On May 5, 1922, Bob “Fats” Fothergill becomes the first – and only – man to pinch-hit for the legendary Ty Cobb. Facing the Detroit Tigers, Bill Bayne of the St. Louis Browns pitches a no-hitter into the 9th inning. Detroit manager Ty Cobb then sends up five straight pinch hitters, the first of whom breaks up the no-hitter. One of the pinch…
Tiger player/manager Ty Cobb bangs out a single for his 3,000th career base hit
At the age of 34, Ty Cobb becomes the youngest player to collect 3000 hits when he singles off of Red Sox hurler Elmer Myers. The ‘Georgia Peach’ will end his career with 4,191 hits, the most ever in the major leagues until Pete Rose surpasses the mark in 1985.
April 30, 1921 Ty Cobb describes Cleveland’s Jim Bagby as “the smartest pitcher I ever faced.” Bagby, who won 31 games a year earlier, was off to an even better start in 1921. In fact, the big righty had just beaten Cobb’s Tigers in back-to-back games (April 25-26), with the second victory –…
1920 – On his 34th birthday, Ty Cobb signs to manage the Tigers for $32,500.
On May 14, 1920, future Hall of Famer Walter Johnson wins his 300th career game – albeit in less than spectacular fashion. The Washington Senators’ ace emerges as the winner in a 9-8 slugfest against the Detroit Tigers. Johnson came into the game with the Senators actually, 6-4 to face Ty Cobb with the bases…
1918 – The Browns and Tigers finish the season with a doubleheader split in St. Louis as the Cleveland Indians refuse to make the trip for the Labor Day doubleheader. In Game 2‚ Ty Cobb pitches 2 innings against the Browns while the Browns’ George Sisler pitches one scoreless inning. The Browns win‚ 6 – 2‚ and Sisler hits a double off Cobb. Detroit wins the opener‚ 7 – 2.
Acknowledging that Cobb‚ Speaker‚ and Collins are all good ball players‚ Cap Anson picks his all-time team‚ leaving them off. In the current issue of TSN‚ Anson selects C-Buck Ewing and King Kelly; P-Amos Rusie‚ John Clarkson‚ Jim McCormick; 1B-himself; 2B-Fred Pfeffer; 3B-Ed Williamson; SS-Ross Barnes; OF-Bill Lange‚ George Gore‚ Jimmy Ryan‚ and Hugh Duffy.
1917 – The Red Sox play a benefit game against an American League all-star team and Babe Ruth and Rube Foster combine for a 2 – 0 shutout. The AL squad features Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, and Joe Jackson in the outfield. More than $14,000 is raised for the family of sports writer Tim Murnane, who died February 13th. Murnane had played and managed in Boston in the 19th century. Actress Fanny Brice helps sell programs and former heavyweight champ John L. Sullivan coaches 3B for the Sox. Ruth wins the fungo hitting contest with a drive of 402 feet, while Joe Jackson has the longest throw at an impressive 396 feet.
In a twinbill that will resonate for years, the White Sox sweep a pair, to give them 4 wins in the last two days, from the Tigers winning, 7 – 5 and 11 – 8, while the Yankees sweep a pair from the Red Sox. Chicago now leads the Red Sox by 6 1/2 games. Detroit takes the lead in the morning game, driving Red Faber from the mound in the 5th, but Ray Schalk’s triple in the 8th seals the win for Chicago. In the afternoon contest, Detroit again chases Faber and scores seven runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings to take the lead, but Schalk’s three-run homer in the 4th, off Bill James, puts Chicago in a lead they never relinquish. Ed Cicotte takes the p.m. game with six innings of relief, while Lefty Williamspitches three innings of hitless relief to win the a.m. game. The Sox run wild on the bases, stealing seven bases against Oscar Stanage in the opener and five against Archie Yelle in the second game. Two weeks from now, while staying at the Ansonia Hotel in New York, the White Sox will collect $45 from each player as a gift for the Tigers, allegedly as a thank you for beating the Red Sox. But suspicion will linger that some Tigers threw these two critical doubleheaders and Ty Cobb, though he had three hits, will be included in the accusations.
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