Bill
Burgess /
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[From Bill Burgess' Ty Cobb Memorial Collection]
ASSESSING TY COBB AS THE GREATEST ALL-AROUND PLAYER WHO EVER LIVES - PART III
By Bill Burgess III
| 1945 Sporting News | 1926-27 Yankees | 1917-20 White Sox | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Survey, Greatest Team | Connie Mack,1950 | 1919 Ed Barrow,1951 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ever, 140 votes total | Fred Lieb,1977 | 1919 Ty Cobb, 1941 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 86 - Yanks(1927-28) - 61% | George Sisler,1956 | 1917 Eddie Collins, 1950 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 - White Sox(1917-20) - 13% | Wilbert Robinson, | 1919 Ward Morehouse,1943 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 - Athletics(1929-31) - 7% | John Kieran | 1919-20 Frank Ellerbe,1985 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 - Athletics(1910-14) - 5% | Babe Ruth | 1919 Ed Walsh, 1940 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 - Yanks(1936-42) - 5% | Herb Pennock | 1917 Pants Rowlands,1959 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 - Cubs(1906-08) - 2% | Glen Wright | 1919 Warren Brown, 1946 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 - Giants(1921-22) | Ethan Allen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buck Jordan | 1910-14 Athletics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wally Berger | 1914's A's Wambsganss,1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1929-31 Athletics | Buck Leonard | B. Shawkey,1977 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1929 Dykes, 1967 | Spud Davis | T. Speaker,1930 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1929 Riggs Stevenson,1986 | Glen Wright | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1929-31 Rick Ferrell, 1985 | Charlie Gehringer | late 1930's Yankees | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1929-31 Mark Koenig, 1985 | Whitlow Wyatt | Joe McCarthy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1929-31 Doc Cramer, 1966 | Billy Rogell | 1938-42, George Case,1985 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1929-31 Whitlow Wyatt,1985 | George Pipgras | 1938-40's, Spud Chandler,1985 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Walter Johnson vs. AL Batting Average Champions & others | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ty Cobb .370 (1907-1914, 36 for 131 = .275), (1915-1926 =.435) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tris Speaker .340 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| George Sisler .334 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Babe Ruth .324 (2 home runs up to 1920, 10 altogether) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joe Jackson .270 (1911-13 =.346, 1914-20 =.256) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nap Lajoie .252 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Harry Heilmann .249 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Heinie Manush .234 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eddie Collins .225 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Frank Baker .385 (1910-13), (1914-23) = .207 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sam Crawford .408 (1907-12) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lou Gehrig .500 (1925-28), 10 for 20, 4 home runs, 1 double) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nap Lajoie vs. pitchers | Honus Wagner vs. pitchers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joe McGinnity, 23 for 45 = .511 | Christy Mathewson, .324, 86 games, 327 AB, 106 hits, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clark Griffith, 36 for 88 = .409 | Cy Young, .343 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cy Young, 78 for 206 = .379 | Amos Rusie, .524 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eddie Plank, 49 for 136 = .360 | George Wiltse, .368 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amos Rusie, 9 for 25 = .360 | Nap Rucker, .356 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rube Waddell, 49 for 140 = .350 | Kid Nichols, .352 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ed Cicotte, 47 for 138 = .341 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jack Combs, 33 for 97 = .340 | It was said that Babe Ruth cried when he left the Polo Grounds, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kid Nichols, 19 for 56 = .339 | with it's 256' right field foul line. Well, Ty loved it too. Ty's record there: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ed Walsh, 53 for 166 =.319 | Year | games | hits | Batting Ave. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joe Wood, 14 for 45 =.311 | 1913 | 11 | 14 | 0.341 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jack Chesbro, 40 for 129 = .310 | 1914 | 8 | 13 | 0.433 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bill Dineen, 63 for 206 = .306 | 1915 | 12 | 19 | 0.421 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Walter Johnson, 40 for 137 = .292 | 1916 | 12 | 21 | 0.421 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief Bender, 37 for 136 = .272 | 1917 | - | 19 | 0.432 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Babe Ruth, 5 for 27 = .185 | 1918 | - | 10 | 0.303 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ernie Shore, 6 for 39 = .154 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ed Cicotte vs. Babe Ruth (11 for 53 = .210, with 7 singles, 4 doubles and no homers, 1915-1920) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Spahn vs. Stan Musial (107 for 329 = .322BA & .584SA, 54 BB, 29 SO, 192 Total bases, .416 on-base in 107 games, 1946-63) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spahn vs. Musial included 61 runs, 23 doubles, 6 triples, 17 homers, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ty Cobb was timed going down to first many times, but was never known to break, 3.2. Mickey Mantle's best was 3.1 from the left side of the plate. