Cody from When Calls the Heart is a huge fan of playing baseball. Fans have watched him practice through a few seasons of the show already, and his skill is always highly complimented.
More than once, Elizabeth has told Cody that he could be the next Ty Cobb if he keeps practicing. But who is Ty Cobb, and what was his impact in baseball?
Ty Cobb and his rise to fame
Ty Cobb was born Tyrus Raymond Cobb on December 18, 1886, in Narrows, Georgia. Cobb’s main source of motivation was his father. Cobb was pushed to be his best, and he took that to heart.
According to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Ty Cobb joined the Detroit Tigers in 1905 and was with them for 22 seasons, his primary position was center field. Cobb gained recognition in the baseball industry for his ability to hit to all fields and for his base-running style.
Cobb primarily played in the outfield, but he was able to pitch for three games and spent time in the infield as well. In 1936, Cobb was the first player voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, gaining more votes than any of the other athletes.
Cobb was joined by Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson as the first five baseball players voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
After living a successful life and playing baseball for many years, Ty Cobb died in Atlanta, Georgia on July 17, 1961.
Ty Cobb’s influence on When Calls the Heart
When Calls the Heart references many true historical events and people, and it’s not a surprise that Ty Cobb is one of these references. From 1907 to 1915, Cobb won nine batting titles.
Although Cody and When Calls the Heart is fiction, having a baseball hero to look up to is important in the show for many reasons. Not only does it remind fans of the real world, but it also brings more personality to the characters.
Cody’s time in Hope Valley was filled with many positive things, but he didn’t have many male role models in his life.
The men in Hope Valley stepped up to help him out, but it was a nice personal touch to reference Cody’s talent in baseball to a talented baseball player in real life that Cody could look up to.
We may never see another Ty Cobb, but his impact in baseball and history will not be forgotten.