Both have brilliant speed: Mantle was timed from home plate ( batting left-handed ) to first base in 3.1 seconds, faster than any other major leaguer ; ;

I wasn't in the habit of batting my eyes at delivery men, but the moment I saw Johnnie, I knew he was different.

In spite of the very difficult batting conditions, however, Hobbs and Sutcliffe took their partnership to 172 before Hobbs was out for exactly 100.

England had a very strong batting side, with Wally Hammond contributing 905 runs at an average of 113. 12, and Hobbs, Sutcliffe and Patsy Hendren all scoring heavily ; the bowling was more than adequate, without being outstanding.

Following the formation of baseball's first professional organization, the National Association of Professional Baseball Players, which became known as the National Association, the Association, or NA, in 1871, Spalding joined the Boston Red Stockings ( precursor club to the modern Atlanta Braves ) and was highly successful ; winning 206 games ( and losing only 53 ) as a pitcher and batting. 323 as a hitter.

His cheekbone was shattered, he nearly lost the sight of the eye, was unable to play for over a year, and never regained his earlier batting ability.

The result was skyrocketing batting averages, including some near. 500 ; Tip O ' Neill of the St. Louis Browns batted. 485 that season, which would still be a major league record if recognized.

The player who experienced this phenomenon with the most number of at-bats in a season was Ernie Bowman, who over 125 at-bats in 1963 had a batting average of. 184 and an on-base percentage of. 181.

In 1887, the stolen base was given its own individual statistical column in the box score, and was defined for purposes of scoring: "... every base made after first base has been reached by a base runner, except for those made by reason of or with the aid of a battery error ( wild pitch or passed ball ), or by batting, balks or by being forced off.

" Cobb was a mean-spirited man, fiercely competitive and loathed by many of his fellow professionals, but his career batting average of. 366 has yet to be bested.

Lajoie, nearly 40 years old was no longer a top hitter in the league, batting only. 258 in 1914.

Shortstop Ray Chapman, who often crowded the plate, was batting against Carl Mays, who had an unusual underhand delivery.

It was a blockbuster trade that swapped the AL home run co-champion ( Colavito ) for the AL batting champion ( Kuenn ).

Helton was blossoming into a young developed hitter, batting. 320 with 35 homers and 113 RBI ; Castilla, Walker, and Bichette also hit more than 30 homers each.

Helton, in his third full year in the majors, was becoming a bona fide superstar, winning the batting title with a. 372 average and also leading the league with 147 RBI while hitting 42 homers.

Marlins declined and Ramirez was dealt to the Dodgers where he would slug 17 home runs, drive in 53 runs with a. 396 batting average in only 53 games.

* Hanley Ramirez ( 2006 – 2012 )-As the main piece of the Josh Beckett & Mike Lowell trade in the 2005 off-season, Ramirez was the face of the franchise during his tenure and a major offensive cog, having a 30-30 season in 2008, winning a batting title and finishing 2nd in MVP voting in 2009, and participating in three All-Star games.

He was 3rd in the AL in slugging percentage (. 600 ) – behind Jimmie Foxx and Lou Gehrig, but ahead of Babe Ruth, and in RBIs ( 139 ), 6th in batting average (. 339 ), 7th in home runs ( 26 ), and 9th in on base percentage (. 404 ).

In 1935 Greenberg led the league in RBIs ( 170 ), total bases ( 389 ), and extra base hits ( 98 ), tied Foxx for the AL title in home runs ( 36 ), was 2nd in the league in doubles ( 46 ), slugging percentage (. 628 ), was 3rd in the league in triples ( 16 ), and in runs scored ( 121 ), 6th in on base percentage (. 411 ) and walks ( 87 ), and was 7th in batting average (. 328 ).

He was 2nd in the league in home runs ( 40 ), doubles ( 49 ), total bases ( 397 ), slugging percentage (. 668 ), and walks ( 102 ), 3rd in on base percentage (. 436 ), and 7th in batting average (. 337 ).

He was second in the league behind Ted Williams in runs scored ( 129 ) and OBP (. 433 ), all while batting. 340 ( 5th-best in the AL ).

The statistics hardly indicated that the Pirates needed extra batting practice, but Murtaugh also turned his men loose at Busch Stadium yesterday.

In 1905 England's captain Stanley Jackson not only won the series 2 – 0, but also won the toss in all five matches and headed both the batting and the bowling averages.

A player completes a turn batting when: he strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base ; or he reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ( by a base on balls, hit by pitch, or catcher's interference ); or he hits a fair ball which causes a preceding runner to be put out for the third out before he himself is put out or reaches first base safely ( see also left on base, fielder's choice, force play )

Unlike many power hitters, Ruth also hit for a high batting average: his. 342 lifetime average is the tenth highest in baseball history, and in one season ( 1923 ) he batted. 393, a Yankee record.

In addition to winning the 1966 MVP, Robinson also won the Triple Crown ( leading the American League in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in ), a feat also achieved the following season by Boston's Carl Yastrzemski but never since.

Greenberg also hit for average, earning a lifetime batting average of. 313.

Cedeno also led the Astros with a. 320 batting average, 55 stolen bases and made spectacular plays on the field.

He is also credited with devising such statistical measures as batting average and earned run average.

Bodyline, also known as fast leg theory bowling, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932 – 33 Ashes tour of Australia, specifically to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia's Don Bradman.

The Twins also had the AL MVP in Justin Morneau, the AL batting champion in Joe Mauer, and the AL Cy Young Award winner in Johan Santana.

Sosa continued to hit for power and speed in 1994 but he also improved his batting average.

In a limited overs match, this aim will also be supplemented by the secondary need to prevent the batting side from scoring quickly, so more defensive strategies will be used.

The ball is also regarded as bad if it is thrown into the batter's body or wide of the batting box.

In, his breakout season, he led the American League in batting average (. 363 ), runs created ( 156 ), intentional walks ( 33 ), times on base ( 321 ), on-base percentage (. 473 ), OPS ( 1. 072 ), and doubles ( 54, also a career high ), while posting career highs in home runs ( 24 ), RBI ( 107 ), runs ( 109 ), and hits ( 200 ).

While his first two years were viewed as solid but unspectacular, he emerged as a rising star in, winning the American League batting championship with a batting average of. 321, and also leading the league in doubles and walks, finishing sixth in the Most Valuable Player voting.

He was also known for modifying his batting helmets by enlarging the right ear hole ( for comfort ) and removing part of the right ear flap ( for better vision of the ball as it was being pitched ).

" Cording " techniques may also be used, where a channel is created by quilting, and a cord or yarn is pulled through the batting layer, causing a sharp change in the texture of the quilt.

He also forced Yankee managers to move him down in the batting order and bench him.

Puckett won the AL batting title in 1989 with a mark of. 339, while also finishing fifth in at bats, second in doubles, first in hits, and second in singles.

He graduated with first class honours and the University Medal in classics from the University of Sydney, where he also demonstrated considerable skill at batting ( but not in fielding ) in cricket.

His average that year also set the record for batting average in a single season by a rookie.