The second and third greatest base stealers of all time?

[RUKen]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

In Billy Hamilton's era, you were awarded a "stolen base" if you went from 1st to 3rd on a single, 2nd to home on a single, 1st to home on a double.

Another way to explain it...if as a baserunner on base, you took an extra base beyond what the hitter took, that was considered a "stolen base". This rule wasn't changed until after 1897.

I'm pretty sure that taking an extra base (compared to where the batter stopped) counted as a stolen base only during the seasons 1892-1897. Before that, stolen bases were scored more like modern ones, except that they were credited with a stolen base when there was an obvious fielding error on the play, and also when they over-ran the base and were then put out.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by RUKen

I'm pretty sure that taking an extra base (compared to where the batter stopped) counted as a stolen base only during the seasons 1892-1897. Before that, stolen bases were scored more like modern ones, except that they were credited with a stolen base when there was an obvious fielding error on the play, and also when they over-ran the base and were then put out.

Yes, you are correct. The rules did fluctuate a bit.

Also, throwing a monkey wrench into this whole thing. For some reason "Caught Stealing" was not a widely kept track of stat until we were further along into the 20 Century.

Ty Cobb appears to have been a wildly inefficient base stealer when you take into account he's missing 10+ seasons of "caught stealing" statistics from his career line.

[robw1959]

I'll go with Cobb. Just read the bio on the back of his T205 card and you'll know why.

[Balticfox]

For the uninitiated (including me):

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by robw1959

I'll go with Cobb.

Yes. Lou Brock didn't exceed Ty Cobb's stolen base total of 897 until 1977 which was almost 49 years after Cobb hung up his cleats. The fact that Cobb is still number two in career triples with 295 and number one in lifetime batting average with a mark of .366 impresses me as well.