Ty+Cobb

The eldest of three children, he grew up in Royston, Georgia, under the watchful eyes of his father, who was a schoolteacher, principal, newspaper publisher, state senator, and county school commissioner who urged Ty to study. When Ty went off to play professional baseball, his father sternly warned him, "Don't come home a failure." He didn't. In his 24 seasons of playing baseball he broke the .300 batting average barrier 23 times. Cobb's first great season came in 1907, and the Tigers rode success all the way to the World Series. That season, the centerfield's batting average was .350. Other league bests include 212 hits, 119 RBIs, and 49 stolen bases. Cobb did not stop there. He won nine consecutive batting titles starting in 1907. Cobb always wanted to winn. One day, the dotor told him he had 103 degree fever. He decided he woud play anyways and got 3 hits, 3 stolen bases, and won the game. His best years were 1911, when he led the league in every major offensive category but homers and batted a career high .420, and in 1915 when he stole 96 bases. Ty really wanted to be the best. He would practice sliding until his legs were raw. He would place blankets along the base and practice bunting a ball on the basket. During the winter he hunted through daylight hours in weighted boots so that his legs would be strong for the upcoming campaign. He overlooked no opportunity to gain an edge over his opponents, most of whom admired his drive to succeed.
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**Facts:** • Ty Cobb has the highest lifetime batting average (.367) of all time. > • Ty Cobb played on three World Series teams, all with the Detroit Tigers. > > • Ty Cobb is second on the all-time hit list behind Pete Rose. > > • Ty Cobb is one of only two people to hit a home run before his 20th birthday and after his 40th birthday. > > • Ty Cobb stole home more than anyone else (54). > > • Ty Cobb won more batting average titles than any other person (12). > > • In 1936, he became the first player ever selected to the Hall of Fame. > > • Ty Cobb became the first ball player to star in a movie, a drama by Grantland Rice, "Somewhere in Georgia."