Ty Cobb BioGraphy

Ty Cobb BioGraphy: A Pro Baseball Player With Unbreakable Records

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Born: December 18, 1886, Narrows, Georgia
Died: July 17, 1961, Atlanta, Georgia
Bat: Left-hand
Throw: Righ-hand
Hall of Fame Induction: 1936

Tyrus Raymond Cobb, more popularly known as Ty Cobb, is one of the greatest offensive Baseball players the USA has ever had. Born on December 18, 1886, in Narrows, Georgia, Cobb was also nicknamed “the Georgia Peach” by his fellows and fans, and rightfully so!

He was one of the greatest baseball players of all time. 

Having an unmatchable career with the Detroit Tigers, Cobb was a 12-time American League batting champion, with 9 of them in a row!

This central fielder also batted a record over 300 for 23 straight seasons, which still stands and will likely be unbroken in the future too. 

A dominant scorer for Detroit, Cobb also holds the record for winning 90 MLB records during his career.

And because of all these records, titles, and achievements, Ty Cobb was introduced as a charter member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, which added another gleaming feather to his success history. He received a whopping 98.2% of the votes at that time, making him the 4th highest vote generator in history. 

On July 17, 1961, Ty Cobb died in Atlanta, Georgia, due to a degenerative kidney and a cancerous prostate.

Early Life

Tyrus Raymond Cobb was born on December 18, 1886, in Narrows, Georgia. Born in a farming community, Coob was the son of a State Senator, William Herschel Cobb.

When growing up, Cobb was always fascinated by becoming a professional baseball player someday. As a result, he was trying out for area teams during his teens despite his father’s constant disagreement. 

Even after his family’s persistent opposition, Cobb signed his first semi-pro contract with Augusta of the South Atlantic League in 1904. And soon after, because of his aggressive playing, he landed a contract with Augusta that would pay him $125 a month.

While he was still playing for the Augusta team, Grantland Rice, the famous sportswriter, saw him play and named Cobb the “Georgia Peach.” 

This is a title that he not only enjoyed proudly but also brought him the required recognition and attention. 

Playing Life 

  • Cobb hit an impressive .326 in his last season in the SAL.
  • At 18, Ty Cobb was introduced as a central fielder for the Detroit Tigers in August 1905, after only a year in Augusta of the South Atlantic League.
  • In his first major league game, he doubled off Jack Chesbro of the New York Highlanders (winner of 41 games the previous season) and won the game nevertheless.
  • Cobb had a hit score of .240 in 41 games.
  • In the same year, Cobb managed to sign a whopping $1,500 contract with the Tigers.
  • In 1906, Cobb hit the fifth-best average in the league (hit 320) and was 35 points ahead of anyone else on his team. 
  • During this time, he was appointed as a full-time center fielder position and set a record for hitting 316 in 98 games and never hit below that mark ever again. 
  • The following year, in 1907, Cobb won the American League batting championship and Detroit to the World Series. With a league-leading .350 batting average, 212 hits, 49 steals, and 119 runs, he quickly became the biggest attraction in the baseball game at that time. 
  • He enjoyed his peak from 1909 to 1919, scored 420 (his all-time highest), and dominated baseball like none other. Historians love to remember it as the  era of the “Cobbian game.”

Later Life

Even though Cobb was always a skillful batter, his legs weren’t keeping up with him. And it was showing in the field too. He spent most of 1928 on the bench and retired at the season’s end on the 17th of September in Cleveland.

However, before that, he played his last in Major League Baseball On September 11, 1928.

Before retiring, Cobb was appointed as the manager for Hughie Jennings for the 1921 season for a whopping $32,500. This deal surprised many because, although he was a legendary player with many records, Cobb wasn’t loved by many, including his teammates. 

Personal Life

Although his professional life was always high, Cobb wasn’t as successful when it came to his personal life. He was married twice, and both his marriages ended in a bitter divorce. 

He was survived by 6 kids. His kids thought he was dominating yet kind. But his kindness wasn’t for the people of color.

Throughout his life, Cobb was always accused of being racist and severely hot-tempered. 

Statistics 

SummaryWARABHHRBARRBISBOBPSLGOPSOPS+
Career151.511440418911736622451944897.433.512.944168

Legacy  

There is no doubt that Ty Cobb was a wealthy man. He was generous too. In his will, Cobb left a quarter of his estate to the Cobb Educational Fund. The rest of his $11 million was left for his children and grandchildren. 

Up to 2005, his Ty Cobb Educational Foundation distributed nearly $11 million in scholarships to needy Georgians to help them complete their studies. 

In addition to his records and achievements on the ground, Ty Cobb would also be remembered for his generosity. 

Achievements (Both Personal and Club)

  • Ty Cobb batted over .320 for 22 straight seasons.
  • He won 12 American League batting titles during his career.
  • Cobb won the batting title for nine consecutive seasons.
  • Cobb won the Triple Crown in 1909.
  • He batted over .400 three times in his career.
  • Cobb received the most votes of any player on the inaugural ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame,
  • Cobb won the Chalmers Award (an early form of the MVP award) twice in his career.

Records – See MLB Records 

  • He holds an amazing record of 4,189 hits during his career. This record was intact until Pete Rose broke it in 1985.
  • Cobb scored 2,245 runs during his career, which was a record at the time of his retirement.
  • He held the record for stolen bases with 897 before it was broken in 1977.
  • Ty Cobb won 12 American League batting titles during his career, a record that still stands.

Trivia

  • Tyrus Raymond Cobb was named after the Phoenician city of Tyre.
  • He was the first athlete to star in a commercial motion picture in 1916.
  • He hit .300 in 23 consecutive seasons
  • In 1919, Cobb was accused of fixing a Detroit Tigers – Cleveland Indians game.
  • Cobb was responsible for causing the first player strike in 1912.
  • Ty Cobb stole home more than anyone else in history(54).

References

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/ty-cobb/1002378/stats?position=OF

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cobbty01.shtml

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ty_Cobb#Legacy

https://www.notablebiographies.com/Ch-Co/Cobb-Ty.html