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NO STAT IS SAFE. NO ERA IS FORGOTTEN.
VOL. 1, NO. 8 · APRIL 20, 2026 · EVERY MONDAY
ISSUE #008 · GOLDEN AGE
Ted Williams — .406 In 1941
And Five Years The War Stole
On September 28, 1941, Ted Williams played both games of a doubleheader to protect his .400 average —
📅 THIS DATE IN
BASEBALL going 6-for-8 to finish at .406.
THE STAT THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST 01
HE PLAYED 19 SEASONS. HE SHOULD HAVE PLAYED 24.
.344 Career Average. Five War Years Lost. The
Numbers Say Greatest Hitter Ever.
.344 190 .342
TED WILLIAMS — ACTUAL CAREER OPS+ BABE RUTH
LAST .400 SEASON CLOSEST SINCE ACTIVE CAREER BEST
Williams hit .344 for his career while losing five prime seasons to military service (WWII: 1943-45, Korea:
1952-53). He is the last man to hit .400 in a season. With those years restored, projections push him to
approximately 700 HR. His career OPS+ of 190 is the highest in baseball history.
THE GAME YOU FORGOT 02
@ Philadelphia Athletics SEPTEMBER 28, 1941
.406
6 8 37 Doubleheader W
SEASON BA FINAL DAY H FINAL DAY AB SEASON HR RESULT
The Last .400 Season
HE PLAYED BOTH GAMES WHEN HE COULD HAVE SAT TO PROTECT .400
Going into the final day, Williams sat at .39955 — which rounds to .400. His manager offered to rest him.
Williams refused. He played a doubleheader, went 6-for-8, and finished at .406. He said he didn't want a
.400 average anyone could question. He played, hit .406, and nobody has reached .400 since.
ERA VS ERA 03
Greatest Pure Hitter — Williams vs Ruth?
TED WILLIAMS · 1939–1960 BABE RUTH · 1914–1935
CAREER OPS+ CAREER OPS+
CAREER OBP VS CAREER OBP
.482 .474
WALK/K RATIO CAREER SLG
Williams' OPS+ of 190 is the highest in history — one point above Ruth. His .482 OBP is the highest ever. His
BB/K ratio of 1.25 is extraordinary. The debate between them is the closest thing to a genuine tie in sports
history.
Greatest pure hitter in baseball history?
TED WILLIAMS BABE RUTH BARRY BONDS ROGERS HORNSBY
THE COLDEST MOMENT 04
MAY 28, 1953 · RETURN FROM KOREA
He Flew 39 Combat Missions In Korea. Came Back
And Hit .407 The Rest Of The Season.
Williams returned from two years of combat flying in August 1953 at age 34. In 91 at-bats over
the final two months he hit .407 with 13 HR. Rusty from two years away from professional
baseball. He hit .407 anyway. The .406 in 1941 is remembered. The .407 in 1953 after two years
of flying jets in a war is the more remarkable number.
I wanted to be the greatest hitter who ever lived. A man has to have goals.
— TED WILLIAMS
THE STAT VAULT 05
CAREER ON-BASE PERCENTAGE CAREER HOME RUNS
.482 521
Highest in baseball history. He reached In 19 seasons, missing 5 prime years. Full-
base on nearly half his plate appearances. career projection: ~700 HR.
CAREER OPS+ TIMES HE SERVED IN THE MILITARY
Highest in baseball history. Ruth is second WWII (1943-45) and Korea (1952-53). Five
at 188. prime seasons sacrificed.
.406 1941 BATTING AVERAGE
He played the final doubleheader when he could have sat. Went 6-for-8.
THE FORGOTTEN MAN 06
OVERLOOKED · UNDERRATED · DESERVES MORE
Bobby Doerr
BOSTON RED SOX · 1937–1951
HOF · .288 CAREER BA · 223 HR · BEST 2B OF HIS ERA
Williams' Teammate For 14 Years. Hall of Fame Second Baseman. Completely
Invisible.
Bobby Doerr made 9 All-Star teams and is widely considered the best second baseman of the 1940s. He hit
.288 with 223 HR. He's in the Hall of Fame. He's mentioned approximately never because Williams' gravity
consumed all the attention.
THE CONNECTION:
Doerr protected Williams in the lineup — his presence meant pitchers couldn't simply pitch around
Ted. Doerr's production directly enabled Williams' numbers. The best second baseman of his era was
invisible because of his own teammate.
COMING NEXT MONDAY
Next Monday: Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color line on April 15, 1947. His rookie season changed America.
Who's Your Forgotten Man?
Reply with a player from any era who deserves more credit. Best answer gets featured next Monday.
All Eras. All Stats. No Debate.
Every Monday. No exceptions.