[Updated 6/11/2017, prompted by Aaron Judge leading the AL in the Triple Crown categories]
From the Bill James mailbag, May 11, 2012:
My boring question is one i don’t know how to find the answer to myself: what is the latest in the season that a player has led mlb in these three categories through the years? how recently has someone come remotely close to doing this, particularly in the era of expansion? thanks.
Asked by: yorobert
Triple Crown league leaders at any point in the season, 1952-2017
| Player
|
Team | Lg | Year | Total Days* |
Dates | Avg**-HR-RBI (last day) |
Passed by (only if after April) |
Notes |
| Al Rosen | CLE | AL | 1952 | 3 | 5/10 5/31-6/1 |
.360-8-19 .337-10-30 |
Phil Rizzuto (avg) Dom DiMaggio (a) |
|
| Hank Sauer | CHN | NL | 1952 | 12 | 5/30-5/31 6/4-6/13 |
.338-10-45 .338-18-59 |
Joe Adcock (a) Jackie Robinson (a) |
|
| Al Rosen | CLE | AL | 1953 | 1 | 8/23 | .325-33-116 | Mickey Vernon (a) | Rosen lost the batting title by one hit to Vernon. |
| Sid Gordon | MLN | NL | 1953 | 1 | 4/13 | .500-0-1 | Braves-Reds was the only NL game on Opening Day. | |
| Roy Campanella | BRO | NL | 1953 | 8 | 4/14 5/12-5/18 |
.750-1-3 .359-12-43 |
. Richie Ashburn (a) |
|
| Sammy White | BOS | AL | 1954 | 2 | 4/15-4/17 | .750-2-5 | ||
| Al Rosen | CLE | AL | 1954 | 1 | 5/22 | .378-10-40 | Bobby Avila (a) | |
| Stan Musial | SLN | NL | 1954 | 10 | 5/9-5/15 5/30 6/4 6/7-6/8 |
.385-11-31 .375-14-51 .380-17-59 .387-20-66 |
Ray Jablonski (a) Hank Sauer (hr) Ray Jablonski (a) Ray Jablonski (a) |
|
| Al Kaline | DET | AL | 1955 | 10 | 4/17-4/22 7/26-7/29 |
.471-4-13 .351-23-77 |
. Ray Boone (rbi) |
|
| Bob Nieman | CHA | AL | 1955 | 1 | 4/23 | .500-5-14 | The White Sox won 29-6. | |
| Mickey Mantle | NYA | AL | 1956 | 119 | 4/25 5/4-5/12 5/23-7/14 7/16 7/18 7/20 7/22-7/23 7/26-9/13 9/22-end |
.448-4-13 .400-11-25 .371-30-74 .365-30-74 .363-31-77 .366-31-79 .371-32-82 .353-48-119 .352-52-130 |
Yogi Berra (r) Ted Williams (a) Ted Williams (a) Ted Williams (a) Ted Williams (a) Ted Williams (a) Ted Williams (a) Ted Williams (a) |
|
| Ray Jablonski | CIN | NL | 1956 | 2 | 4/19-4/20 | .500-2-5 | ||
| Dale Long | PIT | NL | 1956 | 7 | 5/23-5/29 | .398-14-37 | Rip Repulski (a) | Long hit homers in 8 consecutive games May 19-28. |
| Gus Triandos | BAL | AL | 1957 | 1 | 4/15 | .500-1-4 | Orioles-Senators was the only AL game on Opening Day. | |
| Mickey Mantle | NYA | AL | 1957 | 1 | 7/13 | .371-24-60 | Bill Skowron (r) | |
| Hank Aaron | MLN | NL | 1957 | 32 | 5/19-5/23 7/7-7/14 7/16-7/31 8/9-8/15 |
.359-11-29 .347-28-75 .339-30-80 .334-34-93 |
Frank Robinson (a) Stan Musial (a) Stan Musial (r) Stan Musial (a) |
Musial hit .470 from August 16 on. Aaron finished 3rd in average behind Musial and Mays. |
| Jackie Jensen | BOS | AL | 1958 | 1 | 4/14 | .500-1-2 | Red Sox-Senators was the only AL game on Opening Day | |
| Bob Cerv | KC1 | AL | 1958 | 2 | 4/30 5/3 |
.403-8-24 | Brooks Robinson (a) Sherm Lollar (a) |
