Triple Crown

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Definition[edit]

One of the rarest seasons in all of sport is the Triple Crown year. A Batting Triple Crown is accomplished by leading, or tying for the league lead, in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in (RBI). A Pitching Triple Crown is accomplished by leading the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average all in the same season.

The "Slash Stat Triple Crown" consists of leading a league in Batting Average, On-Base Percentage, and Slugging Percentage. It occurs more often than a typical Triple Crown, because it is only dependent on rates, and not playing time or chances, like home runs and RBIs in the standard variant.

Batting Triple Crown[edit]

The Batting Triple Crown is considered so difficult to win because the rare player who leads the league in both batting average and home runs also needs a good team that puts men on base to have enough RBI opportunities to claim the third "Crown". This explains the fact that not one triple crown winner has played for a cellar team.

Twenty players have won the Triple Crown since in the history of the Major Leagues. Of those, Rogers Hornsby and Ted Williams each won it twice, as did Negro Leaguers Oscar Charleston and Josh Gibson. Williams came within a hair of winning a third Triple Crown in 1949. He lost the batting title to George Kell with an average of 0.3428, just short of Kell's 0.3429. Miguel Cabrera last accomplished the feat in 2012 in the American League. Joe Medwick was the last National Leaguer to do it, in 1937. Babe Ruth never won a Triple Crown but he won the OBP Triple Crown five times in his career.

Heinie Zimmerman was credited with winning 1912 National League Triple Crown with a line of .372-14-98 based on contemporary statistics kept by Ernest Lanigan on behalf of The Sporting News (RBIs were not yet an official statistic, so there was no clear standard). However, later revisions came up with different totals and he was left off the list of winners. Revised totals compiled by David S. Neft and included in the first Baseball Encyclopedia in 1969 indicated that he finished that season with 99 RBI, 3 fewer than league-leader Honus Wagner and one behind Bill Sweeney. That became the standard, but there were such discrepancies between the various RBI totals in circulation for that year that in 2013 researcher Herm Krabbenhoft decided to do a game-by-game review of RBI totals for the season, and the results were that Zimmerman had in fact led the league with 104 RBIs, followed by Wagner at 101 and Sweeney at 99. That research is now considered the most reliable and various reference sites, including Baseball-Reference.com, have reinstated Zimmerman among Triple Crown winners as a result.

The Triple Crown has been accomplished in Nippon Professional Baseball eleven times, most recently by Nobuhiko Matsunaka in 2004. Hiromitsu Ochiai won it three times in a five-year span, and both Sadaharu Oh and Randy Bass each won it twice.

Major League Baseball[edit]

Triple Crown Winners[edit]

1954williamstopps.jpg
Season League Player Team AVG HR RBI
1878 NL Paul Hines* Providence Grays 0.358 4 50
1887 AA Tip O'Neill St. Louis Browns 0.435 14 123
1894 NL Hugh Duffy Boston Beaneaters 0.438 18 145
1901 AL Nap Lajoie Philadelphia Athletics 0.426 14 125
1909 AL Ty Cobb* Detroit Tigers 0.377 9 107
1912 NL Heinie Zimmerman Chicago Cubs 0.372 14 104
1921 NNL Oscar Charleston St. Louis Giants 0.433 15 91
1922 NL Rogers Hornsby St. Louis Cardinals 0.401 42 152
1924 ECL Oscar Charleston Harrisburg Giants 0.405 15 63
1925 NL Rogers Hornsby* St. Louis Cardinals 0.403 39 143
1925 ECL Oscar Charleston Harrisburg Giants 0.427 20 97
1926 NNL Mule Suttles St. Louis Stars 0.425 32 130
1930 NNL Willie Wells St. Louis Stars 0.411 17 114
1933 NL Chuck Klein Philadelphia Phillies 0.368 28 120
1933 AL Jimmie Foxx Philadelphia Athletics 0.356 48 163
1934 AL Lou Gehrig* New York Yankees 0.363 49 165
1936 NNL Josh Gibson Homestead Grays 0.389 18 66
1937 NL Joe Medwick St. Louis Cardinals 0.374 31 154
1937 NNL Josh Gibson Homestead Grays 0.417 20 73
1942 AL Ted Williams* Boston Red Sox 0.356 36 137
1942 NAL Ted Strong Kansas City Monarchs 0.364 6 32
1942 NNL Lennie Pearson Newark/Homestead 0.347 11 56
1947 AL Ted Williams* Boston Red Sox 0.343 32 114
1956 AL Mickey Mantle* New York Yankees 0.353 52 130
1966 AL Frank Robinson Baltimore Orioles 0.316 49 122
1967 AL Carl Yastrzemski Boston Red Sox 0.326 44 121
2012 AL Miguel Cabrera Detroit Tigers 0.330 44 139

* denotes MLB Triple Crown Winner

On Base % Triple Crown[edit]

