No. 6: Joe Dimaggio
There was another center fielder that played long before Ken Griffey Jr. who possessed similar type of wheels—the kind that get you from second to home faster than a speeding bullet but don't produce a lot of stolen bases.
Joltin' Joe DiMaggio was his name.
Joe could do it all—field, throw, hit, and run. But in all honesty, his stats really sell his talents short.
The Yankee Clipper hit a surprisingly low number of dongs throughout his career (361), and only smacked 40 or more in a season on one occasion. Despite all the talk about his hitting streak, Joe didn't even win the batting title in 1941, and in fact only claimed two crowns throughout his entire career.
His lifetime on base percentage (.398) is significantly lower than the hitting legends he is usually compared with (Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, etc.) Let's also not forget that Dimaggio stole a mind boggling 30 bases—in his career!—far fewer than any other center fielder discussed in this column.
So why then is Joe considered to be one of the greatest center fielders, and indeed one of the best overall players, in Major League history?
For one, he spent his entire career in Yankee stadium, an ideal spot for lefty sluggers and an awful one for righties. According to Bill James' calculations, DiMaggio lost more homeruns to his stadium than any other player in the history of the game. This should come as no surprise, as left center in Yankee stadium went back an astonishing 457 feet while Joe played there.
DiMaggio was also quite savvy with the whole "team ball" concept; he won four World Series championships during his first four years in the majors, and nine out of 10 throughout his 13 years of professional play. While the Clipper shared the spotlight with the Iron Horse for his first three seasons in the league, Dimaggio was undoubately the Crux of the Yanks for the remainder of his tenure.
Let's also not forget his solid RBI totals: Dimaggio drove in 120 or more runs in seven straight seasons from 1936-1942, including 167 in '37. After a few years of serving his country overseas, Joe then provided the means for 158 Yankees to cross home in his swan song season of 1948.
But when all is said and done, the most memorable aspect of Dimaggio's game was his firm command behind the plate; his uncanny ability to decide when a pitch was worth hitting and when it should be fouled away.
Joe went down swinging a grand total of 369 times in 13 big league seasons—that's an average of just over 28 whiffs per season. In 1941, the year of his hitting streak, he struck out a total of 13 times. He did this while taking 30 balls yard, driving in 125, scoring 122 runs himself, and walking 76 times.
Like wooah Scoob!
Dimaggio never struck out 40 times in a season—ever. When you consider that some of the league's best sluggers today average close to 200 K's per year, DiMaggio's 369 career misses and 361 dingers seems earth shattering.
Joe DiMaggio is the epitomy of an all around player and team leader. In addition to being one of the most well known athletes in history, he's clearly
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5 months ago
Gawd it's been a looong night! I waited up for the first peek at this...it's 4:47 A.M. here!
5 months ago
Why are you trying to make it a game of who's the best? We all know who is the best and it was Barry Bonds's godfather. Willie Mays! So, I guess I just spoiled your surprise.
from 5 months ago
Well stop it! Cripes, let the man do his work for god's sake.
from 5 months ago
Steven,
As I pointed out last time, Willie Mays did not make the cut. Sorry to burst your bubble =)
Z
5 months ago
Zander, this is some magnificent stuff! Please post a note on my board when the others come out!
5 months ago
Cobb, Mantle, and Dimaggio are not in the top 3, must be quite a top 3.
5 months ago
I think Cobb has to be number one on this list. His career OBP, .433, is fair better than anyone else who could be on this list. His OPS+ of 167 is second only to Mickey Mantle on this list. I would have Cobb 1, Mantle 2, and Mays 3. I just dont see how you can have it any other way.
Now if you expanded this to all outfielders non of those guys would make the top three (Ruth, Williams, Bonds).
from 5 months ago
This list may be weighted towards the position's demands in center field being equal to their plate numbers. There be a glove involved here too.
