Along with his supernormal ability to hit a baseball at a high clip, what avid fans of the game remember most about Ty Cobb was the aberrant way he went about his business. Often described as a genetic talent with a brute mindset, it’s possible Cobb’s ruthless desire to perform at an exceptional level on the ballfield outweighed his uncanny hitting skills. Which, for someone who has the highest batting average (.366) in Major League Baseball (MLB) history, is saying something. To get a feel for how bad he wanted to be a star in the big leagues, in the opening chapter of his professional baseball, Cobb spent some time competing in the semipro Tennessee-Alabama League, for a ballclub known as the Anniston Steelers. As a member of the Steelers, during his moments away from the ballfield, Cobb, in an effort to market his knacks to those with influence, would rave about his play on postcards, and mail the self-promoting letters to Grantland Rice, a renowned sportswriter. To avoid looking like a self-conceited man, Cobb would write under aliases before sending off his notes. After receiving countless messages in the mail from the anonymous Cobb, all about Cobb, Rice eventually gave the young ballplayer a shoutout in the Atlanta Journal, publishing that, “a young fellow named Cobb seems to be showing an unusual lot of talent.” As the world would soon find out, the man behind the pseudonyms, though cryptic with his proclamations, told no lies when it came to his baseball game. However, once he shined under the bright lights, those invested in the product, while heavy admirers of his offensive proficiency at the dish, had much more to discuss than his wonderous hitting. In particular, his savage-like approach to fulfilling his desire to dominate the profession.
Baseball Icons: Ty Cobb
