Legendary 1910 photograph of Ty Cobb sells for $390K

A rare 1910 photograph of Detroit Tigers legend Ty Cobb was recently sold for $390,000, Robert Edward Auctions announced on Monday.

The photo of Cobb taken by Charles Conlon at Hilltop Park, home of the New York Highlanders, on July 23, 1910 is universally regarded as the first “action” sports photo ever captured. The identity of the card’s buyer was not released publicly.

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“Conlon shot what is universally regarding as the most visceral sports photograph ever taken,” the lot description reads. “The image captures the pure fury that was Ty Cobb as he slides into third base on an attempted steal and makes Highlanders third baseman Jimmy Austin pay for his impudence in attempting to make the tag.”

“The determination on Cobb’s face, the dirt flying in all directions, and Austin’s futile attempt to catch the throw from the catcher while trying to avoid serious injury from the steel shards emanating from Cobb’s shoes combine to elicit an emotional response that is unmatched by any other baseball image.”

Conlon later said that he originally thought he missed the shot, but was shocked to find he had indeed captured it when developed his photos after the game.

“There was Cobb stealing third,” he said, according to the lot description. “In my excitement, I had snapped it, by instinct.”

A photo of the 1910 photograph can be seen below.

Robert Edward Auctions said the photograph is “one of the most significant items (it) has ever had the privilege of presenting at auction.”

The 10-by-8-inch photograph previously sold for $250,000 in 2019.

Cobb, nicknamed the Georgia Peach, is widely considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. 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.

Cobb was the 1911 America League MVP and won the triple crown in 1909. He led the AL in batting 12 times, in RBIs four times and stolen bases six times during his remarkable career. A first ballot Hall of Famer, he was inducted in 1936.