus Raymond, Jr. , Shirley Marion, Herschel Roswell, James Howell, and Beverly. ^[26][36][70]

Cobb had never had an easy time being a father and husband. His children had found him to be demanding, yet also capable of kindness and extreme warmth. Cobb had expected his boys to be exceptional athletes, especially baseball players. Cobb, Jr. flunked out of Princeton,^[71] where he had played on the varsity tennis team much to the dismay of Cobb, Sr. Princeton University is a private Coeducational research university located in Princeton, New Jersey. ^[72][73] The elder Cobb subsequently traveled to the Princeton campus and beat his son with a whip to ensure against future academic failure. The word whip describes two basic types of tools A long stick-like device usually slightly flexible with a small bit of leather or cord called a "popper" on the ^[72] Cobb, Jr. then entered Yale University and became captain of the tennis team while improving his academics; however, he was arrested twice in 1930 for drunkenness and left Yale without graduating. ^[72] Cobb, Sr. helped his son address the pending legal problems and then permanently broke off ties with the younger Cobb. ^[72] Although Cobb, Jr. eventually earned an M.D. in obstetrics from the Medical College of South Carolina and practiced in Dublin, Georgia, until his death at the age of forty-two on September 9, 1952, from a brain tumor, his father remained distant. Doctor of Medicine ( MD or MD, from the Latin Medicinæ Doctor meaning "Teacher of Medicine" is a doctoral Obstetrics (from the Latin obstare, "to stand by" is the surgical speciality dealing with the care of a woman and her offspring during Pregnancy Dublin is a city in Laurens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 15857 at the 2000 census Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A brain tumor is any intracranial Tumor created by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division, normally either in the Brain itself ( Neurons ^[74][75]

A personal achievement came in February 1936, when the first Hall of Fame election results were announced. Cobb had been named on 222 of 226 ballots, outdistancing Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson, the only others to earn the necessary 75% of votes to be elected in that first year. Johannes Peter "Honus" Wagner (ˈhɑnəs ˈwæɡnɚ February 24 1874 &ndash December 6 1955) nicknamed " The Flying Dutchman Christopher "Christy" Mathewson ( August 12 1880 &ndash October 7 1925) nicknamed "Big Six" "The Christian Gentleman" Walter Perry Johnson ( November 6, 1887 – December 10, 1946) nicknamed "The Big Train" was an American right-handed His 98. 2 percentage stood as the record until Tom Seaver received 98. George Thomas Seaver (born November 17, 1944) is a former right-handed Major League Baseball Pitcher who broke into the major leagues in and 8% of the vote in 1992 (Nolan Ryan and Cal Ripken have also surpassed Cobb, with 98. Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr (born January 31, 1947 in Refugio, Texas) is a retired American Right-handed Pitcher in 79% and 98. 53% of the votes, respectively). Those incredible results show that although many people disliked him personally, they respected the way he played and what he accomplished. In 1998, The Sporting News ranked him as third on the list of 100 Greatest Baseball Players. Sporting News (previously The Sporting News, and known colloquially as TSN) is an American -based Sports In 1998 The Sporting News compiled a list of Baseball's Greatest Players

By then, Cobb drank and smoked heavily, and spent a great deal of time complaining about the lack of fundamental skills with modern-day players. ^[17] Cobb had positive things to say about Stan Musial, Phil Rizzuto, and Jackie Robinson, but few others. Stanley Frank Musial (born November 21, 1920) originally Stanisław Franciszek Musiał, (ˈmjuːziəl nicknamed "Stan the Man" and Philip Francis Rizzuto ( September 25 1917 &ndash August 13 2007) nicknamed "The Scooter" was an American Shortstop Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson (January 31 1919 – October 24 1972 was a Baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers. ^[76] However, Cobb was known to help out young players. He was instrumental in helping Joe DiMaggio negotiate his rookie contract with the New York Yankees, but ended his friendship with Ted Williams when the latter suggested to him that Rogers Hornsby was a greater hitter than Cobb. Joseph Paul DiMaggio, born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio Jr ( November 25, 1914 &ndash March 8, 1999) nicknamed Joltin' Joe Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams ( August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) also nicknamed The Kid, the Splendid Splinter Rogers Hornsby ( April 27, 1896 in Winters Texas - January 5, 1963 in Chicago Illinois) nicknamed "The Rajah"