1932BabeRuth.jpg
Season League Player Team OBP HR RBI
1887 AA Tip O'Neill Browns 0.490 14 123
1901 AL Nap Lajoie Athletics 0.463 14 125
1909 AL Ty Cobb Tigers 0.431 9 107
1915 NL Gavvy Cravath Phillies 0.393 24 115
1919 AL Babe Ruth Red Sox 0.456 29 114
1920 AL Babe Ruth Yankees 0.532 54 137
1921 AL Babe Ruth Yankees 0.512 59 171
1922 NL Rogers Hornsby Cardinals 0.459 42 152
1923 AL Babe Ruth Yankees 0.545 41 131
1925 NL Rogers Hornsby Cardinals 0.489 39 143
1926 AL Babe Ruth Yankees 0.516 47 146
1933 NL Chuck Klein Phillies 0.422 28 120
1934 AL Lou Gehrig Yankees 0.465 49 165
1942 AL Ted Williams Red Sox 0.499 36 137
1947 AL Ted Williams Red Sox 0.499 32 114
1949 AL Ted Williams Red Sox 0.490 43 159
1966 AL Frank Robinson Orioles 0.410 49 122
1967 AL Carl Yastrzemski Red Sox 0.418 44 121
1969 NL Willie McCovey Giants 0.453 45 126
1969 AL Harmon Killebrew Twins 0.427 49 140
1972 AL Dick Allen White Sox 0.420 37 113
1981 NL Mike Schmidt Phillies 0.435 31 91
1993 NL Barry Bonds Giants 0.458 46 123

Other Professional Leagues[edit]

Minor League Triple Crowns[edit]

