Batting Average : 1944 American League Top 25

Finding the American or National League leader in virtually every hitting & pitching statistic is easy-to-do. Finding the top 25 players during any given season is far more challenging. Baseball Almanac has taken away that difficult problem and is pleased to present the data you requested:

"What people don't understand is, one day off for Cal Ripken would not recharge his batteries. One day would not do it. He's not playing 2,130 games in a row. Cal is ONLY playing 162 games a year." - Frank Robinson in The Sporting News (September 11, 1995)
 

1944 Batting Average Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Lou Boudreau .327 (.32705) Cleveland Indians 1
Bobby Doerr .325 (.32479) Boston Red Sox 2
Bob Johnson .324 (.32381) Boston Red Sox 3
Snuffy Stirnweiss .319 (.31882) New York Yankees 4
Stan Spence .316 (.31588) Washington Senators 5
Pete Fox .315 (.31452) Boston Red Sox 6
Dick Siebert .306 (.30556) Philadelphia Athletics 7
Johnny Lindell .300 (.29966) New York Yankees 8
Bobby Estalella .298 (.29842) Philadelphia Athletics 9
Pinky Higgins .297 (.29650) Detroit Tigers 10
Ken Keltner .295 (.29494) Cleveland Indians 11
Milt Byrnes .295 (.29484) St. Louis Browns 12
Ralph Hodgin .295 (.29462) Chicago White Sox 13
Vern Stephens .293 (.29338) St. Louis Browns 14
Nick Etten .293 (.29319) New York Yankees 15
Doc Cramer .292 (.29239) Detroit Tigers 16
Oris Hockett .289 (.28884) Cleveland Indians 17
Thurman Tucker .287 (.28700) Chicago White Sox 18
Jim Tabor .285 (.28539) Boston Red Sox 19
George Myatt .284 (.28439) Washington Senators 20
Roy Cullenbine .284 (.28371) Cleveland Indians 21
Wally Moses .280 (.28037) Chicago White Sox 22
Joe Kuhel .278 (.27799) Washington Senators 23
Catfish Metkovich .277 (.27687) Boston Red Sox 24
Rudy York .276 (.27616) Detroit Tigers 25



Did you know that more than forty players have worn the number twenty-five for the Boston Red Sox — including Jack Clark, Denny Galehouse, Dizzy Trout and Tony Conigliaro.

The most recognizable Detroit Tiger to wear the number twenty-five was probably Norm Cash (who wore it from 1960 through 1974), but did you know that Hall of Famer Larry Doby also wore it during his single season with Detroit?

The first player from the Angels franchise (they were the California Angels at the time) to wear the number twenty-five was Bob Perry.