Josh Gibson surpasses Ty Cobb as all-time Main League batting champion with Negro Leagues statistics included

2024-06-02 02:41:35

For the primary time in additional than 100 years, Ty Cobb’s identify is just not the primary to look atop the Main League batting common leaderboard.

With Negro Leagues statistics formally added to its report ebook on Wednesday, Main League Baseball now acknowledges Josh Gibson because the all-time Main League batting champion, with a lifetime common of .372, simply forward of Cobb’s .367.

And not less than one descendant of the “Georgia Peach” agrees with the change.

Tyrus Cobb, great-grandson of the Tiger legend, advised the Related Press: “The historical past of baseball is a part of the historical past of the US, and I consider that the popularity and incorporation of the Negro Leagues by Main League Baseball is great. step to unify all components of soccer historical past.

“And I feel it is actually thrilling that there is a new chief within the batting common statistic.”

Cobb, whose controversial fame has been the topic of a lot debate all through baseball historical past, grew to become MLB’s first profession batting common chief, changing fellow Corridor of Famer Nap Lajoie within the leadoff spot . He nonetheless held the report when he retired in 1928. And for the subsequent century, Cobb remained on the prime of the record.

However within the Thirties and Forties, Gibson was hitting simply as effectively within the Negro Leagues. He even posted a career-best .466 common with the Homestead Grays in 1943. Gibson’s stats have been solely a part of the MLB report thus far.

MLB’s inclusion of Negro Leagues numbers in 2024 even prompted Cobb’s grandson to study extra concerning the careers of Gibson, often called the Negro Babe Ruth, and different Negro Leagues stars similar to Oscar Charleston, who now ranks third with a .363 common. , simply behind Cobb.

“I made certain to analysis [Gibson] and Oscar Charleston and among the different gamers that completed close to the highest of the record,” Tyrus Cobb advised the AP. “So I feel it is a very thrilling factor for the historical past of soccer.”