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 . In 1936 Cobb received the most votes of any player on the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame ballot , receiving 222 out of a possible 226 votes ( 98.2 % ) ; no other player received a higher percentage of votes until 1992 . In 1999 , editors at the Sporting News ranked Ty Cobb 3rd on their list of `` Baseball 's 100 Greatest Players '' . 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 . Cobb ranks fifth all-time in number of games played and committed 271 errors , the most by any American League ( AL ) outfielder .