Season League Player Team AVG HR RBI
1900 Virginia League Jim Murray Portsmouth Boers 0.337 11 98
1907 Virginia League Jacob Henn Danville Red Sox 0.284 8 69
1908 Virginia League Jacob Henn Danville Red Sox 0.290 8 72
1909 Virginia League Charles Seitz Norfolk Tars 0.328 5 78
1910 Virginia League Joe Holland Roanoke Tigers 0.291 3 73
1911 Union Association Frank Huelsman Great Falls Electrics 0.411 17 125
1913 Union Association Frank Huelsman Salt Lake City Skyscrapers 0.422 22 126
1918 Virginia League Curt Daughton Newport News Shipbuilders 0.328 3 46
1920 Michigan-Ontario League Henry Wetzel Flint Halligans 0.387 12 72
1923 Pacific Coast League Paul Strand Salt Lake City Bees 0.394 43 187
1923 Piedmont League Carr Smith Raleigh Capitals 0.418 24 137
1923 Virginia League Hack Wilson Portsmouth Truckers 0.388 19 101
1924 Western Association Wilbur Davis Okmulgee Drillers 0.400 51 190
1925 New York-Penn League Joe Munson Harrisburg Senators 0.400 33 129
1926 East Texas League Moose Clabaugh Tyler Trojans 0.376 62 164
1927 Texas League Del Pratt Waco Cubs 0.386 32 140
1928 Eastern Carolina League Frank Roscoe Wilmington Pirates 0.387 36 101
1928 International League Dale Alexander Toronto Maple Leafs 0.380 31 144
1928 Pacific Coast League Smead Jolley San Francisco Seals 0.404 45 188
1928 Piedmont League Danny Boone High Point Pointers 0.419 38 131
1928 Three-I League Ripper Collins Danville Veterans 0.388 19 101
1929 American Association Dusty Cooke St. Paul Saints 0.358 33 148
1929 Middle Atlantic League Fred Lucas Charleroi Governors 0.407 21 113
1929 Pacific Coast League Ike Boone Mission Reds 0.407 55 218
1930 Central League Pat Wright Fort Wayne Chiefs 0.419 52 169
1930 Southeastern League Rip Radcliff Selma Cloverleafs 0.369 15 116
1931 Eastern League Bruce Caldwell New Haven Bulldogs 0.356 38 130
1931 Piedmont League Frank Packard Charlotte Hornets 0.366 21 123
1931 Western League Stan Keyes Des Moines Demons 0.369 38 160
1932 Middle Atlantic League Fred Sington Beckley Black Knights 0.368 29 110
1934 Pacific Coast League Frank Demaree Los Angeles Angels 0.383 45 173
1934 Piedmont League Jim Bryan Norfolk Tars 0.376 30 144
1935 International League George Puccinelli Baltimore Orioles 0.359 53 172
1935 Three-I League Chet Laabs Fort Wayne Chiefs 0.384 24 96
1936 American Association Tom Winsett Columbus Red Birds 0.354 50 154
1936 Evangeline League Dynamite Dunn Alexandria Aces 0.378 47 185
1936 Florida State League George Andrews Palatka/St.Augustine 0.350 10 78
1936 Northern League Cal Lahman Jamestown Jimmies 0.391 48 162
1937 Canadian-American League Maurice Van Robays Ogdensburg Colts 0.368 43 150
1937 Coastal Plain League Alfred Joyner Ayden Aces 0.380 24 97
1937 Georgia-Florida League Tom Corbett Thomasville Orioles 0.350 26 113
1937 West Texas-New Mexico League Robert Hood Wink Spudders 0.372 30 145
1937 Western International League Wes Schulmerich Lewiston Broncs 0.367 28 117
1938 American Association Ted Williams Minneapolis Millers 0.366 43 142
1938 Northern League Melvin Wasley Duluth Dukes 0.357 31 115
1938 Piedmont League Roberto Estalella Charlotte Hornets 0.378 38 123
1939 Interstate League David Kelly Sunbury Senators 0.404 14 86
1939 Northern League Robert Schmidt Duluth Dukes 0.441 31 133
1939 Tar Heel League Hooper Triplett Gastonia Cardinals 0.391 27 115
1939 West Texas-New Mexico League Gordon Nell Pampa Plainsmen 0.392 44 189
1940 American Association Ab Wright Minneapolis Millers 0.369 39 159
1940 Florida East Coast League Jack Westley Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood 0.377 11 98
1940 Mexican League Cool Papa Bell Torreon/Veracruz
1940 Pacific Coast League Lou Novikoff Los Angeles Angels 0.363 41 171
1940 Wisconsin State League Rudy Novak Green Bay Blue Jays 0.368 20 94
1941 Northern League Larry Bettencourt Grand Forks Chiefs 0.366 31 133
1941 PONY League John Newman Jamestown Falcons 0.358 29 96
1941 Three-I League Hank Edwards Cedar Rapids Raiders 0.364 23 113
1942 Piedmont League Luis Olmo Richmond Colts 0.337 10 92
1942 South Atlantic League Vic Bradford Jacksonville Tars 0.342 13 107
1943 Mexican League Bill Wright Mexico City Diablos Rojos 0.366 13 70
1946 Border League Bob Dill Ogdensburg/Auburn 0.397 20 118
1947 Lone Star League John Stone Henderson Oilers 0.396 32 185
1948 Canadian-American League Gene Hasson Pittsfield Electrics 0.368 27 106
1948 Evangeline League Tex Sanner Houma Indians 0.386 34 126
1948 Far West League Ray Perry Redding Browns 0.411 36 163
1948 Ohio-Indiana League Bob Nieman Muncie Packers 0.367 23 131
1948 Pioneer League Albert Neil Pocatello Cardinals 0.390 25 151
1948 South Atlantic League Harold Summers Augusta Tigers 0.331 28 115
1949 Piedmont League Charlie Maxwell Roanoke Red Sox 0.345 29 112
1949 Southeastern League Harold Summers Meridian Millers 0.344 19 95
1950 Canadian-American League Garland Lawing Quebec Braves 0.346 19 141
1950 Georgia-Alabama League Eugene Solt Carrollton Hornets 0.365 38 151