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In 1921, Maurice Archdeacon timed 13.4 in circling the bases, while 10 yrs. later, Evar Swanson timed 13.3. in circling the bases. Ty Cobb's best was 13.5. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At a long-distance baseball throwing contest in Oct.,1872, John Hatfield of Mutual club, won the contest with a heave of 133 yrds, 1 foot, 7.7 inches. He was followed by Andy Leonard | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| of Boston club(119 yds. 1 ft. 10 inches), George Wright of Boston club(117 yrds. 1 ft. 1 inch), Bill Boyd of Mutual club(115 yrds. 1 ft. 7 inches), Wes Fisler of Athletics club(112 yrds. 6 inches), | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adrian C. Anson of Athletics club(110 yds. 6 inches) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ned Crane threw a baseball 117 yards(351 feet) in a contest at Worcester, MA in 1879. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At Cincinnati baseball grounds on Sunday, Oct. 9,1910, Sheldon Lajeune of the Evansville baseball Club, threw a baseball 426 feet, 9.5 inches. He had preceded this throw with heaves of | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 385' 3", 383' 4", both throws against the wind. He then asked if he could throw in the opposite direction. This was granted and he threw 401' 4.5", he then warmed his arm up and then | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| uncorked a mighty heave of 426' 9.5". Previously he had thrown 399' 10.75" on September 11, 1908 at the Cincinnati grounds. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joe Jackson threw a baseball 132 yards (396'9") on September 27, 1917, at Fenway Park, Boston, Mass., in a contest, defeating Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker and Babe Ruth. It was at a benefit game for Tim Murnane's widow. Duffy Lewis of the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Red Sox and Clarence (Tillie) Walker of the Phil. Athletics tied for second with tosses of 384'6". | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prominent Baseball Figures list their all-time players in order of greatness. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Harry Salsinger, | 2/15/1950 | Sp. News | Cobb | Wagner | Ruth | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bozeman Bulger, | 5/26/1928 | Sat.Eve.P. | Cobb | Wagner | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| John B. Sheridan, St. Louis sp. wr. (1880's-1929) | 2/28/1929 | Sp. News | Cobb | Wagner | Bresnahan | Ruth | Speaker | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Dan Howley (Ty's coach,1919, '21-22) | Jul.,1931 | Phil.Pub.L | Cobb | Wagner | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gabby Street | Jul.,1931 | Phil.Pub.L | Cobb | Wagner | Collins | F. Parent | Chase | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Kid Gleason | Jul.,1931 | Phil.Pub.L | Cobb | Wagner | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Walter Johnson | Jul.,1931 | Phil.Pub.L | Cobb | Wagner | Jackson | Ruth | Collins | Speaker | |||||||||||||||||||
| Harry Grayson | Cobb | Wagner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eddie Collins (AL 2B, Man, Coach, Exec, '06-51) | 5/26/1950 | Cobb | Ruth | Wagner | Sisler | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Drebinger | 4/7/1932 | Cobb,'61 | Ruth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rube Bressler | 8/26/1964 | tapes | Cobb | Ruth | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dan Daniel, NYC sp. wr., 1910-60's | Cobb,'61 | Ruth,'48 | Wagner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fred Lieb | 1950 | Cobb,'70 | Ruth | Wagner | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Burt Shotten | Jul.,1931 | Phil.Pub.L | Cobb | Lajoie | C. Klein | Wagner | Ruth | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Connie Mack, AL Man.('01-50), NL catcher(1886-96) | Jul.,1931 | Phil.Pub.L | Cobb | Collins | Lajoie | Simmons | Ruth | Cochrane | |||||||||||||||||||
| Wilbert Robinson | Jul.,1931 | Phil.Pub.L | Cobb | Keeler | Ruth | Wagner | Ferguson | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Francis C. Richter, | 1925 | Sp. News | Cobb | Ewing | Wagner | Anson | |||||||||||||||||||||
| John J. McGraw | Jul.,1931 | Phil.Pub.L | Wagner | Cobb | Keeler | Simmons | Terry | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ed Barrow (BR manager18-19,Y GM,'21-34) | 2-28-29;1951 | Sp. News | Wagner | Cobb | Lajoie | Ruth | Speaker | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Jimmy Burke | Jul.,1931 | Phil.Pub.L | Wagner | Cobb | Lajoie | Collins | Hornsby | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Bill McKechnie | Jul.,1931 | Phil.Pub.L | Wagner | Cobb | Speaker | Lajoie | Hornsby | Ruth | |||||||||||||||||||
| Sam Crawford | Jul.,1961 | Wagner | Cobb | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Branch Rickey | 1965 | Doc.of BB | Wagner | Cobb | Sisler | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Gruber | 2/28/1929 | Sp. News | Wagner | Cobb | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bill McGoogan | Wagner | Cobb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||