Baseball will play a 60 game season for the first time since 1878, so let’s rewrite some history by the numbers…
Batting average leaders through 60 games, 1904-2019:
2019: Cody Bellinger – .376
2018: Mookie Betts – .359
2017: Ryan Zimmerman – .365
2016: Daniel Murphy – .374
2015: Dee Gordon – .356
2014: Troy Tulowitzki – .358
2013: Miguel Cabrera – .368
2012: Paul Konerko – .365
2011: Matthew Joyce – .348
2010: Robinson Cano – .376
2009: David Wright – .365
2008: Chipper Jones – .409
2007: Magglio Ordonez – .366
2006: Joe Mauer – .384
2005: Derrek Lee – .375
2004: Sean Casey – .371
2003: Albert Pujols – .388
2002: Ichiro Suzuki – .377
2001: Manny Ramirez – .375
2000: Todd Helton – .382
1999: Tony Fernandez – .382
1998: Ivan Rodriguez – .376
1997: Larry Walker – .417
1996: Roberto Alomar – .397
1995: Edgar Martinez – .373
1994: Paul O’Neill – .417
1993: Andres Galarraga – .409
1992: John Kruk – .369
1991: Tony Gwynn – .361
1990: Lenny Dykstra – .388
1989: Barry Larkin – .364
1988: Carney Lansford – .384
1987: Tony Gwynn – .367
1986: Wade Boggs – .379
1985: Tom Herr – .362
1984: Tony Gwynn – .361
1983: Rod Carew – .411
1982: Toby Harrah – .379
1981: Dwight Evans – .339
1980: Paul Molitor – .358
1979: Roy Smalley – .371
1978: Rod Carew – .356
1977: Rod Carew – .388
1976: Ron LeFlore – .356
1975: Rod Carew – .387
1974: Rod Carew – .398
1973: Garry Maddox – .356
1972: Matty Alou – .337
1971: Tony Oliva – .371
1970: Rico Carty – .395
1969: Rod Carew – .372
1968: Matty Alou – .364*
1967: Roberto Clemente – .370
1966: Frank Robinson – .345
1965: Vic Davalillo – .365
1964: Billy Williams – .373
1963: Al Kaline – .349
1962: Manny Jimenez – .353
1961: Norm Cash – .367
1960: Dick Groat – .351
1959: Henry Aaron – .402
1958: Willie Mays – .382
1957: Mickey Mantle – .379
1956: Mickey Mantle – .380
1955: Al Kaline – .373
1954: Bobby Avila – .384
1953: Red Schoendienst – .345
1952: Jackie Robinson – .342
1951: Jackie Robinson – .374
1950: Jackie Robinson – .368
1949: Jackie Robinson – .368
1948: Ted Williams – .412
1947: Lou Boudreau – .367
1946: Dixie Walker – .367
1945: Tommy Holmes – .386
1944: Dixie Walker – .385
1943: Babe Dahlgren – .353
1942: Joe Gordon – .371
1941: Ted Williams – .407
1940: Rip Radcliff – .367
1939: Morrie Arnovich – .391
1938: Earl Averill – .381
1937: Joe Medwick – .406
1936: Lou Gehrig – .390
1935: Arky Vaughan – .400
1934: Heinie Manush – .416
1933: Al Simmons – .364
1932: Paul Waner – .381
1931: Babe Ruth – .399
1930: Lefty O’Doul – .409
1929: Jimmie Foxx – .403
1928: Rogers Hornsby – .402
1927: Joe Harris – .411*
1926: Babe Ruth – .379
1925: Rogers Hornsby – .429
1924: Rogers Hornsby – .389
1923: Harry Heilmann – .426
1922: George Sisler – .443
1921: Harry Heilmann – .425
1920: George Sisler – .430
1919: Roger Peckinpaugh – .392
1918: George Sisler – .357
1917: Ty Cobb – .374
1916: Tris Speaker – .379
1915: Ty Cobb – .400
1914: Tillie Walker – .353
1914: Benny Kauff (Federal League) – .403
1913: Shoeless Joe Jackson – .416
1912: Heinie Zimmerman – .410
1911: Ty Cobb – .443
1910: Nap Lajoie – .402
1909: Honus Wagner – .398
1908: Mike Donlin – .341
1907: Elmer Flick – .332
1906: George Stone – .369
1905: Cy Seymour – .359
1904: Nap Lajoie – .403
*Player did not qualify for the batting title, but would still have been the leader by adding necessary number of hitless at-bats.
The current rule of 3.1 plate appearances per game used, i.e. 186 plate appearances through 60 games played.
The career batting average leaders using 60 game seasons:
- Ty Cobb – .360
- Rogers Hornsby – .350
- George Sisler – .344
- Lou Gehrig – .344
- Tony Gwynn – .344
- Harry Heilmann – .341
- Tris Speaker – .335
- Rod Carew – .335
- Babe Ruth – .334
- Ted Williams – .332
The career hits leaders using 60 game seasons:
- Ty Cobb – 1,700
- Pete Rose – 1,575
- Henry Aaron – 1,461
- Tris Speaker – 1,383
- Stan Musial – 1,379
- Eddie Collins – 1,339
- Carl Yastrzemski – 1,300
- Rod Carew – 1,299
- Willie Mays – 1,278
- Paul Molitor – 1,254
The .400 Club (and those .390 or better):
2008: Chipper Jones – .409
1997: Larry Walker – .417
1997: Tony Gwynn – .403
1997: Frank Thomas – .391
1994: Paul O’Neill – .417
1993: Andres Galarraga – .409
1993: John Olerud – .395
1983: Rod Carew – .411
1974: Rod Carew – .398
1970: Rico Carty – .395
1959: Henry Aaron – .402
1948: Ted Williams – .412
1948: Stan Musial – .399
1941: Ted Williams – .407
1939: Morrie Arnovich – .391
1937: Joe Medwick – .406
1936: Lou Gehrig – .390
1935: Arky Vaughan – .400
1934: Heinie Manush – .416
1931: Babe Ruth – .399
1930: Lefty O’Doul – .409
1930: Chuck Klein – .406
1930: Paul Waner – .405
1930: Bill Terry – .398
1930: Mickey Cochrane – .397
1930: Babe Herman – .392
1930: Al Simmons – .390
1929: Jimmie Foxx – .403
1928: Rogers Hornsby – .402
1927: Joe Harris – .411 (five plate appearances short of modern qualification)
1925: Rogers Hornsby – .429
1925: Ty Cobb – .418
1925: Clyde Barnhart – .397
1925: Harry Heilmann – .394
1925: Al Simmons – .393
1925: Bill Lamar – .390
1923: Harry Heilmann – .426
1923: Zack Wheat – .390
1922: George Sisler – .443
1922: Rogers Hornsby – .408
1921: Harry Heilmann – .425
1921: Rogers Hornsby – .411
1921: Tris Speaker – .406
1921: Ty Cobb – .398
1920: George Sisler – .430
1920: Tris Speaker – .398
1920: Shoeless Joe Jackson – .393
1919: Roger Peckinpaugh – .392
1915: Ty Cobb – .400
1914: Benny Kauff – .403 (Federal League)
1913: Shoeless Joe Jackson – .416
1913: Ty Cobb – .396
1912: Heinie Zimmerman – .410
1912: Chief Meyers – .398
1911: Ty Cobb – .443
1910: Nap Lajoie – .402
1909: Honus Wagner – .398
This project made easy by stathead, the most powerful research tool in sports.