Cobb's competitive fires continued to burn after retirement. At the 1947 Old Timers Game in Yankee Stadium, Cobb warned catcher Benny Bengough to move back, claiming he was rusty and hadn't swung a bat in almost 20 years. Old-Timers' Day (or Old-Timers' Game) generally refers to a tradition in Major League Baseball of a team especially the New York Yankees, devoting the The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. Bernard Oliver "Benny" Bengough ( July 27, 1898 – December 22, 1968) was a major league baseball catcher who played for ten seasons Bengough stepped back, to avoid being struck by Cobb's backswing. Having repositioned the catcher, Cobb cannily laid down a perfect bunt in front of the plate, and easily beat the throw from a surprised Bengough. ^[7]

Another bittersweet moment in Cobb's life reportedly came in the late 1940s when he and sportswriter Grantland Rice were returning from the Masters golf tournament. The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters or The US Masters (outside of the United States is one of four major championships in men's Stopping at a South Carolina liquor store, Cobb noticed that the man behind the counter was "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, who had been banned from baseball almost 30 years earlier following the Black Sox scandal. The Black Sox Scandal refers to a number of events that took place around and during the play of the 1919 World Series. But Jackson did not appear to recognize him, and finally Cobb asked, "Don't you know me, Joe?" “Sure I know you, Ty,” replied Jackson, “but I wasn’t sure you wanted to speak to me. A lot of them don’t. ”^[77]

Cobb was mentioned in the poem "Lineup for Yesterday" by Ogden Nash:

Lineup for Yesterday
C is for Cobb, Who grew spikes and not corn, And made all the basemen Wish they weren"t born. Frederic Ogden Nash ( August 19, 1902 &ndash May 19, 1971) was an American Poet best known for writing pithy and funny
— Ogden Nash, Sport magazine (January 1949)[78]

Later life

At 62, Cobb married a second time in 1949. Frederic Ogden Nash ( August 19, 1902 &ndash May 19, 1971) was an American Poet best known for writing pithy and funny SPORT magazine was the original major general interest American sports magazine His new wife was 40-year-old Frances Fairburn Cass, a divorcee from Buffalo, New York. Divorcée, or Divorcee, refers to a woman whose marriage ended in Divorce, a legal dissolution of marriage before death of either spouse Buffalo (ˈbʌfəloʊ is the second largest city in New York State. ^[79][80] This childless marriage also failed, and they divorced in 1956. ^[81]

When two of his three sons died young, Cobb was alone, with few friends left. He began to be generous with his wealth, donating $100,000 in his parents' name for his hometown to build a modern 24 bed hospital, Cobb Memorial Hospital, which is now part of the Ty Cobb Healthcare System. The Ty Cobb Healthcare System began as only a single hospital The Ty Cobb Healthcare System began as only a single hospital He also established the Cobb Educational Fund, which awarded scholarships to needy Georgia students bound for college, by endowing it with a $100,000 donation in 1953. ^[66]

Cobb knew that another way he could share his wealth was by having biographies written that would set the record straight and teach young players how to play. John McCallum spent some time with Cobb to write a combination how-to and biography entitled The Tiger Wore Spikes: An Informal Biography of Ty Cobb that was published in 1956. John Dennis McCallum (born 1924 was a sportswriter as well as a writer on strength training topics ^[82][83]

After McCallum completed his research for the book, Cobb was again alone and had a longing to return to Georgia. In December of 1959, Cobb was diagnosed with prostate cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and Bright's disease, a degenerative kidney disorder. Diabetes mellitus (ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/ /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/ often referred to simply as diabetes ( Ancient Greek: grc Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, HTN or HPN, is a medical condition in which the Blood pressure is chronically elevated Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern Medicine as acute or chronic Nephritis ^[17][84] He did not trust his initial diagnosis, however, so he went to Georgia to seek advice from doctors he knew, and they found his prostate to be cancerous. They removed it at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, but that did little to help Cobb. Emory University is a Private university located in the metropolitan area of the city of Atlanta and in western unincorporated DeKalb County, From this point until the end of his life, Cobb criss-crossed the country, going from his lodge in Tahoe to the hospital in Georgia.

It was also during his final years that Cobb began work on his autobiography, My Life in Baseball: The True Record, with writer Al Stump. Al Stump ( October 20, 1916 – December 14, 1995) was an American author and Sports writer. Their collaboration was contentious, and after Cobb's death, Al Stump's side of the story was described in some of his other works, including the film Cobb. Cobb is a 1994 baseball film starring Tommy Lee Jones as the legendary baseball player Ty Cobb.

