A man whom many consider to be the greatest player, and most hated man, in the history of baseball, Tyrus Raymond Cobb would have celebrated, on December 18, birthday 125. "The Georgia Peach," as he was called, has yet to be eclipsed by any player, as far as overall career numbers are concerned. To this day, his .267 batting average remains the greatest cumulative average in history, thanks to 23 seasons of .300+ performances.
During his 24-season career, most of which spent with the Detroit Tigers, he gained a reputation for being a tough-as-nails competitor with a knack for finding success. In 1911, undoubtedly his best season, he led the Major Leagues in every offensive category, except homeruns. His batting average that season was a career best .420.
While some may have been better homerun hitters or defensive fielders than Cobb, no one in the history of the game was as complete a ballplayer, especially when it came to stealing bases. He routinely stole multiple bases in a single on-base appearance. His record of 54 successful steals of home plate remains unchallenged. The only man who ever had a case for rebuttal was his archenemy, Babe Ruth.
Cobb was furiously opposed to the "sideshow exploits" of the Babe. The two men would exchange words and competitive performances for several years, trying desperately to out-do one another. In later years, they would, however, make peace and become more of friends than merely acquaintances.
Cobb was as tenacious off the field, however, as he was on it. His daily focus was on doing whatever he could to prove his critics wrong. At one point, he summed up his frustration by saying, "I had to fight all my life to survive… They were all against me, but I beat the bastards and left them in the ditch."
Despite making a salary of $125 a month, he invested most of it in Coca-Cola and became baseball's first millionaire. He also befriended the best and brightest people of the time, including presidents, senators and entertainment celebrities, believing that one could bring success through hard work, dedication and the right circumstances around him.
Cobb became the first-ever National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, garnering 222 of the possible 226 votes, sealing his legacy in the annals of baseball lore.
In celebration of his birthday, we tip a cap to a man admired and loathed for the same aggressive, gritty determination which became the catalyst for a remarkable career in baseball.
The author, D. Benjamin Satkowiak, is a successful entrepreneur and published, freelance author, who has tailored works on various sports, health and fitness topics. He currently serves as a Yahoo! Contributor Network "Featured Contributor" and writes on the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Great Lakes Loons and Notre Dame football.