5 months ago
CAP
learnt a lot about the sport, read the whole thing without a clue on whats going on
but in the end - learned a lot - thanks
5 months ago
just started reading and your work is outstanding
5 months ago
TY COBB's INFLUENCE ON BLACKS.
July 25, 2006
Dear Friends:
As I have recognized a need to present facts about Ty's relationships with blacks, I have enclosed some material that advocates TY COBB’s support for blacks and other minorities. This is to provide facts supporting the reality that the negative publicity came after TY COBB died in 1961. I also enclosed several articles, but interestingly, one that I found where his son, Jim Cobb, made the exact same assessment in 1977.
My friends, if you were to research the facts, you’ll find that Mr. Cobb was different than he is portrayed in the eye of the modern public. He was rich with popularity and writers could always count on his name to generate interest in their newspaper. Mr. Cobb was a charitable natured man who actually was soft for the minority, whether the minority was someone who had different colored skin, or handicapped, or someone who was less fortunate, or even someone who was small in size. He would always tell the little fellow who was standing in the back and could not get close to come to the front. He wanted to make sure they got a chance, too.
In the late 1920’s, TY COBB leased a hunting preserve with over 12,000 acres in MaGruder, Georgia, and built a house on it for a black man, named Uncle Bob Robinson, and his family to live there. In place of the rent, they would make sure no intruders trespassed on the property. Anytime Cobb and his friends were hunting on the land, this fellow, by his own choice, would always hunt along beside COBB. At times, he would entertain the guest with his story telling.
After a long day of hunting, they would gather around a campfire and talk baseball, or whatever came to mind. On this particular day, COBB had bagged twelve birds and had not missed a one (Mr. Cobb was a crack shot). Mr. Robinson told the story to Tris Speaker and the others, “Yeah, Mr. COBB had a bad day today.” What do you mean, Cobb bagged twelve birds and didn’t miss,” said Speaker. “Yeah, but he near ‘bout missed one,” recounted Mr. Robinson.
Present day authors have distorted COBB’s reputation to a point of the ridiculous. For example, in the book “COBB” that the movie “COBB” was based on tried to show that COBB hosted orgies and drinking parties. I have the contract agreement on the land and it clearly states that there was to be “absolutely NO alcohol on the premises.” This was at Major League Baseball’s Brunswick, Georgia retreat. It was called “Dover Hall Club” and TY COBB was 1/16 part owner of the 2,500 acre hunting and fishing camp. The MLB magnates owned it from the early 1910s until the late 1930s. COBB was the only player of the sixteen investors who bought into the $1,000 stock-leasing plan.
Mr. Cobb was in financial straits in the spring of 1906, but by the end of 1907 he had worked and saved his money. He began investing it in real estate in Georgia. In 1908, he bought 15 acres in Toccoa, Georgia and built and remodeled some of the nicest little homes, in a predominately black neighborhood. He named the subdivision “Booker T. Washington Heights,” and financed these homes to these residents for a minimal amount.
He owned the property until 1940 and he turned it over to his son, Herschel Cobb, to assist him with starting him a Coca-Cola franchise in Idaho. One transaction sold a lot (#22) to J. H. Johnson for only $42.50 in 1909. It was a relatively good price even for that era. There were 109 lots in Booker T. Washington Heights.
I hear a great deal about COBB’s racism in the present, especially on the Internet, but no one ever does or has actually have provided factual or even specifics about their racial allegations. If COBB had been a racist, some newspaperman would have made remarks about the specifics in some way. I have over 40,000 newspaper articles, and NOT one article makes any correlation to TY COBB being a racist. All the evidence demonstrate COBB’s support for the advancement of colored people, and yet, there is NO evidence that give any indication that Mr. COBB made any movement toward oppressing the black population.
Contrary, when Jackie Robinson entered into the Major Leagues, it began a slow process of allowing blacks to began entering into every league in the country. When the Dallas club of the Texas League was considering allowing blacks to enter, COBB was there to bat for them.