Death

In his last days, Cobb spent some time with the old movie comedian Joe E. Brown, talking about the choices Cobb had made in his life. Joseph Evans Brown ( July 28, 1892 – July 6, 1973) was an actor and comedian from Holgate Ohio. He told Brown that he felt that he had made mistakes, and that he would do things differently if he could. He had played hard and lived hard all his life, and had no friends to show for it at the end, and he regretted it. Publicly, however, Cobb claimed not to have any regrets: "I've been lucky. I have no right to be regretful of what I did. "^[85]

He checked into Emory Hospital for the last time in June 1961, bringing with him a paper bag with over $1 million in negotiable bonds and a Luger pistol. In Finance, a bond is a Debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and is obliged to repay the principal and Interest The Parabellum-Pistole ( Pistol Parabellum) popularly (but incorrectly known as the Luger, is a toggle locked recoil operated, Semi-automatic ^[6][86] His first wife, Charlie, his son Jimmy and other family members came to be with him for his final days. He died a month later, on July 17, 1961, at Emory University Hospital. Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[17]

. . the most sensational player of all the players I have seen in all my life. . . ' Casey Stengel, The New York Times, July 18, 1961[87] regarding Ty Cobb shortly after Cobb's death

Approximately 150 friends and relatives attended a brief service in Cornelia, Georgia, and drove to the Cobb Family mausoleum in Royston for the burial. Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel ( July 30, 1890 - September 29, 1975) nicknamed "The Old Professor" was an American Cornelia is a city in Habersham County, Georgia, United States. Baseball's only representatives at his funeral were three old players, Ray Schalk, Mickey Cochrane, and Nap Rucker, along with Sid Keener, the director of the Baseball Hall of Fame; however, messages of condolences numbered in the hundreds. Raymond William Schalk ( August 12, 1892 - May 19, 1970) was a Major League Baseball Catcher noted for his fine handling Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane ( April 6, 1903 – June 28, 1962) was a Catcher and manager in Major League George Napoleon "Nap" Rucker ( September 30, 1884 - December 19, 1970) was a left-handed Pitcher in Major League ^[88][89] Family in attendance included Cobb's former wife, Charlie, his two daughters, his surviving son, Jimmy, his two sons-in-law, his daughter-in-law, Mary Dunn Cobb, and her two children.

At the time of his death. Cobb's estate was reported to be worth at least US$11,780,000, including $10 million worth of General Electric stock and $1. 78 million in Coke stock. The Coca-Cola Company ( is the world's largest beverage company largest manufacturer distributor and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and Syrups in the world ^[90] Cobb's will left a quarter of his estate to the Cobb Educational Fund, and distributed the rest among his children and grandchildren. In Common law, a will or testament is a document by which a person (the Testator) regulates the rights of others over his or her Property Cobb is interred in the Rose Hill Cemetery (Georgia) in Royston, Georgia. Rose Hill Cemetery is in Macon, Georgia, US The cemetery opened in 1840. As of 2005 the Ty Cobb Educational Foundation has distributed nearly $11 million in scholarships to needy Georgians. A scholarship is an award of access to an institution or a financial aid award for an individual student scholar for the purpose of furthering their Education ^[91]

Legacy

The greatness of Ty Cobb was something that had to be seen, and to see him was to remember him forever. George Sisler[92]

Efforts to create a Ty Cobb Memorial in Royston initially failed, primarily because most of the artifacts from his life were sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, and the Georgia town was viewed as too remote to make a memorial worthwhile. For the minor league baseball executive see George Sisler Jr For the Medal of Honor recipient see George K However, on July 17, 1998, the 37th anniversary of Cobb's death, the Ty Cobb Museum and the Franklin County Sports Hall of Fame opened its doors in Royston. Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) The Ty Cobb Museum is a museum located in Royston, Georgia, that honors Baseball Hall of Fame player Tyrus Raymond Cobb. The Franklin County Sports Hall of Fame is located in Royston Georgia and is housed within the Ty Cobb Museum. On that day, Cobb was one of the first members to be inducted into the Franklin County Sports Hall of Fame. On August 30, 2005, his hometown hosted a 1905 baseball game to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Cobb's first major league game. Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Players in the game included many of Cobb's descendants as well as many citizens from his hometown of Royston. Another early-1900s baseball game was played in his hometown at Cobb Field on September 30, 2006, with Cobb's descendants and Roystonians again playing. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Cobb's personal batboy from his major league years was also in attendance and threw out the first pitch. A batboy or batgirl is the person who carries the Baseball bats around to a Baseball team The ceremonial first ball is a longstanding Ritual of American baseball in which a guest of honor throws a ball to mark the end of pregame festivities and A third Ty Cobb Vintage Baseball Game was played on October 6, 2007. Events 105 BC - Battle of Arausio: The Cimbri inflict the heaviest defeat on the Roman army of Gnaeus Mallius Maximus Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Many of Cobb's family and other relatives were in attendance for a "family reunion" theme. Appearing at the game again was Cobb's personal batboy who, with his son and grandson, made a large donation and a plaque to the Ty Cobb Museum in honor of their family's relationship with the Cobb family.

