Rare Ty Cobb Single Signed & Inscribed Baseball, 1922 Playing Days. Auto PSA

An exceptionally rare playing-era baseball signed by Ty Cobb and inscribed “1922” — dating the piece to the third and final +.400 season of his legendary career. Cobb signed the side panel of the period baseball in black fountain pen, with the accompanying “1922” inscription remaining visible alongside his signature. Far more than simply a Cobb autograph, this is a single-signed baseball specifically dated by Cobb to one of the greatest seasons of his 24-year Major League career.

At 35 years old and serving as player-manager of the Detroit Tigers, Cobb was still performing at an extraordinary level in 1922. He collected 211 hits, 42 doubles and 16 triples while batting .401 with a .462 on-base percentage — the final time he would eclipse the .400 mark.

The significance of the “1922” inscription is difficult to overstate. Cobb remained an active superstar at the time, six years away from his final Major League game, making this a true playing-era artifact. Nearly all of the Cobb singles circulating the hobby were signed much later in his life, long after his retirement and inaugural Hall of Fame induction. Single-signed Cobb baseballs from his playing career are exceedingly difficult to encounter, and the dated inscription ties this example directly to his historic .401 campaign.

Cobb ultimately retired with a .366 career batting average and 4,189 hits, and in 1936 received more votes than any other player in the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame election — ahead of fellow inaugural class members Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson. His place among the game's earliest immortals was firmly established, and more than a century later, artifacts dating directly to his playing career remain among the most coveted pieces of early baseball history.

The baseball exhibits period wear consistent with its age, possibly indicating game use (although we cannot be 100% certain of this with no provenance). More than a century later, Cobb’s signature and “1922” inscription remain readily visible, preserving a remarkable playing-era artifact from his historic final .400 season.

Comes with a Full Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA

Ships FedEx/UPS/USPS with Insurance.