On July 12, 1911, Detroit Tiger Ty Cobb stole second, third, and home on three consecutive pitches in the first inning against the Philadelphia Athletics. The following year, Cobb stole home eight times — the most in a single season. He also holds the record for the most stolen home plates in a career, achieving the feat 54 times.
Cobb played baseball with a fierce, terrifying intensity that often alienated teammates and deeply unnerved opponents. He utilized his aggressive speed as a psychological weapon, famously sharpening his uniform shoe spikes on the dugout steps to project an image of uncompromising war on the basepaths.
Yet beneath this harsh exterior lay a complicated and surprisingly charitable human being. Later in life, Cobb used his massive wealth to establish a substantial healthcare fund for aging, retired players who had fallen on hard times. Many of the ballplayers who benefited never knew the money came from him, as he insisted the assistance remain anonymous.
Photograph via Wikimedia Commons
