Singles are Important, Too

November 20, 1974/in Articles.1974-BRJ3 /by Jason Best

This article was written by Stanley F. Kuminski

This article was published in 1974 Baseball Research Journal

So much emphasis has been placed on home runs in recent years that few fans know or care who collects the most singles. That may change because players who hit a lot of singles can also wind up with batting titles. In 1973, for example, both Pete Rose and Rod Carew led their respective leagues in one-base hits and in batting. This is the first time this has happened since 1917 when singles leaders Edd Roush and Ty Cobb also led their leagues in batting.

In spite of the high hit totals which Rose usually compiles, he never before led in singles. This does not mean he is a long ball hitter, but he usually gets his share of doubles and triples. Carew also led in singles in 1972, a year he did not collect a solitary home run.

The assumption is made that players who lead in one-base hits do not hit many home runs. This is generally true, although there were three cases in the early years of this century — when home runs were not so common –where players led in both singles and home runs. In 1901 when Nap Lajoie dominated the new American League, he led in homers (14) and singles (155), as well as doubles (48). In 1909,Ty Cobb, who also was known to dominate the AL, led in fourbaggers (9) and singles (164). In 1916 in the NL, Dave Robertson of the Giants tied for the lead in homers with 12 and led in singles with 142.

In 1912, Cobb led in singles, doubles, and triples, the only time that was achieved in the AL. In 1946, Stan Musial duplicated this feat in the NL. In the full list of singles leaders, Musial is the only recognizable home run hitter, collecting 475 for his career. Frank “Lefty” O’Doul had the best season combination while tying for leadership in singles with 181 in 1929, he was still able to hit 32 roundtrippers.

Nellie Fox led the most years in singles, topping the AL eight times. He led in 1952 and then a record seven years in a row — 1954-60. Ty Cobb led six years and Roger Cramer five. In the NL, four players led for four years – Clarence Beaumont, Lloyd Waner, Richie Ashburn, and Maury Wills. The younger of the Waner brothers also collected the most singles in a season since 1900 – 198 in 1927, his rookie season. Enos Slaughter had the fewest for a leader – 127 in 1942. Don Buford had the low AL mark with 129 in 1965. Even the leaders in 1901-03 and 1918-19, when the seasons were considerably shorter, had higher totals.

Here are the annual leaders in singles in each league since 1900.

