at-bat differerential of battings champs

[tony mariscal]

does anyone know the greatest differential of at-bats in one season between the nl batting champion and the al champ? this comes to mind after comparing suziki's and bonds' on-pace numbers. it is difficult for me to put my mind around those numbers. i mean, if it continues to play out this way, this will be quite a spread! iciro may end up with nearly twice the number of at-bats than barry.

[RuthMayBond]

does anyone know the greatest differential of at-bats in one season between the nl batting champion and the al champ? this comes to mind after comparing suziki's and bonds' on-pace numbers. it is difficult for me to put my mind around those numbers. i mean, if it continues to play out this way, this will be quite a spread! iciro may end up with nearly twice the number of at-bats than barry.65 in 1975

[ElHalo]

65 in 1975

??? Why do you say that? It was 129 in 1980...

[RuthMayBond]

??? Why do you say that? It was 129 in 1980...Um, why am I thinking it was 29 in 1980?

[ElHalo]

Um, why am I thinking it was 29 in 1980?

Not sure... George Brett, AL champ, had 449 AB's in 117 games, while Bill Buckner, NL champ, had 578 in 145 games.

[RuthMayBond]

Not sure... George Brett, AL champ, had 449 AB's in 117 games, while Bill Buckner, NL champ, had 578 in 145 games.Ah, because I was looking at the difference between the league leaders in AT-BATS and NOT the difference in at-bats between the BA leaders :laugh

[bf-lurker]

In 1942 Ernie Lombardi had 309 AB while Ted Williams had 522.

[tony mariscal]

so... this season's spread will be the all-time largest if suzuki and bonds continue to do their thing? agreed, or does anyone else have anything else?

[Calif_Eagle]

In 1914 Ty Cobb had 345 at bats in only 98 games, but was certified nonetheless by Ban Johnson as AL batting champion that year with a .368 average. (under todays rules, Eddie Collins who hit .344 and had 526 at bats, would have been the AL batting champ.) Jake Daubert led the NL in 1914 with a .329 BA in 474 at bats for Brooklyn. That is a difference of 129 AB. Ernie Lombardi's 1942 NL batting crown came with only 309 AB's, he hit .330. Under modern day rules, the 1942 NL batting king would have been Enos Slaughter, with a BA of .318 compiled in 591 AB's.

[BlueBlood]

Enlightening post there. What exactly where the old rules, if any, to determine a batting champion?

[Calif_Eagle]

Different rules for qualification have been used at various times... I believe todays rules call for an average of 3.1 PA per game scheduled or 502 PA per season. At various times in BB history the standard has been 400 *at bats* with only 300 needed for catchers, which is how catchers Bubbles Hargrave (1926) and Ernie Lombardi (1942) were each able to pick up one NL batting crown. Lombardi won 2 in his career, one of which (1938) meets the modern day standards for qualification. There have been several batting champs of the past who dont meet todays qualification standards. I also believe at least briefly there was a 100 games played standard also. It seems to me at least one source (The Reach Guide?) credits Taffy Wright with a 1938 AL Batting Title even though he was only 92 for 263 for a .350 average. He played in exactly 100 games that season. Cobb's 1914 Batting Title doesnt meet *any* qualification standard that I am aware of which makes it curious as to why he "won" it. As an aside, it's known today via errors in totaling and scoring that Nap Lajoie should be the 1910 batting champ over Cobb also.