Batting Average : 1966 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:

"Although baseball decided to extend the regular season deeper into October to play 162 games (after the 09-11 disaster), why not just play 154? Baseball has dealt with shortened seasons before. (Bud) Selig spoke about the sanctity of playing 162 games, but baseball played 154 games until 1961. Baseball should have just let the games go and continued with the current schedule." - Joe Morgan on ESPN (September 19, 2001)
 

1966 Batting Average Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Matty Alou .342 (.34206) Pittsburgh Pirates 1
Felipe Alou .327 (.32733) Atlanta Braves 2
Rico Carty .326 (.32630) Atlanta Braves 3
Dick Allen .317 (.31679) Philadelphia Phillies 4
Roberto Clemente .317 (.31661) Pittsburgh Pirates 5
Willie Stargell .315 (.31546) Pittsburgh Pirates 6
Joe Torre .315 (.31502) Atlanta Braves 7
Pete Rose .313 (.31346) Cincinnati Reds 8
Ron Santo .312 (.31194) Chicago Cubs 9
Orlando Cepeda .301 (.30140) San Francisco Giants 10
St. Louis Cardinals  
Donn Clendenon .299 (.29947) Pittsburgh Pirates 11
Gene Alley .299 (.29879) Pittsburgh Pirates 12
Willie McCovey .295 (.29482) San Francisco Giants 13
Sonny Jackson .292 (.29195) Houston Astros 14
Ron Hunt .288 (.28810) New York Mets 15
Willie Mays .288 (.28804) San Francisco Giants 16
Vada Pinson .288 (.28803) Cincinnati Reds 17
Mike Shannon .288 (.28758) St. Louis Cardinals 18
Glenn Beckert .287 (.28659) Chicago Cubs 19
Jim Ray Hart .285 (.28547) San Francisco Giants 20
Joe Morgan .285 (.28471) Houston Astros 21
Lou Brock .285 (.28460) St. Louis Cardinals 22
Tommy Helms .284 (.28413) Cincinnati Reds 23
Willie Davis .284 (.28365) Los Angeles Dodgers 24
Rusty Staub .280 (.27978) Houston Astros 25



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?

Jose Cruz of the Houston Astros had his number twenty-five retired on October 3, 1992, and became the first Major League player with that particular retired number.

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.