Ty Cobb, Fiery Diamond Star, Favors Negroes In Baseball
Independent Journal - January 29th, 1952
MENLO PARK (AP) Tyrus Raymond Cobb, fiery old time star of the diamond, stepped up to the plate today to clout a verbal home run in favor of Negroes in baseball.
Himself a native of the Deep South, Cobb voiced approval of the recent decision of the Dallas club to use Negro players if they came up to Texas league caliber.
The old Georgia Peach of Detroit Tigers fame was a fighter from the word go during his brilliant playing career. He neither asked for nor gave quarter in 24 tumultuous years in the American League. Time has mellowed the one time firebrand and he views the sport in the pleasant role of a country squire. He spoke emphatically on the subject of Negroes in baseball, however.
"Certainly it is O.K. for them to play," he said, "I see no reason in the world why we shouldn't compete with colored athletes as long as they conduct themselves with politeness and gentility. Let me say also that no white man has the right to be less of a gentleman than a colored man, in my book that goes not only for baseball but in all walks of life.”
"I like them, (Negro race) personally. When I was little I had a colored mammy. I played with colored children."
Referring again to last week's developments in the Texas league, Cobb declared, "It was bound to come." He meant the breaking down of Baseball's racial barriers in the old south.
Cobb expressed the belief Negroes eventually would be playing in every league in the country. He concluded with: "Why not, as long as they deport themselves like gentlemen?"
TY COBB did have an altercation with at least four African-Americans during his lifetime, but I have all the documents from these incidents, and in every case, the problem can be traced back to an action, not related to racism, that was committed by COBB himself, the black person, or a third party, that cause the issue to escalate into an altercation. I am not going to discourse tediously on who was at fault in either of the incidents because I only want to exhibit that there was a reason that the incidents happened that had nothing to do with color. And I must mention that COBB’s incidents with whites far exceed the number of occurrences with the blacks.
TY COBB was not a racist, he did not sharpen his spikes to slash other players just to steal a base, he did not kill a man in Detroit as alleged by recent nickel writers, and he did not live the life of a bigot. Contrary to those myths, TY COBB exerted a kindness toward blacks. One of his fondest memories of his youth was being taught how to swim by a black laborer named, Uncle Ezra. Ezra would get young TY to cling to his neck and wade out into the middle of the river or stream. At this point, TY would be released and forced to swim back to the riverbank.
Blacks lived in COBB’s house behind his home on Williams Street there in Augusta. COBB employed blacks the whole time he lived on the “Hill”. Emaline Cosey lived with and worked for TY COBB in 1920.
Jimmy Lanier grew up in Augusta with one of TY COBB’s sons. Jimmy has told a story many times about him and Herschel going to the Rialto Theatre in downtown Augusta to see one of them shoot’em up movies. “We came out of the theatre and Mr. Cobb, like a father, was waiting on the other side of the road,” claimed Lanier. “As we were getting into the car, Mr. Cobb overheard the owner of a nearby restaurant explaining to a man dressed in shabby clothes how to get to the Linwood Hospital – a veterans hospital. Mr. Cobb interrupts and says, ‘Son, I’ll take you there.’
“The man stood on the running board of Mr. Cobb’s La Salle coupe, and they were talking back and forth, and this man was a veteran of World War I. When they pulled up to the gate at the Linwood Hospital, I saw Mr. Cobb hand this man a $20 bill. Herschel was looking off at somewhere else, but I saw what Mr. Cobb done. It was incidents like this that never made it to the press,” concluded Lanier.
Friends, I believe that one of Mr. Cobb’s problems was that he never looked for credit for anything that he done. He could never boast of his philanthropic nature that would put celebrities like Babe Ruth or Joe DiMaggio riding on the crest of publicity. And two, he never refuted accusation against him publicly. If someone alleged that he had spiked another player intentionally, he gave an explanation only to the person or people that it mattered to most, like owner of the Tigers or President of the American League, but very seldom to the press. If he would have stood up and said to people, “You are wrong” or “That is not true,” maybe these present day authors would have had less room to reinvent his reputation to their own liking.
