Ty Cobb, nicknamed "the Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder. He was born in rural Narrows, Georgia. Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, the last six as the team's player-manager, and finished his career with the Philadelphia Athletics.
In 1936, Cobb received the most votes of any player on the inaugural ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, receiving 222 out of a possible 226 votes (98.2%); no other player received a higher percentage of votes until Tom Seaver in 1992. In 1999, the Sporting News ranked Cobb third on its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players."
Cobb is widely credited with setting 90 MLB records during his career. His combined total of 4,065 runs scored and runs batted in (after adjusting for home runs) is still the highest ever produced by any major league player.
He still holds several records as of the end of the 2022 season, including the highest career batting average (.366) 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 the source), most career runs (2,245 or 2,246 depending on the source) until 2001, most career games played (3,035) and at-bats (11,429 or 11,434 depending on the source) until 1974, and the modern record for most career stolen bases (892) until 1977.
He still holds the career record for stealing home (54 times) and for stealing second base, third base, and home in succession (4 times), and as the youngest player ever to compile 4,000 hits and score 2,000 runs.
Cobb ranks fifth all-time in number of games played and committed 271 errors, the most by any American League (AL) outfielder.
Ty Cobb was one of the greatest baseball players of all time, but his legacy has been somewhat tarnished by allegations of racism and violence. These allegations stem from a couple of mostly discredited biographies that were released following his death.
Cobb's reputation as a violent man was fanned by his first biographer, sportswriter Al Stump. Stump's stories about Cobb have been discredited as sensationalized and largely proven to be fictional.
While Cobb was known for often violent conflicts, he also spoke favorably about black players joining the Major Leagues and was a well-known philanthropist. His legacy is complex and multifaceted, and it is important to consider all of the evidence before making judgments about his character.
Family Overview
Many of the character issues and personality traits that made Ty Cobb a great baseball player and a controversial human being began with his family life.
Cobb had a good relationship with his father, and although it seemed he was hard on Cobb, there was respect and love he never had for anyone else in his life. Just before he began his major league career, his dad was shot and killed by his mother. This devastated him.
Cobb later attributed his ferocious play to his late father, saying, "I did it for my father. He never got to see me play ... but I knew he was watching me, and I never let him down."
It is believed his mother was suspected of cheating on his father.
He had two siblings, and one became successful, while his sister never married.
He was a distant father and husband, but according to his children, he was an excellent grandfather. It seems as though the ferocious Cobb calmed down in his later years.
His legacy as a human being is checkered.
Family Tree Chart
Parents:
William Herschel Cobb (1863 - 1905) - Professor, murder victim, and Father of Baseball Legend Ty Cobb. On the morning of August 9, 1905, William Cobb was shot twice with a shotgun by his wife, Amanda Cobb. The killing was ruled an accident, but rumor has it that it was her lover who shot and killed him.
Amanda Chitwood (1871 - 1936) - She possibly shot her husband due to having an affair with another man that he walked in on, but most likely thought he was a burglar. The murder was ruled an accident.
Spouses:
Charlotte Marion Lombard (1890 - 1975) (divorced) - Ty Cobb's first wife. They were married from 1908 to 1947 and had five children together. Their marriage was difficult; however, she seemed to stay with him throughout his career.
Frances Fairburn (1909 - 2000) (divorced) - Ty Cobb's second wife. They were married from 1948 to 1956 and had no children together. She was a wealthy socialite who was known for her lavish lifestyle.
Children:
Tyrus Raymond Cobb, Jr. (1910 -1952) - Ty Cobb's oldest son. He was a doctor who married and had three children. He died of a brain tumor.
Shirley Marion Cobb (1914 - 1991) - His oldest daughter. She was a homemaker who raised her three children in Atlanta, Georgia.
Roswell Herschel Cobb (1916 -1951) - He married and had three children. He died young, and there is a record of him being charged for beating a woman.
Beverly Cobb (1919 -1998) - She was the youngest daughter of Ty Cobb and would marry. She died in California.
James Howell Cobb (1921-1996) - He was the youngest of the Cobb children. He married and had two children.
Siblings:
John Paul Cobb (1889-1964) - He played minor league ball but would find success when he set up permanent roots in Sarasota, Florida, where he became a successful realtor and insurance salesman. He married and had one child.
Florence Leslie Cobb (1871 - 1936) - She never married and had many health issues. It is written that was an invalid for many years prior to her death.