MLB: Why Ted Williams' Most Dominant Season Has Been Almost Forgotten

If Ted Williams had one more hit or one less at-bat in 1949, he would have become the first player to win the Triple Crown three times. Since 1901, he and Rogers Hornsby (1922 and 1925) are the only players to have won it more than once.

Williams had one of the most dominant offensive seasons in baseball history, yet it has been virtually forgotten, primarily for two reasons. The first is that the New York Yankees won the 1949 American League pennant on the final day of the season by beating the Boston Red Sox in one of the all-time great pennant races. The second is that Ted Williams lost the batting title by 0.0002 of a point to George Kell. Williams hit .3427 to Kell’s 3429.

There have been only 13 Triple Crown winners, which make it more rare than a perfect game. No player has won the Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski did it in 1967.

Williams led the league in batting most of the 1949 season, but Kell was closing fast despite having suffered two major injuries. He had broken a bone in his right foot earlier in the season, which was followed later in the year by a broken left thumb.

In his last game of the season, Kell faced Indians’ starter Bob Lemon, who was removed after five innings in favor of Bob Feller. Kell had two hits in three at-bats.

At Yankee Stadium, Williams was hitless in two official at-bats against Vic Raschi, and Kell won the American League batting championship.

Ted Williams led the American League with 43 home runs, tied for the lead in RBIs with 159, led with a .490 on base average, a .650 slugging average, 730 plate appearances, 150 runs scored, 368 total bases, 39 doubles and 162 walks.

He was voted the American League’s Most Valuable Player.

It was a season for the ages by one of the greatest hitters to have ever played the game. Babe Ruth would have been proud of such a year.

Ruth’s best season was probably 1921, although it is recognized that he had other seasons that were comparable. In 1921, Ruth hit .378 to finish third, behind Harry Heilmann’s .394 and Ty Cobb’s .389. Ruth led with 59 home runs, 171 RBIs, an incredible .846 slugging average, a .512 on base average, 177 runs scored, 457 total bases and 145 walks. He also finished tied for fourth in triples with 16.

When Ted Williams led the league with 43 home runs in 1949, the only other player to hit as many as 30 home runs was Vern Stephens, who hit 39.  Four players tied for third place with 24 each.

When Ruth led the league with 59 home runs, Bob Meusel and Ken Williams tied for runner up with 24 each.The fact that Babe Ruth didn’t win the Triple Crown in 1921 merely points out how difficult it is to win it. One reason is that few players hit for both a high batting average and a high home run total and are on a team that provides them with the opportunity to drive in a lot of runs.

Not winning the batting title cost Williams the Triple Crown, with the result that few individuals realize what a great season he had in 1949.

He really was as great a hitter as those who saw him play claimed.

References:

Kell Batting Victor; Indians Get Third Place. New York Times. 3 October 1949. p. 22.

Batting Title Goes to Kell of Tigers; He Tops American League on .3429 Average to .3427 by Williams of Red Sox." New York Times. 23 December 1949. p. 25.