Year	American League Leader		National League Leader

1900	(Not Major League)		Willie Keeler, Bkn.	179
1901	Nap Lajoie, Phil.	155	Jess Burkett, S.L.	180
1902	Fielder Jones, Chi.	148	Clar. Beaumont, Pitt.	l67
1903	Pat Dougherty, Bos.	161	Clar. Beaumont, Pitt.	166
1904	Willie Keeler, N.Y.	164	Clar. Beaumont, Pitt.	l58
1905	Willie Keeler, N.Y.	147	Mike Donlin, N.Y.	162
1906	Willie Keeler, N.Y.	166	Miller Huggins, Cin.	162
			Wm. Shannon, NY-StL.	141
1907	Ty Cobb, Det.	163	Clar. Beaumont, Bos.	150
1908	Matt McIntyre, Det.	131	Mike Donlin, N.Y.	155
	George Stone, StL.	131
1909	Ty Cobb, Det.	164	Eddie Grant, Phil.	147
1910	Nap Lajoie, Clev.	165	Eddie Grant, Phil.	134
1911	Ty Cobb, Det.	169	Jake Daubert, Bkn.	146
			Roy Miller, Bos.	146
1912	Ty Cobb, Det.	167	Bill Sweeney, Bos.	159
1913	Eddie Collins, Phil.	145	Jake Daubert, Bkn.	152
1914	John Mclnnis, Phil.	160	Beals Becker, Phil.	128
1915	Ty Cobb, Det.	161	Larry Doyle, N.Y.	135
1916	Tris Speaker, Clev.	160	Dave Robertson, N.Y.	142
1917	Clyde Milan, Wash.	151	Benny Kauff, N.Y.	141
	Ty Cobb, Det.	151	Edd Roush, Cm.	141
1918	George Burns, Phil.	141	Chas. Hollocher, Chi.	130
1919	Sam Rice, Wash.	144	Ivy Olson, Bkn.	140
1920	George Sisler, StL.	171	Milt Stock, StL.	170
1921	John Tobin, StL.	179	Carson Bigbee, Pitt.	161
1922	George Sisler, StL.	178	Carson Bigbee, Pitt.	166
1923	Chas. Jamieson, Cle.	172	Frank Frisch, N.Y.	169
1924	Chas. Jamieson, Cle.	168	Zack Wheat, Bkn.	149
1925	Sam Rice, Wash.	182	Milt Stock, Bkn.	164
1926	Sam Rice, Wash.	167	Eddie Brown,	160
1927	Earle Combs, N.Y.	166	Lloyd Waner, Pitt.	198
1928	Heinie Manush, St.L	161	Lloyd Waner, Pitt.	180
1929	Earle Combs, N.Y.	151	Lloyd Waner, Pitt.	181
			Frank O’Doul, Phil.	181
1930	Sam Rice, Wash.	158	Bill Terry, N.Y.	177
1931	Oscar Melillo, StL.	142	Lloyd Waner, Pitt.	172
	John Stone, Det.	142
1932	Heinie Manush, Wash.	145	Frank O’Doul, Bkn.	158
1933	Heinie Manush, Wash.	167	Chick Fullis, Phil.	162
1934	Roger Cramer, Phil.	158	Bill Terry, N.Y.	169
1935	Roger Cramer, Phil.	170	Woddy Jensen, Pitt.	160
1936	Rip Radcliff, Chi.	161	Joe Moore, N.Y.	160
1937	Buddy Lewis, Wash.	162	Paul Waner, Pitt.	178
1938	Mel Almada, Was-StL.	158	Frank McCormick, Cin.	160
1939	Roger Cramer, Bos.	147	John Hassett, Bos.	162
1940	Roger Cramer, Bos.	160	Burg. Whitehead, N.Y.	141
1941	Cecil Travis, Wash.	153	Stan Hack, Chi.	141
1942	John Pesky, Bos.	165	Enos Slaughter, StL.	127
1943	Roger Cramer, Det.	159	Mickey Witek, N.Y.	172
1944	Geo. Stirnweiss, NY	146	Phil Cavarretta, Chi.	142
1945	Irving Hall, Phil.	139	Stan Hack, Chi.	155
1946	John Pesky, Bos.	159	Stan Musial, StL.	142
1947	John Pesky, Bos.	172	Tommy Holmes, Bos.	146
1948	Dale Mitchell, Cle.	162	Stan Rojek, Pitt.	150
1949	Dale Mitchell, Cle.	161	R. Schoendienst,StL.	160
1950	Phil Rizzuto, N.Y.	150	Ed Waitkus, Phil.	143
1951	George Kell, Det.	150	Rich Ashburn, Phil.	181
1952	Nellie Fox, Chi.	157	Bobby Adams, Cin.	145
1953	Harvey Kuenn, Det.	167	Rich Ashburn, Phil.	169
1954	Nellie Fox, Chi.	167	Don Mueller, N.Y.	165
1955	Nellie Fox, Chi.	157	Don Mueller, N.Y.	152
1956	Nellie Fox, Chi.	158	John Temple, Cm.	157
1957	Nellie Fox, Chi.	155	Rich Ashburn, Phil.	152
1958	Nellie Fox, Chi.	160	Rich Ashburn, Phil.	176
1959	Nellie Fox, Chi.	149	Don Blasingame, StL.	144
1960	Nellie Fox, Chi.	139	Dick Groat, Pitt.	154
1961	Bob Richardson, NY.	148	Vada Pinson, Cin.	150
			Maury Wills, L.A.	150
1962	Bob Richardson, NY.	158	Maury Wills, L.A.	179
1963	Albie Pearson, L.A.	139	Curt Flood, StL.	152
1964	Bob Richardson, NY.	148	Curt Flood, StL.	178
1965	Don Buford, Chi.	129	Maury Wills, L.A.	165
1966	Luis Aparicio, Balt.	145	Sonny Jackson, Hou.	160
1967	Horace ( ~ke, N.Y	140	Maury Wills, Pitt.	162
1968	B. Campaneris, Oak.	139	Curt Flood, StL.	160
1969	Horace Clarke, N.Y.	146	Matty Alou, Pitt.	183
1970	Alex Johnson, Calif.	156	Matty Alou, Pitt.	171
1971	Cesar Tovar, Minn.	171	Ralph Garr, Atl.	180
1972	Rod Carew, Minn.	143	Lou Brock, StL.	156
1973	Rod Carew, Minn.	156	Pete Rose, Cin.	181

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