Ted Williams hits .406 in 1941

1941 was a streaky year for the American League, literally. Chicago’s Taft Wright collected at least one run batted in for thirteen consecutive games, Joe DiMaggio hit safely in fifty-six straight games, and Boston’s Ted Williams became the last player to end a season with a batting average over .400.

While the rival Yankees slugger was spending his summer racking up hits, The Splendid Splinter spread his record over the entire season, and eventually took the batting title from DiMaggio, who had held the distinction for the past two years. The eventual seventeen-time All-Star began the season going one-for-one with a 1.000 batting average. Over the rest of the season, his average never fell below .308, and was almost always over .400. In fact, on July 24, it stood at .397. It would never again fall below .400. Williams wrapped up 1941 at 185-456, good for an average of .406.

While Williams’ batting average garnered all of the attention in 1941, he also led the league in home runs (37), base on balls (147), runs (135), slugging average (.735), and on base percentage (.551). The .406 mark was not the only stat to last either. His on base mark stood as the Major League record until 2002. Williams will always be remembered as one of baseball’s greatest hitters, and 1941 will be known as his greatest season. Baseball Almanac is proud to present a game-by-game record of this legendary season.