1950 Longhorn League Tom Jordan Roswell Rockets 0.391 44 180
1950 Provincial League Silvio Garcia Sherbrooke Athletics 0.365 21 116
1950 Southeastern League Nesbit Wilson Pensacola Fliers 0.355 35 163
1951 Appalachian League Muscle Shoals Kingsport Cherokees 0.383 30 129
1951 Carolina League Ray Jablonski Winston-Salem Cardinals 0.363 28 127
1951 Mexican League Angel Castro Veracruz Azules 0.354 22 79
1951 North Carolina State League Pud Miller Hickory Rebels 0.425 40 136
1951 Wisconsin State League Dave Garcia Oshkosh Giants 0.369 23 127
1952 Mexican League Rene Gonzalez Veracruz Azules 0.370 21 84
1952 Piedmont League Ken Guettler Portsmouth Cubs 0.334 28 104
1952 Provincial League Al Pinkston St. Hyacinthe A's 0.360 30 121
1952 Southwest International League Pete Hughes Tijuana Colts 0.366 28 131
1953 Big State League Albert Neil Wichita Falls Spudders 0.356 39 137
1953 Wisconsin State League Joe Tuminelli Fond du Lac Panthers 0.390 28 148
1954 Big State League Dean Stafford Galveston/Corpus Christi 0.362 38 171
1954 Longhorn League Joe Bauman Roswell Rockets 0.400 72 224
1954 Southern Association Bob Lennon Nashville Vols 0.345 64 161
1955 International League Rocky Nelson Montreal Royals 0.364 37 130
1956 Mexican League Alonso Perry Mexico City Diablos Rojos 0.392 28 118
1956 Northern League Orlando Cepeda St. Cloud Rox 0.355 26 112
1956 Pacific Coast League Steve Bilko Los Angeles Angels 0.360 55 164
1957 Arizona-Mexico League Claudio Solano Cananea Mineros 0.402 41 159
1958 Alabama-Florida League Nesbit Wilson Ft. Walton Beach/Pensacola 0.396 24 106
1958 International League Rocky Nelson Toronto Maple Leafs 0.326 43 120
1959 International League Pancho Herrera Buffalo Bisons 0.329 37 128
1959 Southern Association Gordy Coleman Mobile Bears 0.353 30 110
1960 American Association Larry Osborne Denver Bears 0.342 34 119
1961 Mexican Center League Jorge Calvo Guanajuato Tuzos 0.368 29 130
1962 Mexican Center League Ramiro Caballero Guanajuato Tuzos 0.414 59 170
1962 Pioneer League Harold Allen Magic Valley Cowboys 0.346 37 140
1963 California League Jose Vidal Reno Silver Sox 0.340 40 162
1963 Eastern League Bob Chance Charleston Indians 0.343 26 114
1963 Northern League Jim Rouse Aberdeen Pheasants 0.332 27 80
1964 Mexican Center League Ramiro Caballero Leon Broncos 0.380 35 145
1964 Northern League Andy Kosco Duluth/Bismark-Mandan 0.346 28 97
1965 Eastern League George Scott Pittsfield Red Sox 0.319 25 94
1966 Mexican Center League Heriberto Vargas Guanajuato Tuzos 0.445 55 174
1969 Mexican Northern League Romulo Munoz Ensenada Tigres 0.359 23 71
1972 Gulf Coast League Cleo Kirkpatrick GCL White Sox 0.329 5 38
1972 New York-Penn League Cannon Smith Jamestown Falcons 0.319 14 56
1972 Southern League Mike Reinbach Asheville Orioles 0.346 30 109
1973 Appalachian League John Shupe Johnson City Yankees 0.350 13 54
1974 International League Jim Rice Pawtucket Red Sox 0.337 25 93
1974 Mexican Center League Jose Valenzuela Alacranes de Durango 0.384 12 79
1974 Midwest League Moe Hill Wisconsin Rapids Twins 0.339 32 113
1976 Appalachian League Mark Corey Bluefield Orioles 0.400 17 59
1976 Eastern League Danny Thomas Berkshire Brewers 0.325 29 83
1976 Pioneer League John Scoras Lethbridge Expos 0.370 13 63
1976 Western Carolinas League Pat Putnam Asheville Tourists 0.361 24 142
1977 Western Carolinas League David Rivera Asheville Tourists 0.346 26 118
1978 Mexican Center League Angel Ortega Fresnillo Mineros 0.408 12 54
1981 Pacific Coast League Mike Marshall Albuquerque Dukes 0.373 34 137
1983 Appalachian League Glenn Braggs Paintsville Brewers 0.390 16 74
1984 Gulf Coast League Drew Denson GCL Braves 0.322 10 45
1984 Midwest League Joey Meyer Beloit Brewers 0.320 30 102
1989 Arizona League Leon Glenn AZL Brewers 0.379 7 50
1989 California League Ruben Gonzalez San Bernardino Spirit 0.308 27 101
1989 Northwest League Dave Staton Spokane Indians 0.362 17 72
1994 Great Central League Tim Jordan Lafayette Leopards 0.353 11 48
1994 North Central League Jason Felice Regina Cyclones 0.343 17 73
1995 Mexican League Ty Gainey Mexico City Diablos Rojos 0.411 27 115
1997 Pioneer League Greg Morrison Medicine Hat Blue Jays 0.448 23 88
1998 Frontier League Morgan Burkhart Richmond Roosters 0.404 36 98
1998 Pioneer League Jay Gibbons Medicine Hat Blue Jays 0.397 19 98
1999 Texas League Adam Piatt Midland RockHounds 0.345 39 135
2000 Northern League Anthony Lewis Duluth-Superior Dukes 0.365 33 89
2002 Atlantic League Jimmy Hurst Newark Bears 0.341 35 100
2003 Canadian League Galindo Gomez Calgary Outlaws 0.403 11 42
2003 New York-Penn League Vito Chiaravolloti Auburn Doubledays 0.351 12 67
2005 Carolina League Leo Daigle Winston-Salem Warthogs 0.341 29 112
2008 Eastern League Lou Montanez Bowie Baysox 0.335 26 97
2008 Mexican League Kit Pellow Saltillo Saraperos 0.385 34 107
2010 Texas League Clint Robinson Northwest Arkansas Naturals 0.335 29 98

