This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/14/2010
It's difficult to tell which is longer -- the list of records Ty Cobb had shattered when he retired from baseball, or the stories of his nastiness. Regardless of one's perception of his personality traits, his baseball accomplishments are fact, so told by the baseball record books that echo his name throughout. Nobody has yet bettered his .367 lifetime average, his 12 batting titles, his hitting at least .320 for 23 consecutive seasons, or his 2,245 runs scored. He led the American League in slugging percentage and hits eight times, in steals six, in runs five, in triples and RBI four, in doubles three, and in homers once. Three times he batted above .400 and in one four-year span he averaged .401. Gone, though, is the treasured record of 4,191 hits, broken by Pete Rose 57 years later. From the latter part of his storied career, as he was padding his cumulative offensive records, this bat was used by Cobb and still bears the telltale marks of his aggression. The 34 inch, 33.6 ounce H&B Ty Cobb signature model bat shows outstanding usage characteristics, including grain swelling from contact, many ball marks visible throughout the barrel and more than two dozen cleat marks. It remains uncracked with superb overall display quality. A bat used by the great Ty Cobb is a treasure in any form. The offered example is a superb specimen, evoking images of baseball's dark knight ready to launch his assault on an opposing pitcher. Includes LOAs from PSA/DNA and MEARS (Graded A7.5).