Make no mistake about that. The old boy was the greatest player I ever saw or hope to see. When I was pitching I had fair success against all the other great hitters, but Cobb was one guy I never could get out. I had a reputation for being a slugger and I guess I could hit 'em pretty far at that, but that guy Cobb could do everything—better than any player I ever saw. Old Georgia Peach was a great hitter, a spectacular fielder, a wonderfui thrower and oh boy, how he could run.

As quoted in "Ruth Considers Ty Cobb As Greatest of Players" by Joe Reichler (AP), in The Ironwood Daily Globe (August 24, 1945), p. 10