Turning down Ty Cobb

The Detroit Tigers 117 years ago today agree to ship irascible outfielder Ty Cobb to the Cleveland Indians for aging outfielder Elmer Flick.

One problem: Cleveland manager Nap Lajoie nixes the deal, instead opting to keep Flick rather than acquire the 20-year-old Cobb, who so far in two seasons in the majors struggles more to fit in with his own teammates than he spends being a pain to American League pitchers.

Elmer Flick

That soon changes, of course.

In rejecting the deal, Cleveland denies itself a chance to acquire an outfielder who becomes the greatest hitter in history not named Ted Williams.

Cobb plays 22 more seasons in the majors before finishing in 1928 with a .366 lifetime batting average, 4,189 hits, 897 stolen bases and 12 batting titles in a 13-season span beginning in 1907.

As for Flick, he enjoys only one more full season in the majors – 1907 – before playing sparingly for Cleveland over the next three seasons and leaving the majors in 1910.

Like Cobb, Flick ends up in the Hall of Fame, but his best years come before Cleveland opts to keep him instead of trading for Cobb.