02-25-2021, 10:14 AM
MLB's record book is expanding to include those of Negro League players. The best single-season batting average will officially belong to Josh Gibson (.411 in 1943).
fivethirtyeight.com does a neat statistical analysis of MLB and Negro League players that allows them to offer some comparative perspectives:
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/negro-leagues-mlb/
For example, by WAR per 162, Mike Trout is the best current MLB player, but three Negro League players (Charlie Smith, Dobie Moore and Josh Gibson) have better numbers. In terms of Hall of Famers, Babe Ruth outperforms them all.
Not sure how MLB will handle the stats of players who played in both the Negro Leagues and MLB. For example, Hank Aaron played for a few months for Indianapolis and hit five home runs. Will these HRs be added to his current MLB totals? If so, when did he break Babe Ruth's record?
Also, I'm sure that some folks on this board know that Willie Mays played for Chattanooga and Birmingham in the Negro Leagues before joining the Giants.
fivethirtyeight.com does a neat statistical analysis of MLB and Negro League players that allows them to offer some comparative perspectives:
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/negro-leagues-mlb/
For example, by WAR per 162, Mike Trout is the best current MLB player, but three Negro League players (Charlie Smith, Dobie Moore and Josh Gibson) have better numbers. In terms of Hall of Famers, Babe Ruth outperforms them all.
Not sure how MLB will handle the stats of players who played in both the Negro Leagues and MLB. For example, Hank Aaron played for a few months for Indianapolis and hit five home runs. Will these HRs be added to his current MLB totals? If so, when did he break Babe Ruth's record?
Also, I'm sure that some folks on this board know that Willie Mays played for Chattanooga and Birmingham in the Negro Leagues before joining the Giants.
If there's one thing people have learned in Berkeley, it's that you can't put "Cal football" and "Rose Bowl" in the same sentence. The words just don't fit. You'd be better off linking "covered wagons" with "Mars travel." (Bruce Jenkins, Cal '70, SF Chronicle, Nov. 11, 2017)