Ty Cobb was a tenacious individual who played baseball for the Detroit Tigers American League Baseball Club. He has the highest lifetime batting average, .367, and a fist full of batting titles as well as hits. When you think of headwear on Ty Cobb your mind tends to light up with the image of a felt old english D on a short brimmed, wool melton style cap. However, Sotheby’s came across this style while auctioning off Barry Halper’s famous collection of baseball memorabilia in 1999.

This is a Mexican style wicker hat whose outer shell has been stained with a black dye. Around the base of the crown is a woven, black leather band. On the inside of the hat is a brown leather band with Tyrus R. Cobb imprinted in gold. The ever competitive Cobb was an avid outdoorsman and used this Mexican wicker hat while fishing for marlin and other game fish off of the coast of Cabo San Lucas in the Sea of Cortez.