Earlier this week we wrote about Pete Rose, the "Hit King" who broke Ty Cobb's all-time record of 4,191 hits. Rose convinced himself that he was going to get a hit every time he stepped up to the plate. He batted 1.000 "in his mind."
Yet, for as great as Rose was, he didn't really approach Cobb on the level of true greatness.
Cobb was the best player in the game for a generation, something Rose never was, and he still has no equal as far as hitting for average goes. He is the career leader in batting average at .367.
Ty Cobb was certainly an unorthodox ballplayer. He used a distinctive "split grip" for expert bat control. He ran like a wild man on the bases, and though not "dirty" like the modern-day legends have portrayed him, there was still an element of fear in the heart of an American League infielder when the Georgia Peach came flying into a base, metal spikes raised.
But it was mostly intimidation, because Cobb's goal was to be safe at the base, not to inflict damage on an opponent. His ultimate mission and purpose was to score runs and help his team win ballgames.
So, Cobb worked diligently on how he'd take that next base safely.
Ty Cobb had 9 different slides he used—and practiced—on a regular basis.
The Hook
The Headfirst
The Fade Away
The Straight-Ahead
The First Base Slide
The Home Plate Slide
The Chicago Slide (referred to by Cobb but never fully explained)
The Short (or “Swoop”) Slide, of which Cobb says, “I invented because of my small ankles.”
The Cuttlefish Slide (“so named because he purposely sprayed dirt with his spikes the way that cunning squidlike creature squirts ink.”)
Cobb was much more than just a hitter. He was a well-rounded player.
While Cobb played 22 seasons as a Detroit Tiger, he finished his career in Philadelphia, playing for the Athletics under Connie Mack, who managed the A's for 50 years, claiming the American League pennant 9 times and winning the World Series 5 times.
In Cobb's two seasons at Philadelphia, the A's finished second to the juggernaut Yankees clubs both seasons, yet the foundation was set, as Mack's charges clinched the AL pennant the next three seasons, winning the World Series in the first two.
Mack later said, "One of the finest outfielders I have known was Ty Cobb. He is written down in baseball history for many other accomplishments: I do not believe that he has been given full credit for his achievements as a fielder. Cobb was a real 'ball hawk.'"
But, as Cobb's 12 career batting titles suggest, he was really in a league of his own when it came to hitting. In Cobb's age 40 season, he batted .357, but was knocked down a peg when he hit a paltry .323 in the next season, his last as a big leaguer.
After playing career ended, Cobb relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area.
One day, Ty was in the stands at a ballgame and a sportswriter spotted him.
"Mr. Cobb, you hit .367 for your career. Heck, .357 in your last full season at age 40! What do you think you'd bat if you were playing these days?"
"Oh, I'd probably only hit about .300 today if I was playing."
The sportswriter laughed.
"Mr. Cobb, I thought you'd say .400," the scribe told him. "The pitching just isn't as good today as it was in your day. The ball jumps off the bat better than it ever has before. You can see the ball better—new white balls for nearly every pitch. The groundskeeping is way better, shorter firmer grass, and the balls just whip through the infield."
"I know, son. I still keep up with this game as much, or more, than you do."
"Well, Mr. Cobb, why do you think you'd only hit .300?"
"Boy, you have to realize ... that I'm 71 blankety-blank years old!"
Know your limitations.
As always,
Brian
P.S. — Our coaching program allows you to develop that clear vision of your own greatness, but as Ty Cobb knew, greatness does come with some limitations.
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