Nippon Professional Baseball[edit]

Sadaharu Oh
Season League Player Team AVG HR RBI
1938 Fall JPBL Haruyasu Nakajima Tokyo Giants 0.361 10 38
1965 PL Katsuya Nomura Nankai Hawks 0.320 42 110
1973 CL Sadaharu Oh Yomiuri Giants 0.355 51 114
1974 CL Sadaharu Oh Yomiuri Giants 0.332 49 107
1982 PL Hiromitsu Ochiai Lotte Orions 0.325 32 99
1984 PL Boomer Wells Hankyu Braves 0.355 37 130
1985 PL Hiromitsu Ochiai Lotte Orions 0.367 52 146
1985 CL Randy Bass Hanshin Tigers 0.350 54 134
1986 PL Hiromitsu Ochiai Lotte Orions 0.360 50 116
1986 CL Randy Bass Hanshin Tigers 0.389 47 109
2004 PL Nobuhiko Matsunaka Fukuoka Daiei Hawks 0.358 44 120
2022 CL Munetaka Murakami Yakult Swallows 0.318 56 134

Korea Baseball Organization[edit]

Season Player Team AVG HR RBI
1984 Man-soo Lee Samsung Lions 0.340 23 80
2006 Dae-ho Lee Lotte Giants 0.336 26 88
2010 Dae-ho Lee Lotte Giants 0.364 44 133

Chinese Professional Baseball League[edit]

Season Player Team AVG HR RBI
1998 Jay Kirkpatrick Sinon Bulls 0.387 31 101
2017 Po-Jung Wang Lamigo Monkeys 0.407 31 101
2022 Li Lin Lamigo Monkeys 0.335 14 83

Serie A1[edit]

Season Player Team AVG HR RBI
1962 Roberto Gandini Milano 0.375 12 40
1974 Giorgio Castelli Parma 0.515 26 78
1987 Roberto Bianchi Bologna 0.474 27 72
1991 Roberto Bianchi Milano 0.460 16 55
2010 Carlos Duran T&A San Marino 0.349 6 49
2020 Federico Celli T&A San Marino 0.473 10 36

Pitching Triple Crown Winners[edit]

The Pitching Triple Crown is more common than a hitter's Triple Crown having been accomplished in the American League and National League 38 times, plus an additional four times in the Negro major leagues, versus 16 by batters. This is in part because there are fewer players in the running for each title every year.

