A Ty Cobb FAQ

Compiled from
the Most Frequently Asked Questions
About This Site

Please read the FAQ before writing to me. Thank you.

What was Ty Cobb's Number?

He wore no number. The practice wasn't begun until the late 1920's, and didn't become the norm until the mid-1930's, leaving Ty about 5 years short of ever wearing a number on his uniform.

In the HBO special, When It Was a Game, there is home-movie footage of Cobb wearing a Tigers uniform with #25 on the back. That's all well and good, but that was not his number when he played. He never had a number when he played.

I have a baseball/bat/photo signed/possibly signed by Ty Cobb. How much is it worth?

I have no idea. Check with your local memorabilia dealer. Look in your yellow pages under "Autograph Dealers," "Collectibles," and "Sports Cards and Memorabilia." They will undoubtedly be able to tell you more about its worth than I will.

Is that really Ty Cobb in those promos on ESPN in the summer of '98?

According to Eddie Gold in the Sunday Chicago Sun-Times from 2 Aug 1998, "Murphy Guyler, an actor, does the impression of Cobb on the ESPN commercial. In the background is Rickwood Park in Birmingham, Ala., which is believed to be the oldest ballpark in the country. Guyler had bit roles in 'City Hall,' 'The Devil's Advocate' and 'The Jackall.'" The Cincinnati Enquirer from 27 March 98 also writes that the ESPN promos have what "looks like long-lost film of Cobb in his Detroit Tigers uniform," without adding anything else.

Now, having read the FAQ, feel free write to me. Sorry to make this a drawn-out process, but I appreciate your patience.