When was the last time a team hit at least .300 for a season? That would be the 1950 Boston Red Sox, who hit .302, scored an MLB-high 1,027 runs (6.67 runs per game). Unfortunately, the 1950 BoSox also had the fourth-highest MLB earned run average at 4.88 (second-highest in the AL) – and finished in third place (four games behind the Yankees and one behind the Tigers). In those post, Baseball Roundtable out like to share a few facts and figures about that Boston squad – as well as about other squads that hit .300+ or scored 1,000+ runs or both. So, as Jackie Gleason would have said, “Away we go!”
- The 1950 Red Sox were the first team since 1936 to hit.300 for a season, and one of only 21 MLB teams to score 1,000 runs in a campaign (just seven since 1900) – the most recent being the 1999 Indians (1,009 runs).
- The Red Sox put up their .302 average, despite missing their top offensive player, Ted Williams, who (due to an elbow injury) played in only 89 games (going .317-28-97).
- The lowest average among the seven players who played at least 100 games for the Red Sox in 1950 was .294 (Bobby Doerr, 2B). SS Vern Stephens (.295); CF Dom DiMaggio (.328); 1B Walt Dropo (.322); RF Al Zarilla (.325); 3B Johnny Pesky (.312); and Utility Player Billy Goodman (.353).
Put Me IN coach!
Lefty-swinging Billy Goodman, in his fourth MLB season at age 24, won the American League batting crown with a .354 average, but still could not secure a spot of his own in the Red Sox lineup. Early in the season, Goodman – who had been an All Star at 1B in 1949 – suffered an ankle injury that kept him out of action for the first three weeks in May. When he returned, he had lost his spot in the lineup to Walt Dropo. However, injuries to Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky and Ted Williams opened playing time along the way and the versatile Goodman stepped in. That season, Goodwin started 45 games in LF, 27 at 3B; 20 at 1B; five at 2B; and one at SS. He also started 21 games as the leadoff hitter, 21 in the number-two hole, 40 batting third, one at cleanup; three in the number-six spot; and 12 in the seven-hole.
How important was Goodman to the BoSox, that season he finished second to the Yankees Phil Rizzuto in the MVP balloting. Notably, Goodman, who was hitting .342 at the break, did not make the AL All Star Squad. Goodman hit an even .300 in 1,623 MLB games over 16 seasons (1947-62). For more on Goodman, click here.
- The Red Sox .302 average was 20 points higher than the next highest (.282 by the Tigers). Overall, the other 15 MLB teams averaged .263.
- In 1950, the Red Sox average 6.67 runs per game – the fourth highest average since 1900. (Since 1900, 29 teams have averaged six runs per game or higher.)
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A total of 73 teams have hit .300 or better in a season, with “Roaring 20’s” boasting more than one-third of them. No season, however, saw more .300+ hitting teams then 1930, when nine squads reached that mark: Giants (.319); Phillies (.315); Cardinals (.314); Cubs (.309); Yankees (.309); Dodgers (.304); Indians (.304); Pirates (.303); and Senators (.302).
A total of 21 teams have scored 1,000 or more runs in a season – and six of those squads hailed from Boston. Boston, in fact. has had 1000-run teams in the Players League, American Association, National League and American League.
- The 1894 Boston Beaneaters (NL) hold the record for runs scored in a season (1,220).
- The Yankee hold the record for the most consecutive seasons scoring 1,000 or more runs at three (1930-32).
- The most recent team to plate 1000+ runs in a season was the 1999 Cleveland Indians (1.009).
A few other offensive records:
- Highest team batting average: 1894 Phillies (NL) – .350 (some sources say .349).
- Highest team batting average since 1900 – 1930 Giants at .319.
- Highest runs per game (at least 100-game season) 1894 Boston Beaneaters 9.17 on 132 games.
- The 1871 American Association Philadelphia Athletics averaged an all-time MLB-high 13.43 runs per games in a 28-game season.
A few other high-marks
- Most hits in a season – 1930 Phillies (1,783)
- Most doubles in a season – 2008 Rangers (376)
- Most Triples in a seasons – 1894 NL Baltimore Orioles (153)
- Most home runs in a season – 2019 Twins (307)
Primary Resources: Stathead.com; Baseball-Almanac.com
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