I didn't even take the time to change out of my uniform before rushing him into the front office to sign a contract." Ty Cobb In 1924, Gehringer played with London Tecumsehs in the Class B Michigan Ontario League. He was called up briefly at the end of September and played five games for the Tigers, batting .462 in 13 at-bats. Nevertheless, the 21-year-old Gehringer returned to the minor leagues where he played in 1925 for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League, and 8 games with the Tigers. Gehringer's first full season in the big leagues was 1926, which was also Ty Cobb's last season as the Tigers' player-manager. At first, Gehringer recalled that Cobb "was like a father to me." Gehringer's father had died in 1924. Cobb even made Gehringer use his own bat. According to Gehringer, Cobb's bat was "a thin little thing", and though Gehringer would have preferred a bigger bat, "I didn't dare use another one." Gehringer hit .277 in his first full season, and collected 17 triples (2nd best in the American League). Cobb and Gehringer subsequently had a falling out, and Gehringer later described Cobb as "a real hateful guy." (Al Stump, Cobb: The Life and Times of the Meanest Man Who Ever Played Baseball (1994), p. 419) Playing for the "small ball" oriented Cobb, who had been baseball's greatest player during its Deadball Era before Babe Ruth revolutionized offense with his home runs, Gehringer also had a career-high 27 sacrifice hits in 1926. Six Tigers from the Cobb era (Donie Bush, Cobb, Harry Heilmann, Bobby Veach, Sam Crawford, and Ossie Vitt) rank in the Top 50 all time for sacrifice hits. After Cobb's departure, Gehringer never again came close to 27 sacrifice hits. Gehringer becomes a star: 1927–1933 In 1927, the Tigers had a new manager in George Moriarty and a lineup full of great hitters, including Heinie Manush, Harry Heilmann, Lu Blue, and Bob Fothergill. The 1927 season was also the beginning of Gehringer's many seasons as a reliable .300 hitter. In 1927, he hit .317 and scored 110 runs – 4th best in the American League. He also led American League second basemen with 438 assists and 84 double plays. In 1928, he played in all 154 games for the Tigers, hit .320, collected 193 hits (5th best in the league), scored 108 runs (5th best in the league),