Batting Average : 1903 National 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:

"The baseball season - six months & 2,106 games - is flat out long, and it's a rare one of those games that doesn't ramble or sputter or digress or somehow violate the rules of dramatic narrative. Baseball takes its own sweet time reaching its conclusions." - Dwight Allen in Reds, Yanks and O's (1989)
 

1903 Batting Average Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Honus Wagner .355 (.35547) Pittsburgh Pirates 1
Fred Clarke .351 (.35129) Pittsburgh Pirates 2
Mike Donlin .351 (.35081) Cincinnati Reds 3
Roger Bresnahan .350 (.34975) New York Giants 4
Cy Seymour .342 (.34229) Cincinnati Reds 5
Ginger Beaumont .341 (.34095) Pittsburgh Pirates 6
Jimmy Sheckard .332 (.33204) Brooklyn Superbas 7
Roy Thomas .327 (.32704) Philadelphia Phillies 8
Patsy Donovan .327 (.32683) St. Louis Cardinals 9
Jake Beckley .327 (.32680) Cincinnati Reds 10
Frank Chance .327 (.32653) Chicago Cubs 11
Bill Keister .320 (.32000) Philadelphia Phillies 12
Joe Kelley .316 (.31593) Cincinnati Reds 13
Fred Tenney .313 (.31320) Boston Beaneaters 14
George Browne .313 (.31303) New York Giants 15
Jack Doyle .313 (.31298) Brooklyn Superbas 16
Harry Steinfeldt .312 (.31207) Cincinnati Reds 17
Harry Wolverton .308 (.30769) Philadelphia Phillies 18
Jimmy Slagle .298 (.29834) Chicago Cubs 19
Tommy Leach .298 (.29783) Pittsburgh Pirates 20
Johnny Kling .297 (.29735) Chicago Cubs 21
Homer Smoot .296 (.29600) St. Louis Cardinals 22
Johnny Evers .293 (.29310) Chicago Cubs 23
Joe Tinker .291 (.29130) Chicago Cubs 24
Doc Casey .290 (.28966) Chicago Cubs 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 first player from the Angels franchise (they were the California Angels at the time) to wear the number twenty-five was Bob Perry.

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?