2011 marked the first time since 1924 that pitchers accomplished the feat in both leagues in the same year. Justin Verlander did it in the American League and Clayton Kershaw in the National League. Grover Alexander accomplished the feat four times including three seasons in a row (1915-1917). The only other pitchers, besides Alexander, to perform the feat three times are Sandy Koufax and Walter Johnson.

In the NPB, 21 pitchers have accomplished the feat with only Kazuhisa Inao and Yoshinobu Yamamoto achieving it twice.

Major League Baseball[edit]

Grover Cleveland Alexander
Season League Player Team ERA Wins Strikeouts
1877 NL Tommy Bond Boston Red Caps 2.11 40 170
1884 NL Old Hoss Radbourn Providence Grays 1.38 59 441
1888 NL Tim Keefe New York Giants 1.74 35 335
1889 NL John Clarkson Boston Beaneaters 2.73 49 284
1894 NL Amos Rusie New York Giants 2.78 36 195
1901 AL Cy Young Boston Americans 1.62 33 158
1905 NL Christy Mathewson New York Giants 1.28 31 206
1905 AL Rube Waddell Philadelphia Athletics 1.48 27 287
1908 NL Christy Mathewson New York Giants 1.43 37 259
1913 AL Walter Johnson Washington Senators 1.14 36 243
1915 NL Grover Alexander Philadelphia Phillies 1.22 31 241
1916 NL Grover Alexander Philadelphia Phillies 1.55 33 167
1917 NL Grover Alexander Philadelphia Phillies 1.83 30 200
1918 NL Hippo Vaughn Chicago Cubs 1.74 22 148
1918 AL Walter Johnson Washington Senators 1.27 23 162
1920 NL Grover Alexander Chicago Cubs 1.91 27 173
1924 NL Dazzy Vance Brooklyn Robins 2.16 28 262
1924 AL Walter Johnson Washington Senators 2.72 23 158
1930 AL Lefty Grove Philadelphia Athletics 2.54 28 209
1931 AL Lefty Grove Philadelphia Athletics 2.06 31 175
1934 AL Lefty Gomez New York Yankees 2.33 26 158
1934 NNL Slim Jones Philadelphia Stars 1.24 20 164
1937 AL Lefty Gomez New York Yankees 2.33 21 194
1938 NNL Ray Brown Homestead Grays 1.88 14 70
1939 NL Bucky Walters Cincinnati Reds 2.29 27 137
1940 AL Bob Feller Cleveland Indians 2.61 27 261
1943 NNL John Wright Homestead Grays 2.54 18 94
1944 NAL Satchel Paige Kansas City Monarchs 0.72 3 85
1945 AL Hal Newhouser Detroit Tigers 1.81 25 212
1963 NL Sandy Koufax Los Angeles Dodgers 1.88 25 306
1965 NL Sandy Koufax Los Angeles Dodgers 2.04 26 382
1966 NL Sandy Koufax Los Angeles Dodgers 1.73 27 317
1972 NL Steve Carlton Philadelphia Phillies 1.97 27 310
1985 NL Dwight Gooden New York Mets 1.53 24 268
1997 AL Roger Clemens Toronto Blue Jays 2.05 21 292
1998 AL Roger Clemens Toronto Blue Jays 2.65 20 271
1999 AL Pedro Martinez Boston Red Sox 2.07 23 313
2002 NL Randy Johnson Arizona Diamondbacks 2.32 24 334
2006 AL Johan Santana Minnesota Twins 2.77 19 245
2007 NL Jake Peavy San Diego Padres 2.54 19 240
2011 NL Clayton Kershaw Los Angeles Dodgers 2.28 21 248
2011 AL Justin Verlander Detroit Tigers 2.40 24 250
2020 AL Shane Bieber Cleveland Indians 1.63 8 122
2024 AL Tarik Skubal Detroit Tigers 2.39 18 228

Minor Leagues[edit]

