Ty Cobb Used More Than Just Spikes to Outrun His Opponents

Ty Cobb may be best known as the record holder for the highest batting average in Major League Baseball history, but what many don't know is that he is also one of the best and most strategic baserunners in Major League history. Sverre Braathen, in his biography of Ty Cobb, boasts of Cobb's ability to out smart his opponents when it came to taking bases.

Baseball fans love watching players hit what should be a single that somehow stretches into a double. Maybe just as exciting is when a player steals a base. Cobb was a master at both. Just this past Tuesday in Game 1 of the World Series Mookie Betts of the Boston Red Sox was able to steal second base, winning the nation a free taco from Taco Bell. Ty Cobb in the 1909 World Series was also able to steel a base, he stole home base. Unfortunately, Cobb did not win anyone free tacos that day. Take a look at our page "Sliding Home - The Best Baserunner of All Time" to see how Cobb's baserunning compares to players in today's era of Major League Baseball.

Ty Cobb's Thoughts on the Changes of the Game of Baseball

As the game of baseball changed, Ty Cobb stuck to his roots as a strategic batter. He always followed the philosophy of hit the ball where the opponents aren't. With the introduction of the lively ball in 1920 a new type of hitter was born. This was the home run hitter. Fans loved and still love these high fly out of the ball park hitters. 

Ty Cobb was not as impressed as the fans in the stands with the home run hitters. He stuck to the beliefs that the baseball was won through strategy. Was/Is Ty Cobb right? Are home run hitters baseball's most valuable offensive players or are they perhaps overrated? 

Head over to our page Are home run hitters the best offensive weapons? to find out our take on this age old question.

"Hardest to Hit Pitchers of the Early 1900's" Summary

In our page, Hardest to Hit Pitchers of the Early 1900's, we go into detail about a few of the great pitchers Ty Cobb faced throughout his career. These pitchers include Ed Walsh, Cy Young, and Walter Johnson. Which one did Ty Cobb consider the hardest to hit? Sverre Braathen gives us that answer in his book, The Idol of Baseball Fandom. We take a look at some of Walsh's, Young's, and Johnson's best career stats and compare these pitchers to one current Major League Baseball pitcher and one recently retired MLB pitcher. We also discuss what doctored baseballs were and why they gave pitchers a great advantage over hitters during the early 1900's. Lastly, we provide an original newspaper clipping from July 20, 1960 regarding Ty Cobb and how he analyzed pitchers.