TY COBB·1909

The Georgia Peach walked into 1909 like a man with a grudge against the whole American League, and Detroit was happy to let him swing. He hit .377, swatted nine homers, drove in 107, and stole 76 bases — numbers that read like a dare. The Triple Crown sat on his head, and he wore it well. In 156 games he made pitchers wish they’d taken up farming. The frames that follow sharpen the spikes.

TRIPLE CROWN

.377 / 9 HR / 107 RBI — the Triple Crown sat on his head, and he wore it well.

9 HOMERS

Nine dead-ball homers — rare thunder just clearing the low wooden porch.

76 BAGS

Seventy-six steals — a dare on the basepaths while Detroit let him swing the grudge.

Tyrus Raymond Cobb, Detroit Tigers, 1914. George Grantham Bain Collection / Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (US).