Why MLB's Last .400 Hitter Didn't Win MVP

I saw Ted Williams hit the 347th home run of his career! It was at Fenway Park on July 18, 1954. One of my favorite memories: I was nine. My dad, grandpa, and I were sitting near third base together. Ted Williams came to the plate. He was a Marine veteran returning home after flying combat missions in an F9F Panther Jet in Korea. Everyone cheered! He was a hero. I heard the crack of the bat. The crowd roared. The ball soared so high over the right field fence that it looked like it might never come down.

Those who voted for MVP back then didn’t like Williams because he wouldn’t kiss their asses.

Underrated and misunderstood. If not for his military service, he would have hit over 600 HRs with over 4,000 hits.

he was the best hitter in baseball hands down,,,,,,

Williams almost hit .400 again in 1957. He finished .388 at 39

His statistics and conduct as a Marine Corps fighter pilot are even more impressive than his baseball stats.

MVP, like HoF, was a POPULARITY contest. It's not that DiMaggio didn't have an MVP-worthy season, he DID...but Williams was simply BETTER, even during "Joltin' Joe's" fabled 56-game hitting streak.

In 1941 Dimaggio and Williams struck out a COMBINED total of only 40 times!!!

You mentioned the most interesting aspect of that season...Williams outhit DiMaggio during DiMaggio's streak AND his average dropped during that stretch.

At 1:39 it is mentioned that Williams played 139 games in 1939, but the screen image displays 149 games. That error gets corrected by 1:45. At 14:49 the author extrapolates career stats for Williams had he not missed games in service to his country, yet he uses a 162 game schedule, which did not exist during Ted's playing career. Still, nice job. We shouldn't lament the "lost" years. They weren't lost; service to one's country is a higher calling. Nothing takes away from the notion that Ted Williams is one of the greatest baseball players of all time and arguably its greatest pure hitter.

Joe Gordon winning the MVP is insane. I get The Yankees was a dynasty in those days but his stats weren’t good compared to Ted Williams.

Ted Williams’ lifetime OPS+ was 191. His last year, 1960, when he was 42, he managed an OPS+ of 190. His lifetime OB % was .482. The greatest pure hitter ever? Look no further than Ted Williams.

gotta wonder what ted's final numbers wouldve been had he not lost years to service in both ww2 and korea

It's incredible that Williams had two triple crowns plus a .406 season and didn't win MVP in any of them

DiMaggio had the 56 game streak. During this 56 game streak, Williams outhit him and had a better batting average.

Real respect to Ted for telling the media to screw off after they told him how terrible he was for not seeing his family during the off season. I totally get that. My family growing up was super drama heavy and Im someone that likes peace and quiet and just wants to be left alone.

If MLB had the sac fly rule in 1941 Williams would have batted .413.

Greatest hitter who ever lived.

Much like Eddie Murray who you did a video on earlier Williams was a victim of the media.

What is worse is that Ted Williams was outvoted for the MVP in 1942 and 1947 when he was Triple Crown winner both seasons. New York writers didn't like him.