But How Was Cobb’s Defense? Pete Rose Knows

Everybody talks about how great a hitter and base stealer Ty Cobb was, but Pete Rose says, “How good a defensive player was he? He made the most errors of any outfielder in history. Nobody talks about that.”

True enough. The record book shows that Cobb committed 271 errors, the most of any outfielder in the modern era. The National League record is 235, by Max Carey.

Now, guess who holds the record for the highest lifetime fielding average among outfielders?

Pete Rose, of course. His record is .9911. The American League record is .9909, by Amos Otis.

Add Rose: They’ve been on his case at Shea Stadium ever since his rumble with Bud Harrelson in 1973, but they gave him a standing ovation the other night after he singled in the eighth inning and replaced himself with a pinch-runner.

Said Rose: “They thought that was the last time I’ll play here. I’m going to fool them. I’m going to come back in October.”

Last Add Rose: He claims that some hitters do too much thinking at the plate, but Cincinnati second baseman Ron Oester told the New York Times that Rose is constantly studying the situation.

“I see that he’ll take a pitcher’s pitch and wait for the one he wants to hit,” Oester said. “He won’t let a pitcher force him to hit at a ball he considers out of the strike zone. And when he makes an out, I’ve even seen him smile when he came back to the dugout. He’s saying, ‘OK, pitcher, you got me this time, but next time, you’re mine.’ ”

Trivia Time: Name the only player who has won stolen-base titles in both leagues. (Answer below.)

The-rich-get-richer dept.: Spend a Buck’s owner, Dennis Diaz, reveals that the trophy they give to the Kentucky Derby winner isn’t your everyday mantle decoration.

“The horse and rider are solid gold,” he said. “It’s worth about $40,000 or $50,000. It’s in the bank vault now.”

Add Diaz: Even he was overmatched at the Keeneland Yearling Sale, where one yearling was sold for a record $13.1 million.

“Those people don’t count their money,” he said. “They weigh it.”

David Letterman might not believe it, but inside that “fat tub of goo” hides an outstanding all-around athlete.

Or did you know that Terry Forster, as a San Diego prep, played against Bill Walton in basketball and Brian Sipe in football.

George Vecsey of the New York Times, on onetime media-hater Mickey Mantle, who now is plugging his new book: “His affability quotient has improved greatly since he discovered he could make a living by being nice.”

One Year Ago Today: On July 27, 1984, Pete Rose of the Montreal Expos passed Ty Cobb for most singles in a career with his 3,503rd single, against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Greg Campbell, agent for USFL quarterback Bobby Hebert, is demanding $1 million a year for his client.

What did Seattle Seahawks General Manager Mike McCormack say to that?

“I just told him we are not in that neighborhood, and if he decides to change neighborhoods, to get back to us,” McCormack said.

Trivia Answer: Ron LeFlore. He won the American League title in 1978 with 68 steals for Detroit. He won the National League title in 1980 with 97 steals for Montreal.

Quotebook

Stan Kasten, general manager of the Atlanta Hawks, on signing Dancing Barry for an appearance at the Omni next season: “Baryshnikov was booked, so we went with Barry.”