While Ty Cobb comfortably held the American and major league mark (at 5,863), New York Giant Mel Ott out-ran all his National Leaguers to Pittsburgh Pirate Honus Wagner’s total base record of 4,888 (has since been adjusted to 4868), as he tied and surpassed the Flying Dutchman in the same game against the Cubs on May 30, 1945. The photo in this newspaper clipping (VG) of Mel Ott and Honus Wagner comparing bats was taken a few days prior to the record-breaking, and Ott signs in black ink (8.5/10) on his newspaper image.