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By Stanley F. Kuminski 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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Singles are Important