|
| Frank Robinson | CIN | NL | 1959 | 1 | 4/9 | .500-1-3 | Pirates-Reds was the only NL game on Opening Day | |
| Roger Maris | NYA | AL | 1960 | 1 | 7/9 | .324-27-69 | Al Smith (a) & Pete Runnels (a) | |
| Wally Moon | LAN | NL | 1961 | 14 | 4/19-4/29 5/6 5/12-5/13 |
.442-8-14 .392-9-20 .380-10-24 |
. Joe Cunningham (a) Hank Aaron (r) |
|
| Bob Johnson | WS2 | AL | 1962 | 1 | 4/9 | .750-1-2 | Tigers-Senators was the only AL game on Opening Day | |
| Al Kaline | DET | AL | 1962 | 5 | 5/10-5/11 5/20-5/22 |
.364-10-28 .358-12-36 |
Mickey Mantle (a) Manny Jimenez (a) |
|
| Leon Wagner | LAA | AL | 1963 | 3 | 6/1 6/30-7/1 |
.349-13-38 .351-19-57 |
Frank Malzone (a) Bob Allison (h) |
|
| Al Kaline | DET | AL | 1963 | 1 | 6/13 | .352-15-48 | Bob Allison (h) | |
| Willie Mays | SFN | NL | 1964 | 31 | 4/23-5/20 5/22-5/23 7/3 |
393-14-35 .400-17-40 .346-23-55 |
Billy Williams (a) Billy Williams (a) Roberto Clemente (a) |
|
| Ernie Banks | CHN | NL | 1965 | 1 | 4/20 | .500-3-12 | ||
| Frank Robinson | BAL | AL | 1966 | 21 | 8/19-9/5 9/19-end |
.316-43-102 .315-49-122 |
Boog Powell (r) | Robinson reclaimed the RBI lead on the 15th. Tony Oliva took the average lead on the 9th. |
| Bill Robinson | NYA | AL | 1967 | 1 | 4/10 | .500-1-2 | Yankees-Senators was the only AL game on Opening Day. | |
| Bill Freehan | DET | AL | 1967 | 1 | 4/22 | .424-4-13 | ||
| Al Kaline | DET | AL | 1967 | 19 | 5/5-5/18 5/21 5/23-5/26 |
.362-8-25 .361-9-29 .366-10-35 |
Frank Robinson (h) Frank Robinson (h) Frank Robinson (h) |
|
| Frank Robinson | BAL | AL | 1967 | 5 | 6/10 6/19-6/22 |
.333-17-51 .337-21-58 |
Al Kaline (r) Killebrew (h) & Yastrzemski (a) |
|
| Carl Yastrzemski | BOS | AL | 1967 | 12 | 9/18 9/20-end |
.314-40-107 .326-44-121 |
Frank Robinson (a) | Yastrzemski went 20 for 37 from September 20 on. |
| Lou Brock | SLN | NL | 1967 | 11 | 4/18-4/19 4/23-5/1 |
.452-5-12 .386-6-20 |
. Tony Gonzalez (a) |
|
| Frank Howard | WS2 | AL | 1968 | 23 | 5/15-6/1 6/4-6/6 6/8-6/9 |
.353-20-41 .353-22-47 .341-22-47 |
Carl Yastrzemski (a) Carl Yastrzemski (a) Carl Yastrzemski (a) |
Howard hit 10 HR in 6 games May 12-18. |
| Brant Alyea | MIN | AL | 1970 | 4 | 4/7-4/8 4/15 4/19 |
1.000-2-7 .600-3-11 .458-4-16 |
||
| Hank Aaron | ATL | NL | 1970 | 2 | 4/10-4/11 | .500-2-8 | ||
| Tony Perez | CIN | NL | 1970 | 15 | 4/19-5/1 7/2 7/17 |
.450-10-27 .365-27-83 .359-30-93 |
Rico Carty (a) Rico Carty (a) Rico Carty (a) |
|
| Bobby Darwin | MIN | AL | 1972 | 11 | 4/19-4/25 4/30-5/5 |
.455-4-11 .395-6-19 |
. Steve Braun (a) |
|
| Dick Allen | CHA | AL | 1972 | 10 | 8/27-9/4 9/8 |
.317-32-92 .317-33-102 |
Rod Carew (a) Rod Carew (a) |
Allen hit .217 after the 8th and finished 9 points behind Carew. |
| Carlton Fisk | BOS | AL | 1973 | 1 | 4/7 | .750-2-6 | ||
| Cleon Jones | NYN | NL | 1973 | 1 | 4/6 | 1.000-2-3 | ||
| Reggie Jackson | OAK | AL | 1974 | 1 | 5/12 | .385-11-30 | Rod Carew (a) | |