TY COBB was a close associate to the 2nd Commissioner of baseball, Albert B. “Happy” Chandler, who was head of the baseball realm when Jackie Robinson entered into Major League baseball. COBB was a big supporter of Chandler. In a press interview on August 30tth, 1950, COBB shared his support for Chandler, “So far, Chandler has lived up to everything that I thought he could do as a commissioner. To me, every one of his decisions have been fair.” The article goes on explaining COBB’s support for “Happy.” Three years later, he was elected to serve as member of the Board of Trustees of the COBB Educational Foundation.
The Foundation contributed $2,800.00 in scholarships the first year. Fifty years later the annual grants have reached well over a $500,000 dollars. As of July 2003, the Foundation has provided scholarships to 6,876 students, equaling 9,743,000 dollars.
Thanks to his charitable nature, Ty Cobb has made it possible for thousands of students of Georgia to achieve a higher mark in education. There is no limit to what this Foundation can provide to future students who truly want an education. One thing is certain; it is bound to generate a winning team of students in this great state of Georgia.
And as I mention frequently, I could go on forever talking about great things that Mr. COBB did to enrich the lives of other people. He did this without any expectations from the recipient or others who witnessed his philanthropic deeds. In an interview in the mid 1950s, Mr. COBB made this statement, “You’ve ask me about this Cobb Educational Fund, and now I’m going to have to answer it. I do not wish to be eulogized for what I have done. I’m proud of it, yes. This Educational Fund has given me the greatest possible happiness and pleasure, and maybe when I’m gone we’ll have some real great men developed out of the Cobb Educational Foundation.”
The TY COBB Healthcare Systems, Inc provide jobs to thousands of healthcare professionals in northeast Georgia, and I know personally, and young black fellow that I went to school with who works for the healthcare system and has made a huge impact on the community. He got his start at the COBB Memorial Hospital and now is a providing much leadership in the direction of the city.
TY COBB’s father was a Georgia State Senator from the 31st District who voted against a bill introduced and approved by the Senate that allowed taxes deriving only from black properties to finance the black schools. This was in 1900. He stated in the Atlanta Constitution that the “Negroes had done, and were doing a good deal for the up building of the state, and I am in favor of allowing them money for education.” He believed that the race should be protected from class legislation.
TY COBB set more records in baseball than any other player. He was the first player inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1936. He was the most celebrated athlete in baseball’s history.
In 1950, COBB dedicated the new hospital in Royston, Georgia to provide medical attention to the region. In Dr. J. B. Gilbert, COBB found one of the finest African-American doctors to serve the black population, and this was before desegregation. Dr. Gilbert also serviced white patients and later became Chief of Staff at the COBB Memorial Hospital. Dr. Gilbert’s daughter remembers TY COBB visiting the home when she was just a young lady. COBB signed baseballs for all three of Dr. Gilbert’s grandchildren.
In 1953, COBB established the TY COBB Educational Foundation to give scholarships to needy students in Georgia. Hundreds and hundreds of young black students have become a beneficiary of this educational fund.
Alexander George Washington Rivers was a black employee of COBB for 18 years and named his first-born Ty Cobb Rivers, “Even if it would have been a gal, Ah would have named her the same,” Rivers relayed to his friends in an interview with The Detroit News. Rivers served as COBB’s batboy, chauffer, general handyman, and was an avid supporter of the famed “Georgia Peach.”
After 22 seasons with Detroit, COBB joined the Philadelphia Athletics to finish out his twenty-four year career. Rivers followed COBB, “I wasn’t exactly against the Tigers, but I still had to be for Mr. Ty.”
TY COBB’s racial reputation came only after he had died in 1961. Racial reform should not be fought at the expense of a man who helped make Baseball a great sport for colored people to enjoy, too.
