Batting Average : 1917 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)
 

1917 Batting Average Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Edd Roush .341 (.34100) Cincinnati Reds 1
Rogers Hornsby .327 (.32696) St. Louis Cardinals 2
Benny Kauff .308 (.30769) New York Giants 3
Heinie Groh .304 (.30384) Cincinnati Reds 4
George Burns .302 (.30151) New York Giants 5
Heinie Zimmerman .297 (.29744) New York Giants 6
Jack Smith .297 (.29654) St. Louis Cardinals 7
Max Carey .296 (.29592) Pittsburgh Pirates 8
Red Smith .295 (.29505) Boston Braves 9
Walton Cruise .295 (.29490) St. Louis Cardinals 10
Gavvy Cravath .280 (.28032) Philadelphia Phillies 11
Possum Whitted .280 (.28029) Philadelphia Phillies 12
Hal Chase .277 (.27741) Cincinnati Reds 13
Walter Holke .277 (.27704) New York Giants 14
Les Mann .273 (.27252) Chicago Cubs 15
Ed Konetchy .272 (.27215) Boston Braves 16
Ivy Olson .269 (.26897) Brooklyn Robins 17
Hy Myers .268 (.26752) Brooklyn Robins 18
Milt Stock .264 (.26418) Philadelphia Phillies 19
Fred Merkle .264 (.26391) Brooklyn Robins 20
Chicago Cubs  
Jake Daubert .261 (.26068) Brooklyn Robins 21
Fred Luderus .261 (.26054) Philadelphia Phillies 22
Art Fletcher .260 (.26032) New York Giants 23
Rabbit Maranville .260 (.26025) Boston Braves 24
Dave Robertson .259 (.25940) New York Giants 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.

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.