Ted Williams .406 Batting Average (1941)

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Lore & Background

In 1941, Williams posted a .406 batting average. He is the last National League or AL baseball player to bat over .400 in a season. Williams followed this up by winning his first Triple Crown in 1942. His career .482 on-base percentage is the highest of all-time. Williams's 1941 season came just two years after his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox in 1939, and it cemented his reputation as one of the sport's best hitters.

In Their Own Story

The air at Shibe Park was thick with humidity and anticipation on that final afternoon of 1941. Ted Williams stood in the batter's box, the weight of history resting lightly on his broad shoulders. The crowd noise seemed to fade into a dull roar as he focused on the pitcher's hand. He didn't swing at the first pitch; it was low and away. On the second, he stepped out, adjusting his stance. When the third pitch arrived—a perfect strike in his sweet spot—he unleashed a violent, fluid swing that sent the ball screaming over the left-field fence. As he rounded the bases, the roar of the Philadelphia crowd turned into a stunned silence, then erupted into cheers not just for the home run, but for the man who had just secured immortality.

Did You Know?

• Williams is the last National League or AL baseball player to bat over .400 in a season.
• His career .482 on-base percentage is the highest of all-time.
• Williams followed his .406 season by winning his first Triple Crown in 1942.
• He played his entire 19-year MLB career for the Boston Red Sox.