Batting Average : 1951 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:

"The guys who made up this schedule must have been in a room with a bottle of Wild Turkey and 40 straws." - Dave Bergman
 

1951 Batting Average Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Ferris Fain .344 (.34353) Philadelphia Athletics 1
Minnie Minoso .326 (.32642) Cleveland Indians 2
Chicago White Sox  
George Kell .319 (.31940) Detroit Tigers 3
Ted Williams .318 (.31827) Boston Red Sox 4
Nellie Fox .313 (.31291) Chicago White Sox 5
Johnny Pesky .313 (.31250) Boston Red Sox 6
Gil McDougald .306 (.30597) New York Yankees 7
Bobby Avila .304 (.30443) Cleveland Indians 8
Gil Coan .303 (.30297) Washington Senators 9
Elmer Valo .302 (.30180) Philadelphia Athletics 10
Billy Goodman .297 (.29670) Boston Red Sox 11
Dom DiMaggio .296 (.29577) Boston Red Sox 12
Larry Doby .295 (.29530) Cleveland Indians 13
Yogi Berra .294 (.29433) New York Yankees 14
Mickey Vernon .293 (.29304) Washington Senators 15
Dale Mitchell .290 (.29020) Cleveland Indians 16
Eddie Joost .289 (.28933) Philadelphia Athletics 17
Vic Wertz .285 (.28543) Detroit Tigers 18
Eddie Yost .283 (.28345) Washington Senators 19
Jim Busby .283 (.28302) Chicago White Sox 20
Eddie Robinson .282 (.28191) Chicago White Sox 21
Gene Woodling .281 (.28095) New York Yankees 22
Ray Coleman .280 (.27969) St. Louis Browns 23
Chicago White Sox  
Irv Noren .279 (.27898) Washington Senators 24
Sam Mele .274 (.27419) Washington Senators 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?

Jim Thome wore number twenty-five since he first came up with the Cleveland Indians making him the franchise record holder for that particular number (Mike Garcia is second).

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.