Today in 1905, Ty Cobb made his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers at 18 years old. Known for his exceptional batting, Cobb hit .420 in the 1911 season and became the first millionaire in baseball through shrewd contracts and investments in companies like General Motors and Coca-Cola. He was inducted into the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
TRANSCRIPT
It’s 1905 in Detroit, and today an 18 year old hit the baseball diamond for the first time. He threw right-handed, but batted left handed and would change the game in his 24 years as a Detroit Tiger. Ty Cobb’s first game was today in 1905 and kept astonishingly high stats. Perhaps most of all batting 420 in his 1911 season. But off the field, Cobb would be shrewd, too, with contract negotiations, but also investing in fledgling companies like General Motors and Coca-Cola. As a result, Cobb also became the first millionaire in baseball, and would be inducted into the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.