COBB loved Augusta! He did not just live there for a while – it was his home. He raised all of his children there. He lived at 2425 William Street in the Summerville district. He held common and preferred stock in the Augusta Chronicle. He sold Hawkeye trucks there in the Augusta area. He was president and principle owner of the TY COBB Tire Co. on Broad Street. He owned the TY COBB Beverage Co. who had their office at 313 in the Leonard Building. He was one of three principle owners in the City Bank of Thomson. He hunted and fished in all parts of the Augusta area and even down the Savannah River. He was on the Board of Directors of the First National Bank in Lavonia, Georgia for all his professional life.
He coached and umpired some at the Richmond County YMCA and in the Nehi League. He entered his girls into beauty pageants, horse shows and musical recitals. He helped the city authorities host outside guest. When a large group of Philadelphia businessmen came to Augusta, COBB participated in a first-of-its-kind aeroplane golf tournament for the visiting spectators. COBB owned a great deal of property in the city.
One piece of land was 444.72 acres south of Spirit Creek and the Augusta Orphan Asylum. Mr. COBB owned the properties on the east side of Tuttle, between Fenwick and Jenkins Streets; corner of Broad and Seventh (McIntosh); ten acres, five miles out on old Milledgeville Rd.; two lots on the corner of Druid Park and Gwinnett Street; southwest corner of Twiggs and Boyd’s Alley containing five lots; four lots close to the corner of Phillip Street and Walton Way; and the COBB’s property list goes on and on. Looking over the Richmond County Court documents, it appears to me that in some cases COBB loaned money to help prevent foreclosure on some of the properties.
He lived adjacent to a dentist that started the South Atlantic League back up after it shutdown during the depression. Eugene Wilder worked as secretary to the Mayor of Augusta for many years, and was an admirer of COBB’s. When COBB entered the United States Army in 1918, he left Dr. Wilder instructions and money he had set aside for his famous prize dog, “Cobb’s Hall,” in case he failed to return from the war. COBB served as a Captain in the Chemical Warfare Division over in France at the close of the war.
COBB also became part owner of the Augusta Tourist in 1922. The team name was later changed to Augusta Tygers to honor COBB. He developed many young athletes into strong competitors. He managed the Detroit Tigers from 1921-1926, and during that time, a Detroit batter won the batting title 4 out of 6 years. He was a great teacher, and loved to devote his time to helping others advance.
TY COBB was always concerned about the advancement of the city of Augusta. He was always striving to promote and stimulate the city’s economy. He donated his vehicle to the fire station to be auctioned off. He owned numerous businesses in Augusta and drew people of every nature to the city. He once hosted the sole owner of the Diamond Tire Company who came down from up north. There were a couple of Presidents of the United States that COBB became acquainted with on the streets of Augusta.
In closing, I just want to say that all these little things add up to give us plenty of reason to say that COBB deserves being memorialized with a stadium. Especially from his home city, a place that he helped to make a wonderful place to live and work. If the people of Augusta do not want COBB’s name on the Olmstead Stadium, that's up to them – I don’t live there. But I can’t sit an allow people to say such negative remarks such as “COBB was a racist” without at least trying to educate the public on the absolute truth.
I would hope that if there is this much of an issue in naming the stadium, period, then it might be apprehended that there is a greater force that is calling us to name the facility “COBB MEMORIAL STADIUM,” or something that would commemorate the great Georgia athlete. “GEORGIA PEACH STADIUM” may be a happy medium that would satisfy both sides of the debate.
At any rate, my position is only to educate and pass on the information that is sometimes forgotten or unknown. I hope that I have provided you with enough information that it may give you a different perspective on who TY COBB really was. I have enclosed different passages and material that you can read and see more aspects of TY COBB and his legacy. This is only a speck in the sand of the material that I possess on this great athlete. I would be happy to assist you or your colleagues in any capacity should that be your desire. I hope that you will be enlightened and receptive to this information, and I hope that it will assist everyone in the reconstruction of his or her opinion of TY COBB. I want to leave you with words straight from TY COBB’s own personality, “I like them, personally. When I was little I had a colored Mammy. I played with colored children.”
