Next
up on the new thread celebrating the high-marks in each league for
various statistics is batting average, with the legendary Roberto
Clemente and Tigers long time slugger Norm Cash representing each league
for the 1960’s:
Clemente’s 1967 average of .357 would give him the fourth, and last,
batting championship of his career, and would top his own mark of .351
from 1961 as the National League’s high mark in that category.
Norm Cash, who put together an excellent 17-year Major League career
between 1958 and 1974, would have what would normally be an MVP season
in 1961 when he topped the league in batting with a .361 mark along with
41 home runs and 132 runs batted in as well as 119 runs scored.
But alas, he had that season at the same time as some other guys named
Maris and Mantle, so he had to settle for the American League’s highest
average for a season in the 1960’s.
Ironically, it would be the ONLY time Cash even hit .300 in his career,
with his .286 average the season before as his NEXT highest mark. Go
figure!