Batting Average : 1983 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:

"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)
 

1983 Batting Average Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Bill Madlock .323 (.32347) Pittsburgh Pirates 1
Lonnie Smith .321 (.32114) St. Louis Cardinals 2
Jose Cruz .318 (.31818) Houston Astros 3
George Hendrick .318 (.31758) St. Louis Cardinals 4
Ray Knight .304 (.30375) Houston Astros 5
Dale Murphy .302 (.30221) Atlanta Braves 6
Keith Moreland .302 (.30206) Chicago Cubs 7
Tony Pena .301 (.30074) Pittsburgh Pirates 8
Al Oliver .300 (.29967) Montreal Expos 9
Andre Dawson .299 (.29858) Montreal Expos 10
Pedro Guerrero .298 (.29795) Los Angeles Dodgers 11
Tim Raines .298 (.29756) Montreal Expos 12
Rafael Ramirez .297 (.29743) Atlanta Braves 13
Keith Hernandez .297 (.29740) St. Louis Cardinals 14
New York Mets  
Ken Oberkfell .293 (.29303) St. Louis Cardinals 15
Terry Puhl .292 (.29247) Houston Astros 16
Willie McGee .286 (.28619) St. Louis Cardinals 17
Dickie Thon .286 (.28595) Houston Astros 18
Terry Kennedy .284 (.28415) San Diego Padres 19
Mike Marshall .284 (.28387) Los Angeles Dodgers 20
Johnny Ray .283 (.28299) Pittsburgh Pirates 21
Steve Sax .281 (.28090) Los Angeles Dodgers 22
Ken Landreaux .281 (.28067) Los Angeles Dodgers 23
Brett Butler .281 (.28051) Atlanta Braves 24
Chris Chambliss .280 (.27964) Atlanta Braves 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?

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