Sincerely,
Wesley Fricks
TY COBB Historian
5 months ago
As a noted Red Sox homer, I'll withhold comment in hopes that your top three is, in no particular order:
Chick Stahl - hit 282/341/384 for the Sox during the dead-ball era...three triples in a world series game...killed himself while manager of the Red Sox in 06, blaming it on the stress of the job.
Fred Lynn - MVP/ROY, just forget everything he did after he left Boston...
Tris Speaker - Probably the best CF in the history of baseball...
from 5 months ago
btw/off subject...I think you guys got a hell of a good player in Bay and the BoSox are lucky to have him.
5 months ago
Wow! I can't believe that Willie McGee made it into the top three! ;)
from 5 months ago
AND Steve Finley!
5 months ago
wow crazy comments, and unbelievable ones from wesley lol. great article, zander
5 months ago
My first thought is you must be going for power over hitting and defense. I've never even seen a ranking of Ty Cobb as low as #4 in overall players at any position in the history of baseball much less only #4 in centerfield. Wow, that will be a gut check in the Bleacher Report, Z—man. And now historians are getting into the fray?
When you're the leader, you lead! We'll keep watching the action on this dynamic article.
from 5 months ago
You know Tris Speaker is going to show up soon.
from 5 months ago
Tris Speaker better be #1...
...Zander needs to make up for his blatant lack of Red Sox thus far.
I mean, where the hell is Tony Armas? Billy Hatcher? Lee Tinsley? Darren Lewis? I mean, how the hell is D-Lew not on the list?
Lousy west-coast bias, that's what it is!
from 5 months ago
Don't worry Sean—Darren Lewis will get an honorable mention at the end, just for you =)
from 5 months ago
Figuring out the order of the top six on my list was very difficult. What it came down to was who most embodied the characteristics necessary to play center field and who was merely an awesome player who happened to play center field.
Placing Cobb at #4 felt very strange but ultimately I had to follow my instincts. I don't think he embodies the position quite the same way that the top three on my list do.
Can't wait for the feedback next week!
5 months ago
If Willie Mays doesn't make the cut into your top 10 then you need to have your head examined. There's no one who displayed the power, the athleticism, the base running, and who did the little things to win then Willie Mays. If you don't have him here's there's no reason for anyone to waste their time reading about the top 10 any part of it.
from 5 months ago
Jesus Christ Steven...can't you at least wait until it stops breathing before you bury it? You're like a 5 minute man in the sack thinking about a Hoagie while you hammer.
Patience is a virtue young man
5 months ago
The Dimaggio/Mantle debate is still sooo freakin' close that I still couldn't choose one over the other in a deal.
The Cobb placement seems fair enough...if your #3 is who I think it is.
from 5 months ago
Who could, honestly?
Yeah it's pretty weird having three of the all-time greatest ballplayers ever in the #6-4 edition...but hey, you gotta make decisions in life.
from 5 months ago
This really wearing me out on Baseball Reference fielding stats...I mean you have to play the position superbly and THEN hit like a maniac right?
Otherwise we could do a DH thing and go home early.
5 months ago
I finally got around to reading your whole series and am thoroughly impressed, Zander. Great work.
I, too, am surprised that Willie Mays didn't make your cut but will wait to hear your argument for the top three before I pass judgement.
5 months ago
Wesley: I appreciate you weighing in on the topic of Cobb's sentiments towards black players and providing that additional information. From the sources I have consulted the verdict seems to be that as a young man he had a typical attitude for white Georgians at the time, aka he was not fond of blacks—but that in his later years he became more accepting and in fact supported integration of the game.
Steven: since I started writing this series people have been giving me crap left and right for not discussing Willie Mays. I don't know if I've done a bad job labeling this article or what, but it's pretty clear that the list isn't finished...hang tight my friend.
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