Teach a boy to throw a baseball, and he won't throw a rock. Ty Cobb

Ty Cobb's legacy also includes legions of collectors of his early tobacco card issues as well as game used memorabilia and autographs. Perhaps the most curious item remains the 1909 Ty Cobb with Ty Cobb Cigarettes back, leaving some to believe Cobb either had or attempted to have his own brand of cigarettes. Very little about the card is known other than its similarity to the 1909 T206 Red Portrait card published by the American Tobacco Company, and until 2005 only a handful were known to exist. That year, a sizable cache of the cards was brought to auction by the family of a Royston, Georgia man who had stored them in a book for almost 100 years. ^[93]

Racism

While few would doubt Cobb's reputation for violent and outrageous behavior, there is some evidence that his alleged racism has been overstated. Indeed, he would certainly be considered a racist by today's standards, but he may not have been especially racist for his day. For instance, when baseball became integrated, he fully stood behind the decision, telling the Sporting News "The Negro has a right to compete in sports and who is to say they have not? They have been competing notably in football, track, and baseball and I think they are to be complimented for their gentle conduct both on the field, and, as far as I know, off the field. Sporting News (previously The Sporting News, and known colloquially as TSN) is an American -based Sports " ^[94] Furthermore, his charitable contributions such as the hospital he built in his home town, and a scholarship fund he started, were both open to blacks. ^[95]

Crawford-Cobb rivalry

Sam Crawford and Ty Cobb were teammates for parts of thirteen seasons. Samuel Earl Crawford ( April 18 1880 &ndash June 15 1968) nicknamed " Wahoo Sam " was a Major League Baseball They played beside each other in right and center field, and Crawford followed Cobb in the batting order year after year. Despite the physical closeness, the two had a complicated relationship. ^[96]

Initially, they had a student-teacher relationship. Crawford was an established star when Cobb arrived, and Cobb eagerly sought his advice. In interviews with Al Stump, Cobb told of studying Crawford’s base stealing technique and of how Crawford would teach him about pursuing fly balls and throwing out base runners. Al Stump ( October 20, 1916 – December 14, 1995) was an American author and Sports writer. Cobb told Stump he would always remember Crawford’s kindness. ^[97]

The student-teacher relationship gradually changed to one of jealous rivals. ^[98] Cobb was not popular with his teammates, and as Cobb became the biggest star in baseball, Crawford was unhappy with the preferential treatment given to Cobb. Cobb was allowed to show up late for spring training and was given private quarters on the road – perks not offered to Crawford. The competition between the two was intense. Crawford recalled that, if he went three for four on a day when Cobb went hitless, Cobb would turn red and sometimes walk out of the park with the game still on. When it was initially (and erroneously) reported that Nap Lajoie had won the batting title, Crawford was alleged to have been one of several Tigers who sent a telegram to Lajoie congratulating him on beating Cobb. Napoléon "Nap" Lajoie or often la-ZHWAY per the Canadian French pronunciation or as he himself usually pronounced it LAJ-a-wayLee Allen in ''The American League ^[99][100]

In retirement, Cobb wrote a letter to a writer for The Sporting News accusing Crawford of not helping in the outfield and of intentionally fouling off balls when Cobb was stealing a base. Sporting News (previously The Sporting News, and known colloquially as TSN) is an American -based Sports Crawford learned about the letter in 1946 and accused Cobb of being a “cheapskate” who never helped his teammates. He said that Cobb had not been a very good fielder, "so he blamed me. " Crawford denied intentionally trying to deprive Cobb of stolen bases, insisting that Cobb had “dreamed that up. ”^[101]

When asked about the feud, Cobb attributed it to jealousy. He felt that Crawford was “a hell of a good player,” but he was “second best” on the Tigers and “hated to be an also ran. ” Cobb biographer Richard Bak noted that the two “only barely tolerated each other” and agreed with Cobb that Crawford’s attitude was driven by Cobb’s having stolen Crawford’s thunder. ^[102]

Although they may not have spoken to each other, Cobb and Crawford developed an uncanny ability to communicate nonverbally with looks and nods on the base paths. They became one of the most successful double steal pairings in baseball history. In Baseball, a stolen base occurs when a Baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the Pitcher is delivering the ball to Home plate ^[103]

