Batting Average : 1961 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:

"Over 162 games, if my big guys are hitting and we get even halfway decent pitching, we'll beat their (our opponents) brains out." - Cincinnati Reds' Manager Sparky Anderson
 

1961 Batting Average Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Norm Cash .361 (.36075) Detroit Tigers 1
Al Kaline .324 (.32423) Detroit Tigers 2
Jimmy Piersall .322 (.32231) Cleveland Indians 3
Mickey Mantle .317 (.31712) New York Yankees 4
Jim Gentile .302 (.30247) Baltimore Orioles 5
Earl Battey .302 (.30217) Minnesota Twins 6
Tito Francona .301 (.30068) Cleveland Indians 7
Johnny Romano .299 (.29862) Cleveland Indians 8
Jackie Brandt .297 (.29651) Baltimore Orioles 9
Norm Siebern .296 (.29643) Kansas City Athletics 10
Roy Sievers .295 (.29472) Chicago White Sox 11
Jerry Lumpe .294 (.29350) Kansas City Athletics 12
Rocky Colavito .290 (.28988) Detroit Tigers 13
Harmon Killebrew .288 (.28835) Minnesota Twins 14
Albie Pearson .288 (.28806) Los Angeles Angels 15
Brooks Robinson .287 (.28743) Baltimore Orioles 16
Lee Thomas .285 (.28540) New York Yankees 17
Los Angeles Angels  
Lenny Green .285 (.28500) Minnesota Twins 18
Jim Landis .283 (.28277) Chicago White Sox 19
Zoilo Versalles .280 (.28039) Minnesota Twins 20
Leon Wagner .280 (.28035) Los Angeles Angels 21
Dick Howser .280 (.27987) Kansas City Athletics 22
Minnie Minoso .280 (.27963) Chicago White Sox 23
Al Smith .278 (.27820) Chicago White Sox 24
Johnny Temple .276 (.27606) Cleveland Indians 25



Future Hall of Famer Sammy Sosa is best known for wearing number twenty-one; however, when the young slugger played for the Chicago White Sox (1989-1991) he only wore number twenty-five.

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.