Season League Player Team W ERA SO
1880 California League Jim Whitney San Francisco Knickerbockers 23 1.11 150
1886 International Association Billy Serad Utica Pent-Ups 30 1.02 260
1895 New England Association Henry Lampe Lawrence 16 1.61 122
1896 Naugatuck Valley League Dick Mansfield Bridgeport Victors 15 1.95 127
1906 Three-I League Harry Swalm Dubuque Dubs 23 1.81 247
1907 Eastern Illinois League Grover Lowdermilk Mattoon Giants 33 0.93 458
1914 Virginia League Cliff Markle Norfolk Tars 31 2.53 265
1917 American Association Grover Lowdermilk Columbus Senators 25 1.70 250
1917 Pacific Coast League Eric Erickson San Francisco Seals 31 1.93 307
1922 Pacific Coast League Jakie May Vernon Tigers 35 1.84 238
1927 Three-I League Ralph Judd Peoria Tractors 21 2.01 121
1931 Pacific Coast League Sam Gibson San Francisco Seals 28 2.48 204
1932 Central League (US) Marvin Duke Erie Sailors 23 2.36 176
1933 American Association Paul Dean Columbus Red Birds 22 3.15 222
1937 Pennsylvania State Association Darrel Hawley Greensburg Green Sox 16 2.72 161
1938 Alabama-Florida League Virgil Trucks Andalusia Bulldogs 25 1.25 418
1938 American Association Whitlow Wyatt Milwaukee Brewers 23 2.37 208
1938 Arkansas-Missouri League Bill Gill Neosho Yankees 20 2.80 266
1938 Mexican League Martin Dihigo Veracruz Aguila 18 0.90 184
1938 Southern Association Tom Sunkel Atlanta Crackers 21 2.33 178
1939 Arkansas-Missouri League George Bender Fayetteville Angels 20 2.35 208
1939 Cape Breton Colliery League Bernie Pearlman Sydney Steel Citians 11 1.62 105
1939 Eastern Shore League Les Hinckle Federalsburg A's 27 2.49 309
1939 Florida State League Sid Hudson Sanford Lookouts 24 1.79 192
1940 Wisconsin State League Merv Henley LaCrosse Blackhawks 20 1.81 148
1941 Eastern League Red Embree Wilkes-Barre Barons 21 1.69 213
1941 Interstate League Anderson Bush Hagerstown Owls 20 1.61 171
1941 Middle Atlantic League Lou Lucier Canton Terriers 23 1.51 199
1941 Pacific Coast League Yank Terry San Diego Padres 26 2.31 172
1941 Pennsylvania State Association Joe Smolko Johnstown Johnnies 20 3.08 220
1941 Western Association Blix Donnelly Springfield Cardinals 28 2.26 304
1942 Bi-State League Charlie Cuellar Leaksville-Draper-Spray Triplets 22 1.67 204
1942 Pacific Coast League Dick Barrett Seattle Rainiers 27 1.72 178
1942 Southeastern League James McClure Jackson Senators 20 2.03 152
1942 West Texas-New Mexico League Kenneth Wyatt Clovis Pioneers 17 2.09 129
1943 Eastern League Chet Covington Scranton Red Sox 21 1.51 187
1944 Ohio State League Ned Garver Newark Moundsmen 21 1.21 221
1945 North Carolina State League Forrest Thompson Mooresville Braves 24 2.13 278
1945 Ohio State League Raymond Janikowski Middletown Rockets 25 1.71 274
1946 Coastal Plain League Bill Kennedy Rocky Mount Rocks 28 1.03 456
1946 Florida International League Chet Covington Tampa Smokers 28 1.66 260
1946 K-O-M League Ross Grimsley Chanute Athletics 18 1.93 295
1946 New England League Walker Cress Lynn Red Sox 19 1.98 174
1946 Northern League Bob Haas Fargo-Moorhead Twins 19 2.20 193
1946 South Atlantic League Richard Starr Augusta Tigers 19 2.07 233
1947 Alabama State League Max Peterson Greenville Lions 27 2.02 266
1947 Border League Frank Fanovich Watertown Athletics 16 2.41 182
1947 Eastern Shore League Chris Van Cuyk Cambridge Dodgers 25 1.94 279
1947 Evangeline League Paul Bruno Hammond Berries 25 1.96 260
1947 Florida International League Connie Marrero Havana Cubans 25 1.66 251
1947 Interstate League Andy Tomasic Trenton Giants 18 2.48 278
1947 South Atlantic League Lou Brissie Savannah Indians 23 1.91 278
1948 North Atlantic League Frank Radler Stroudsburg Poconos 20 2.18 201
1949 Mountain States League Frank Wilson Harlan Smokies 27 2.77 176
1949 Virginia League Arnold Atkins Franklin Kildees 21 2.70 204
1950 American Association Harvey Haddix Columbus Red Birds 18 2.70 160
1950 Appalachian League Doug Clark Elizabethton Betsy Cubs 27 2.41 228
1950 Arizona-Texas League Jesús Valenzuela Ciudad Juarez Indios 25 3.47 256
1950 Colonial League Emil Moscowitz Poughkeepsie Chiefs 12 1.51 102
1950 Georgia State League Charles Smalley Dublin Green Sox 23 2.46 237
1950 Georgia-Alabama League Don Bessent LaGrange Troupers 22 2.23 229
1950 Kitty League Don McMahon Owensboro Oilers 20 2.72 143
1950 Sunset League Manuel Echeverria Mexicali Eagles 28 2.74 333
1951 Mississippi-Ohio Valley League Lee Tunnison Centralia Zeros 20 3.12 170
1951 Virginia League John Brockwell Colonial Heights-Petersburg Generals 25 2.05 164
1952 Alabama-Florida League Russell Harris Ozark Eagles 27 2.83 243
1952 Sooner State League Charles Seymour McAlester Rockets 25 1.91 292
1953 Alabama-Florida League Spencer Davis Dothan Rebels 22 1.21 196
1953 American Association Gene Conley Toledo Mud Hens 23 2.90 211
1953 Cotton States League Bob Harrison Meridian Millers 19 2.15 172
1953 Northern League Ray Seif Fargo-Moorhead Twins 20 2.52 163
1954 Alabama-Florida League Spencer Davis Dothan Rebels 23 2.83 196
1954 American Association Herb Score Indianapolis Indians 22 2.62 330
1954 South Atlantic League Humberto Robinson Jacksonville Braves 23 2.41 243
1955 Mexican League Fred Waters Mexico City Tigres 18 2.09 126
1955 South Atlantic League Charlie Rabe Columbia Reds 21 2.01 219
1956 Florida State League Julio Navarro Cocoa Indians 24 2.16 216
1956 Mexican League Francisco Ramirez Mexico City Diablos Rojos 20 2.25 148
1957 Alabama-Florida League Bill Kakuske Graceville Oilers 19 2.26 205
1958 Northwest League Thornton Kipper Lewiston Broncs 23 2.71 193
1959 Eastern League Juan Marichal Springfield Giants 18 2.39 208
1960 International League Al Cicotte Toronto Maple Leafs 16 1.79 158
1961 Carolina League Bill MacLeod Winston-Salem Red Sox 15 2.31 208
1961 Eastern League Gerry Thomas Springfield Giants 20 2.40 214
1961 Northwest League Larry Danforth Lewiston Broncs 20 2.41 180
1964 Appalachian League Frank De Vivo Johnson City Yankees 11 2.83 123
1965 Mexican Center League Raul Gomez San Luis Potosi Rojos 20 2.63 234
1967 Appalachian League Jesse Hudson Marion Mets 7 2.07 84
1967 Midwest League Bob DeLong Decatur Commodores 15 1.97 191
1967 Northwest League Wayne Swango Eugene Emeralds 12 0.88 133
1968 Mexican League Jim Horsford Reynosa Broncos 20 1.59 212
1968 Mexican Rookie League Ramon Reynoso Caborca Tigres 16 1.24 163
1969 Mexican Southeast League Julio Imbert Yucatan Venados 22 1.68 170
1970 California League Albert Dawson Bakersfield Dodgers 17 2.47 244
1970 Gulf Coast League Harold McClain GCL White Sox 10 1.27 108
1970 Mexican Southeast League Leonardo Ferguson Campeche Pirates 13 1.82 128
1970 Pioneer League Dick Lange Idaho Falls Angels 13 1.95 151
1973 Carolina League Roy Thomas Rocky Mount Phillies 15 2.24 193
1973 Mexican Center League Rodolfo Vallejano Ciudad Mante Azucareros 11 1.71 139
1975 Northwest League Paul Moskau Eugene Emeralds 10 1.50 92
1976 International League Dennis Martinez Rochester Red Wings 14 2.50 140
1977 Northwest League Greg Biercevicz Bellingham Mariners 11 0.90 97
1977 Pioneer League Scott Budner Great Falls Giants 9 3.36 121
1979 Appalachian League Pete Filson Paintsville Yankees 9 1.68 118
1979 Pioneer League Rick Rodas Lethbridge Dodgers 12 1.12 148
1980 Eastern League Mark Davis Reading Phillies 19 2.47 185
1982 Southern League Stefan Wever Nashville Sounds 16 2.78 191
1983 Texas League Sid Fernandez San Antonio Dodgers 13 2.82 209
1983 Pioneer League Hubert Kemp Billings Mustangs 9 2.21 138
1983 Carolina League Dwight Gooden Lynchburg Mets 19 2.50 300
1986 Texas League George Ferran Shreveport Captains 16 2.29 147
1991 California League Rich Huisman San Jose Giants 16 1.83 216
1991 Midwest League Salomon Torres Clinton Giants 16 1.41 214
1991 Northwest League Julian Heredia Boise Hawks 8 1.05 99
1991 Arizona League George Glinatsis AZL Mariners 10 2.19 80
1993 Arizona League Jason Myers AZL Giants 8 1.69 105
1993 Midwest League LaTroy Hawkins Fort Wayne Wizards 15 2.06 179
1994 Southern League Blaine Beatty Chattanooga Lookouts 14 2.38 162
1995 Pacific Coast League Donne Wall Tucson Toros 17 3.30 119
1995 Golden State League Carlos Carrasco Yuma Desert Dawgs 3 0.72 26
1995 North Atlantic League Germaine Hunter Newark Barge Bandits 8 1.08 117
1996 California League Darin Blood San Jose Giants 17 2.65 193
1996 Florida State League Blake Stein St. Petersburg Cardinals 16 2.15 159
1996 Pioneer League Vladimir Nunez Lethbridge Black Diamonds 10 2.22 93
1997 Big South League Matt Miller Greenville Bluesmen 12 2.26 129
1998 Arizona League Jermaine Van Buren AZL Rockies 7 2.22 92
1999 Arizona League Jake Peavy AZL Padres 7 1.34 90
1999 Northern League East Michel Laplante Québec Capitales 11 2.06 143
2000 Pioneer League Ricardo Rodriguez Great Falls Dodgers 10 1.88 129
2001 Mexican League Ravelo Manzanillo Yucatan Leones 16 1.52 202
2004 Mexican League Francisco Campos Campeche Pirates 12 1.47 99
2006 South Atlantic League Matt Maloney Lakewood BlueClaws 16 2.03 180
2008 South Atlantic League Madison Bumgarner Augusta GreenJackets 15 1.46 164
2009 Texas League Samuel Deduno Tulsa Drillers 12 2.57 123
2012 Gulf Coast League Yorfrank Lopez GCL Tigers 5 2.32 57
2012 Pacific Coast League John Ely Albuquerque Isotopes 14 3.20 165

