--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ty Cobb was still fighting the Civil War…" description: "\"Ty Cobb was still fighting the Civil War, and as far as he was concerned, we were all damn Yankees. But who knows, if he hadn't had that terrible perse..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b65/sam-crawford-70306_baseball_ty-cobb-was-still-fighting-the-civil-war_2607270.jpg" --- # Ty Cobb was still fighting the Civil War, and as far as he… ![“Ty Cobb was still fighting the Civil War, and as far as he was concerned, we were all damn Yankees. But who knows, if he hadn't had that terrible persecution complex, he never would have been about the best ballplayer who ever lived.” quote by Sam Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b65/sam-crawford-70306_baseball_ty-cobb-was-still-fighting-the-civil-war_2607270.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b65/sam-crawford-70306_baseball_ty-cobb-was-still-fighting-the-civil-war_2607270.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b65/sam-crawford-70306_baseball_ty-cobb-was-still-fighting-the-civil-war_2607270.jpg) > “Ty Cobb was still fighting the Civil War, and as far as he was concerned, we were all damn Yankees. But who knows, if he hadn't had that terrible persecution complex, he never would have been about the best ballplayer who ever lived.” [Sam Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-crawford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ty Cobb’s fierce competitive nature made him view everyone as opponents, yet his intense drive contributed to his legendary baseball status. **In simple terms:** Cobb’s aggression fueled greatness. Key Takeaway Channel competitive drive positively. Themes sports competition psychology legacy Mood intense reflective Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - team sports - personal development - historical analysis Key Concepts perseverance confidence Questions to Reflect On - How to balance competitiveness with sportsmanship? - What traits made Cobb successful? A Different Perspective Aggression can harm relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ballplayer Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballplayer-lived-1207034/) [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Cobb Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cobb-fighting-1996161/) [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned/) [Damn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damn/) [Damn Yankees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damn-yankees-1996162/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Persecution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persecution/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Ty Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ty-cobb/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Yankees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yankees/) ## Related quotes > [On two legs, Mickey Mantle would have been the greatest ballplayer who ever lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nellie-fox/on-two-legs-mickey-mantle-would-have-been-the-greatest-ballplayer-who/) [Nellie Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nellie-fox/) > [“Because it is the triumph of a lack of planning –both for good and bad. It's chaos –and whether you say that with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/because-it-is-the-triumph-of-a-lack-of-planning-both-for-good-and-bad/) [China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [Claire Hodgson, born Clara Mae Merritt, was the daughter of a prominent Georgia attorney who had once represented Ty Cobb. She was still a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-leavy/claire-hodgson-born-clara-mae-merritt-was-the-daughter-of-a-prominent/) [Jane Leavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-leavy/) > [Was Ty Cobb psychotic throughout his playing career? The answer is yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stump/was-ty-cobb-psychotic-throughout-his-playing-career-the-answer-is-yes/) [Al Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stump/) > [I have heard of managers who encourage players not to slide hard for fear they will get hurt and be lost from the lineup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-robinson/i-have-heard-of-managers-who-encourage-players-not-to-slide-hard-for/) [Frank Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-robinson/) > [I never saw anyone like Ty Cobb. No one even close to him as the greatest all-time ballplayer. That guy was superhuman, amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/i-never-saw-anyone-like-ty-cobb-no-one-even-close-to-him-as-the/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [“We came to the city because we wished to live haphazardly, to reach for only the least realistic of our desires, and to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/we-came-to-the-city-because-we-wished-to-live-haphazardly-to-reach/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) > [I know everything about Ty Cobb except the size of his hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-know-everything-about-ty-cobb-except-the-size-of-his-hat/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [I would much rather read a book about Ty Cobb, who was quite possibly a sociopath. It makes for more interesting copy. Some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-weeks/i-would-much-rather-read-a-book-about-ty-cobb-who-was-quite-possibly/) [Jonathan Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-weeks/) > [Few names have left a firmer imprint upon the pages of the history of American times than has that of Ty Cobb... he seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/few-names-have-left-a-firmer-imprint-upon-the-pages-of-the-history-of/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [It is hard to compare the eras, but Joe Jackson and Ty Cobb from the past, Sandy Koufax and Roger Clements from the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-p-kinsella/it-is-hard-to-compare-the-eras-but-joe-jackson-and-ty-cobb-from-the/) [W. P. Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-p-kinsella/) > [“If you're wondering what's wrong with Fenway Park in the first place, you're not the only one. Fenway is special precisely because it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-demause/if-you-re-wondering-what-s-wrong-with-fenway-park-in-the-first-place/) [Neil deMause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-demause/) > [At Tiger Stadium, the dugouts are so low that you walk in and hit your head on the ceiling. People would say, 'Don't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harmon-killebrew/at-tiger-stadium-the-dugouts-are-so-low-that-you-walk-in-and-hit-your/) [Harmon Killebrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harmon-killebrew/) > [He was the strangest of all our national sports idols. But not even his disagreeable character could destroy the image of his greatness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cannon/he-was-the-strangest-of-all-our-national-sports-idols-but-not-even/) [Jimmy Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cannon/) > [I broke in with four hits, and the writers promptly declared they had seen the new Ty Cobb. It took me only a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/i-broke-in-with-four-hits-and-the-writers-promptly-declared-they-had/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) ## More by Sam Crawford > [I never was for telephones. Just don't like them, that's all. Anybody wants to talk to you, they can come to see you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-crawford/i-never-was-for-telephones-just-don-t-like-them-that-s-all-anybody/) [Sam Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-crawford/) > [I do have a television over there - it was a gift - but I never turn it on. I'd rather read a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-crawford/i-do-have-a-television-over-there-it-was-a-gift-but-i-never-turn-it/) [Sam Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-crawford/) > [I don't have a telephone. If I had a lot of money, I wouldn't have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-crawford/i-don-t-have-a-telephone-if-i-had-a-lot-of-money-i-wouldn-t-have-one/) [Sam Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-crawford/) [Explore all 4 Sam Crawford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-crawford/) ## More Baseball quotes > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-sosa/when-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-pennant-race-you-can-t-go-up-there/) [Sammy Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-sosa/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Spring training means flowers, people coming outdoors, sunshine, optimism and baseball. Spring training is a time to think about being young again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-banks/spring-training-means-flowers-people-coming-outdoors-sunshine/) [Ernie Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-banks/) > [Pitchers pitch differently. Hitters, hardly anyone has the same stance. That's just how it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zimmerman/pitchers-pitch-differently-hitters-hardly-anyone-has-the-same-stance/) [Ryan Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zimmerman/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [I don't want the electronic strike zone. I like the element of sometimes pitches don't get called. Guys don't receive it well or whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/i-don-t-want-the-electronic-strike-zone-i-like-the-element-of/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [If I was going to make one rule change, I would bring the DH to the National League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brett/if-i-was-going-to-make-one-rule-change-i-would-bring-the-dh-to-the/) [George Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brett/) > [In all honesty, once you become a professional, number one, you're no longer a fan. I don't root for the Dodgers, really. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-scully/in-all-honesty-once-you-become-a-professional-number-one-you-re-no/) [Vin Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-scully/) > [I'll tell you what's helped me my entire life. I look at baseball as a game. It's something where people can go out, enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-caray/i-ll-tell-you-what-s-helped-me-my-entire-life-i-look-at-baseball-as-a/) [Harry Caray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-caray/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [What we should have done is kept the same team that played in the '95 World Series. Those trades (Eddie Murray & Carlos Baerga)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-belle/what-we-should-have-done-is-kept-the-same-team-that-played-in-the-95/) [Albert Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-belle/) > [“I can buy baseball cards to view an entire career on the back of a little square of cardboard. But nobody sells major league…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/i-can-buy-baseball-cards-to-view-an-entire-career-on-the-back-of-a/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [The wind always seems to blow against catchers when they are running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/the-wind-always-seems-to-blow-against-catchers-when-they-are-running/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) [Browse all 7,461 Baseball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ty Cobb was still fighting the Civil War, and as far as he was concerned, we were all damn Yankees. But who knows, if he hadn't had that terrible persecution complex, he never would have been about the best ballplayer who ever lived.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Crawford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-crawford/ty-cobb-was-still-fighting-the-civil-war-and-as-far-as-he-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Baseball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-crawford/ty-cobb-was-still-fighting-the-civil-war-and-as-far-as-he-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b65/sam-crawford-70306_baseball_ty-cobb-was-still-fighting-the-civil-war_2607270.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b65/sam-crawford-70306_baseball_ty-cobb-was-still-fighting-the-civil-war_2607270.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b65/sam-crawford-70306_baseball_ty-cobb-was-still-fighting-the-civil-war_2607270.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ty Cobb was still fighting the Civil War, and as far as he was concerned, we were all damn Yankees. But who…” — Sam Crawford", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sam Crawford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-crawford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ty Cobb was still fighting the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-crawford/ty-cobb-was-still-fighting-the-civil-war-and-as-far-as-he-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-crawford/ty-cobb-was-still-fighting-the-civil-war-and-as-far-as-he-was/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```