Tyrus Raymond “Ty” Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961), nicknamed “The Georgia Peach,” was a baseball player and is regarded by historians and journalists as the best player of the dead-ball era and as one of the greatest players of all time. Cobb also received the most votes of any player on the 1936 inaugural Hall of Fame Ballot,receiving 222 out of a possible 226 votes.
Cobb is widely credited with setting 90 Major League Baseball records during his career. He still holds several records as of 2009, including the highest career batting average (.367) and most career batting titles with 11 (or 12, depending on source). He retained many other records for almost a half century or more, including most career hits until 1985 (4,189 or 4,191, depending on source), most career runs (2,245 or 2,246 depending on source) until 2001, most career games played (3,035) and at bats (11,429 or 11,434 depending on source) until 1974, and the modern record for most career stolen bases (892) until 1977.
Cobb’s legacy as an athlete has sometimes been overshadowed by his surly temperament and aggressive playing style, which was described by the Detroit Free Press as “daring to the point of dementia.” During Cobb’s playing days, numbers on uniforms had not been introduced yet, and so he is not identified with any particular number, as some other players are.