Nippon Professional Baseball[edit]

Season League Player Team ERA Wins Strikeouts
1937 Spring JPBL Eiji Sawamura Tokyo Giants 0.81 24 196
1938 Fall JPBL Victor Starffin Tokyo Giants 1.05 19 146
1943 JPBL Hideo Fujimoto Tokyo Giants 0.73 34 253
1948 JPBL Hiroshi Nakao Yomiuri Giants 1.84 27 187
1954 CL Shigeru Sugishita Chunichi Dragons 1.39 32 273
1954 PL Motoji Takuwa Nankai Hawks 1.58 26 275
1958 CL Masaichi Kaneda Kokutetsu Swallows 1.30 31 311
1958 PL Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 1.42 33 334
1959 PL Tadashi Sugiura Nankai Hawks 1.40 38 336
1961 CL Hiroshi Gondo Chunichi Dragons 1.70 35 310
1961 PL Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 1.69 42 353
1978 PL Keishi Suzuki Kintetsu Buffaloes 2.02 25 178
1980 PL Isamu Kida Nippon Ham Fighters 2.28 22 225
1981 CL Suguru Egawa Yomiuri Giants 2.29 20 221
1985 CL Tatsuo Komatsu Chunichi Dragons 2.65 17 172
1990 PL Hideo Nomo Kintetsu Buffaloes 2.91 18 287
1999 CL Koji Uehara Yomiuri Giants 2.09 20 179
2006 PL Kazumi Saitoh Seibu Lions 1.75 18 205
2010 CL Kenta Maeda Hiroshima Carp 2.21 15 174
2018 CL Tomoyuki Sugano Yomiuri Giants 2.14 15 200
2020 PL Kodai Senga SoftBank Hawks 2.16 11 149
2021 PL Yoshinobu Yamamoto Orix Buffaloes 1.39 18 206
2022 PL Yoshinobu Yamamoto Orix Buffaloes 1.68 15 205
2023 PL Yoshinobu Yamamoto Orix Buffaloes 1.21 16 169

Chinese Professional Baseball League[edit]

Season Player Team ERA Wins Strikeouts
2002 Chao-Chi Sung Chinatrust Whales 2.13 16 183
2006 En-Yu Lin Macoto Cobras 1.73 17 209
2015 Mike Loree EDA Rhinos 3.26 16 144
2017 Mike Loree Fubon Guardians 2.18 16 154
2020 José De Paula CTBC Brothers 3.20 16 192

Korea Baseball Organization[edit]

Season Player Team ERA Wins Strikeouts
1986 Dong-yeol Sun Haitai Tigers 0.99 24 214
1989 Dong-yeol Sun Haitai Tigers 1.17 21 198
1990 Dong-yeol Sun Haitai Tigers 1.13 22 189
1991 Dong-yeol Sun Haitai Tigers 1.55 19 210
2006 Hyun-Jin Ryu Hanwha Eagles 2.23 18 204
2011 Suk-min Yoon KIA Tigers 2.45 17 178
2023 Erick Fedde NC Dinos 2.30 20 209

Taiwan Major League[edit]

Season Player Team ERA Wins Strikeouts
1999 Hisanobu Watanabe Chianan Luka 2.34 18 201

Career Triple Crown[edit]

There have been 9 players since 1901 to have won all 3 Triple Crown Categories at different times in their career without ever winning a Triple Crown. Miguel Cabrera was in this group until he won the Triple Crown in 2012. Heinie Zimmerman was also in this category until Herm Krabbenhoft's research demonstrated that he had legitimately won a Triple Crown in 1912.

Player Batting Title Home Runs Title RBI Title
Babe Ruth (1) 1924 (12) 1918-21,1923-24,1926-31 (6) 1919-21,1923,1926,1928
Johnny Mize (1) 1939 (3) 1940,1947-48 (3) 1940,1942,1947
Joe DiMaggio (2) 1940-41 (2) 1937,1948 (2) 1941,1948
Hank Aaron (2) 1956,1959 (4) 1957,1963,1966-67 (4) 1957,1960,1963,1966
Andres Galarraga (1) 1993 (1) 1996 (2) 1996-97
Barry Bonds (2) 2002,2004 (2) 1993,2001 (1) 1993
Alex Rodriguez (1) 1996 (4) 2001-02,2005,2007 (2) 2002,2007
Manny Ramirez (1) 2002 (1) 2004 (1) 1999
Albert Pujols (1) 2003 (2) 2009-10 (1) 2010

Further Reading[edit]

  • Andy Andres: "Can Stephen Jay Gould's theory explain why there has not been any batting Triple Crowns in Major League Baseball for the last 39 years?", in Bill Nowlin and Dan Desrochers, eds.: The 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox: 'Pandemonium on the Field', SABR, Rounder Books, Burlington, MA, 2007, pp. 141-142. ISBN 978-1-5794-0141-2
  • John E. Daniels: "Where Have You Gone, Carl Yastrzemski ?: A Statistical Analysis of the Triple Crown", in The Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Volume 37, 2008, pp. 107-114
  • Vince Gennaro: "The Most Dominant Triple Crown Winner", in The Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Number 31, 2003, pp. 86-87.
  • Herm Krabbenhoft: "Seeking Resolution of the Discrepancy for the 1912 NL Triple Crown", The Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Vol. 44, Number 1 (Spring 2015), pp. 54-57.
  • Michael Francis Mann: Baseball's Rare Triple Crown, Xlibris Corporation, Bloomington, IN, 2011. ISBN 1465352244
  • Brian Murphy: "These stars might be MLB's next Triple Crown winner", mlb.com, January 10, 2024. [1]
  • Frederick E. Taylor: "Whatever Happened to the Triple Crown ?", The Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Volume 41, Number 1 (Spring 2012), pp. 93-96.