In modern baseball, hitting for average is not highly valued. The National League in 2025 only had 1 qualified hitter who finished the year batting .300.

But a century ago, much higher averages were achievable, including the vaunted .400 club. In the first 30 years of the modern era (1901-1930), the American League had 5 hitters bat .400 or better in a single season, including George Sisler twice and Ty Cobb 3 times. Nap Lajoie even hit .426 in the AL's first season in 1901. The National League only had 2 hitters accomplish the feat, Bill Terry in 1930 and Rogers Hornsby, who topped .400 3 times in 4 seasons between 1922 and 1925, including a whopping .424 in 1924.

1930 saw the end of the regular .400 hitter. So when Ted Williams made a run at the mark in 1941, all of baseball fandom was rooting for him. He peaked at .413 in mid-September, but "slumped" somewhat down the stretch.

Nevertheless, Williams entered the final day of the season, a doubleheader against the A's, batting .39955. Due to rounding, it would go into the record books as a .400 season if he decided to sit the last two games. Offered this option by his manager Joe Cronin, Williams declined, deciding to play both games. He made good on his decision, going 6 for 8 to raise his final average to .406. He became the 8th, and as of 2025, final member of the .400 club.

Teddy Ballgame joins the .400 club, r/baseball's 37th greatest moment in MLB history.

r/baseball's Greatest Moments in MLB History #37: Ted Williams Refuses to Sit Out, Goes 6-8 to Clinch a .400 Season