The Sherman crews called them "Ronsons" (popular WWII cigarette lighter) because they always lit up the first time (from a hit by the 88s). The Germans called them "Tommy Cookers" for the same reason.
Note a vain attempt to up-armor it by welding extra plates on the side - which the Germans used for aiming points.
There was always an eleventh Sherman to finish off the Tiger. Too bad for Shermans 1-10.
Why did we make Shermans if they were so inferior? Because they were easy to produce and operate (for an army of civilians you didn’t need a long training time), as well as they were probably the fastest tank in WW II. When the US Army broke out of the Hedgerows, they could’ve ended the war before Christmas if they had gotten the fuel.
Hitler decided to build two tanks that were better than the Mark4, hence the Panther(arguably the best tank in WWII)and the Tiger deadly but slow and vulnerable to artillery. Once we got to Europe we were out classed but by the end of the War we had the M26, sporting a 90MM gun and better armor and other improvements. Not many of them saw action, we built the M4 Sherman in such numbers that we overcame the Panthers and the Tigers by sheer numbers, it usually took 4 Shermans to knock out either a Panther or a Tiger. Even though we could well afford to lose the Shermans we couldn't afford to lose the tank crews that died with them.