Ty Cobb played a sport.
Tyrus Raymond Cobb ( December 18 , 1886 -- July 17 , 1961 ) , nicknamed The Georgia Peach , was an American Major League Baseball ( MLB ) outfielder . Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers , the last six as the team 's player-manager , and finished his career with the Philadelphia Athletics . He still holds the career record for stealing home ( 54 times ) and for stealing second base , third base , and home in succession ( 5 times ) , and as the youngest player ever to compile 4,000 hits and score 2,000 runs .