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Old 12-28-2024, 04:40 AM
bk400 bk400 is offline
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Perhaps this is an unpopular view, but I just can't get it up for pre-war, deep pre-integration player accolades, especially when it comes to something like base running. Ty Cobb may have been a freak of nature in his era, but he was just so much slower than modern era players. Ty Cobb reportedly ran the 100-yard dash in 10.2 seconds, which compares very unfavorably to Vince Coleman at 9.5 seconds and Rickey Henderson at 9.6 or so. I couldn't find Tim Raines's 100-yard dash time, but he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds.

And I don't know how good the catchers were back in Ty Cobb's day, but I'd be willing to bet that they didn't throw to second base nearly as well or as quickly as the guys in the modern era.

Finally, the fact that Ty Cobb could steal home so many times seems to me to be less a testament to his ability and more an indictment of the level of preparation and coaching that persisted during his era.

I know it is unfair to compare across eras, but when we are talking about the best ever, I think there should be a bias toward modern players. The game has become so much more professional and athletically competitive than back in the 1910s and 20s.
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