Ty Cobb card showing split grip

[Archive]

Posted By: Joann

http://cgi.ebay.com/Donruss-Elite-Gold-TY-Cobb-Diamond-cut-LIMITED-18-24_W0QQitemZ8745346515QQcategoryZ86837QQrdZ1QQcmdZ ViewItem



Link above (and sorry - it is, literally, a shiny card). But I have no comment on the auction at all. I noticed it because the split grip is so pronounced in that picture. In Bat Off it is very subtle and in Bat On it's not really there at all. His famed 'split grip' looks very different in all three cards.

I'm wondering if anyone has ever heard or read what that split grip did for him or how it helped hitting. Was it something that evolved over his career? Was it full time or situational? These would possibly explaining difference in pictures. In the picture on this card, it almost looks like he's going to bunt - is his bunting where the famed split-grip came from? Did he truly do that, or did it become an affectation? Did anyone else ever try to copy it (success breeds imitation) and if so, how did it work, and if not, why not?

Obviously the answers to these questions may be out of reach, but has anyone ever run into anything that covers these kinds of questions?

Joann


(Edited to add name to replace 'anonymous')
(And then, well, edited again to move the link, because my first edit messed it up. I'll get it yet!)