After Cobb died, a reporter found hundreds of letters in Cobb’s home that Cobb had written to influential people lobbying for Crawford’s induction into the Hall of Fame. Crawford was reportedly unaware of Cobb’s efforts until after Cobb had died. ^[104]

Regular season stats

Independent researchers have raised questions from time to time about Cobb's exact career totals. Hits have been re-estimated at between 4,189 and 4,192. At-bats estimates have ranged as high as 11,437. The numbers shown below are the figures officially recognized on MLB. com. ^[105]

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	TB	SH	HBP
3,035	11,429	2,245	4,191	723	297	117	1,938	892	---	1,249	357	. Games played (most often abbreviated as G or GP) is a Statistic used in Team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has In Baseball, an at bat ( AB) or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including Batting average, On base In Baseball, a run is scored when a player advances safely around first second and third base and returns safely to Home plate, touching In Baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H) sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches In Baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching Second base without being called out by the Umpire In Baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching Third base after hitting the ball with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay (see In Baseball, a stolen base occurs when a Baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the Pitcher is delivering the ball to Home plate In Baseball, a runner is charged and the fielders involved are credited with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or Lead off A base on balls ( BB) is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in Baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire In Baseball or Softball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by SO or K) occurs when a batter receives three strikes Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively In Baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP (sometimes referred to as on-base average ', as the statistic is rarely presented as a true Percentage) In Baseball statistics, slugging percentage (abbreviated SLG) is a popular measure of the power of a hitter. In Baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i In Baseball, hit by pitch ( HBP) or hit batsman ( HB) refers to the batter being hit in some part of the body by a pitch from the 367	. 424	. 513	5,859	295	94

The figures on Baseball-Reference. com are as follows. ^[27] Other private research sites may have different figures. Caught Stealing is not shown comprehensively for Cobb's MLB. com totals, because the stat was not regularly captured until 1920.

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	TB	SH	HBP
3,035	11,434	2,246	4,189	724	295	117	1,937	892	178	1,249	357	. Games played (most often abbreviated as G or GP) is a Statistic used in Team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has In Baseball, an at bat ( AB) or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including Batting average, On base In Baseball, a run is scored when a player advances safely around first second and third base and returns safely to Home plate, touching In Baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H) sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches In Baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching Second base without being called out by the Umpire In Baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching Third base after hitting the ball with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay (see In Baseball, a stolen base occurs when a Baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the Pitcher is delivering the ball to Home plate In Baseball, a runner is charged and the fielders involved are credited with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or Lead off A base on balls ( BB) is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in Baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire In Baseball or Softball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by SO or K) occurs when a batter receives three strikes Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively In Baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP (sometimes referred to as on-base average ', as the statistic is rarely presented as a true Percentage) In Baseball statistics, slugging percentage (abbreviated SLG) is a popular measure of the power of a hitter. In Baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i In Baseball, hit by pitch ( HBP) or hit batsman ( HB) refers to the batter being hit in some part of the body by a pitch from the 367	. 433	. 512	5,854	295	94

See also

• Al Stump
• 3000 hit club
• List of Major League Baseball Hit Records
• List of Major League Baseball doubles records
• List of MLB individual streaks
• Ty Cobb Museum
• Baseball record holders
• List of Major League Baseball players with 2000 hits
• List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
• List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
• List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
• List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
• List of Major League Baseball players with 500 stolen bases
• Triple Crown
• List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
• List of Major League Baseball batting champions
• List of Major League Baseball home run champions
• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
• List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
• List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
• List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
• List of Major League Baseball triples champions
• Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game
• List of Major League Baseball players with 400 stolen bases
• Major League Baseball titles leaders

Notes

References

• Alexander, Charles (1984). Ty Cobb. New York: Oxford University Press.  
• Bak, Richard (2005). Peach: Ty Cobb In His Time And Ours. Sports Media Group.  
• Bak, Richard (1994). Ty Cobb: His Tumultuous Life and Times. Dallas, Texas: Taylor.  
• Pietrusza, David; Matthew Silverman & Michael Gershman (2000). Baseball: The Biographical Encyclopedia. Total/Sports Illustrated. Taylor.  
• Stump, Al (1994). Cobb: A Biography. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. ISBN 0-945575-64-5.  

External links

• Ty Cobb at the Internet Movie Database
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
• Major league career managerial statistics from Baseball-Reference
• baseballhalloffame.org – Hall of Fame biography page
• Official site
• Ty Cobb Museum

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