| Gary Carter | MON | NL | 1975 | 1 | 4/7 | .750-1-4 | ||
| Hank Aaron | MIL | AL | 1976 | 1 | 4/8 | .666-0-3 | Yankees-Brewers was the only AL game on Opening Day. | |
| Jim Spencer | CHA | AL | 1976 | 1 | 4/9 | 1.000-1-3 | ||
| Ron Cey | LAN | NL | 1977 | 5 | 4/25-4/28 4/30 |
.448-8-27 .424-9-29 |
. Ted Simmons (a) |
|
| Craig Reynolds | SEA | AL | 1978 | 1 | 4/5 | .750-1-2 | ||
| Jim Rice | BOS | AL | 1978 | 1 | 5/9 | .379-10-34 | Rod Carew (a) | Rice finished 18 points behind Carew. |
| Joe Morgan | CIN | NL | 1978 | 1 | 4/6 | .750-1-5 | ||
| Rick Monday | LAN | NL | 1978 | 7 | 4/19-4/21 4/23-4/24 5/24-5/25 |
.409-7-16 .380-8-19 .344-11-33 |
. . J. Morgan (r) & J. Burroughs (a) |
|
| Richie Hebner | NYN | NL | 1979 | 1 | 4/5 | .800-1-4 | ||
| John Mayberry | TOR | AL | 1980 | 1 | 4/9 | .800-2-3 | ||
| Keith Moreland | CHN | NL | 1982 | 1 | 4/5 | .750-1-2 | ||
| George Brett | KCA | AL | 1983 | 1 | 4/26 | .481-5-19 | ||
| Eddie Milner | CIN | NL | 1984 | 2 | 4/2-4/3 | .750-1-3 | ||
| Mike Marshall | LAN | NL | 1984 | 1 | 4/5 | .500-1-6 | ||
| Pete Rose | CIN | NL | 1985 | 1 | 4/8 | .666-0-3 | ||
| Dale Murphy | ATL | NL | 1985 | 25 | 4/11 4/13-4/29 5/1-5/8 |
.625-1-5 .394-9-27 .364-10-32 |
. . Tom Herr (a) |
|
| Kirk Gibson | DET | AL | 1986 | 2 | 4/7 4/9 |
1.000-2-5 .777-2-6 |
||
| Dave Parker | CIN | NL | 1986 | 1 | 4/15 | .480-4-9 | ||
| Eric Davis | CIN | NL | 1987 | 9 | 4/6 5/3-5/8 5/10-5/11 |
1.000-1-2 .390-12-29 .381-14-36 |
. Andre Dawson (r) Jeffrey Leonard (a) |
|
| George Bell | TOR | AL | 1988 | 1 | 4/6 | .888-3-5 | ||
| Kal Daniels | CIN | NL | 1988 | 4 | 4/9-4/12 | .481-4-12 | ||
| Bobby Bonilla | PIT | NL | 1988 | 1 | 5/31 | .342-13-43 | Rafael Palmeiro (a) | |
| Von Hayes | PHI | NL | 1989 | 3 | 4/10 4/12-4/13 |
.571-3-10 .538-4-12 |
||
| Sam Horn | BAL | AL | 1990 | 1 | 4/11 | .666-2-6 | ||
| Sammy Sosa | CHA | AL | 1991 | 1 | 4/8 | .750-2-5 | ||
| Dave Henderson | OAK | AL | 1991 | 2 | 5/11-5/12 | .360-9-26 | Wally Joyner (a) | |
| Gary Sheffield | SDN | NL | 1992 | 2 | 8/22-8/23 | .338-27-87 | McGriff (h) & Daulton (r) | |
| Barry Bonds | SFN | NL | 1993 | 3 | 4/25 4/29 5/2 |
.414-5-18 .420-7-24 .425-8-28 |
. . Matt Williams (h) |
|
| Dante Bichette | COL | NL | 1994 | 4 | 4/11 4/14-4/16 |
.500-5-11 .487-6-16 |
||
| Raul Mondesi | LAN | NL | 1995 | 1 | 4/25 | .750-2-4 | ||
| Matt Williams | SFN | NL | 1995 | 15 | 5/27-6/10 | .380-13-35 | Reggie Sanders (r) | Williams broke a bone in his foot June 3 and missed 2-1/2 months. |
| Sandy Alomar | CLE | AL | 1997 | 1 | 4/15 | .564-6-14 | ||
| Larry Walker | COL | NL | 1997 | 31 | 4/10 4/12 4/14-4/27 5/4-5/9 5/12-5/20 |
.471-6-13 .472-7-15 .469-10-26 .416-13-37 .412-14-43 |
. . . Jeff Blauser (a) Jeff Bagwell (h) |
|
| Chipper Jones | ATL | NL | 1998 | 2 | 4/20-4/21 | .410-9-26 | ||
| Vladimir Guerrero | MON | NL | 2000 | 5 | 4/5 4/7 4/14-4/15 4/21 |
.667-2-5 .588-3-8 .500-5-14 .440-7-23 |
||
| Shannon Stewart | TOR | AL | 2001 | 1 | 4/1 | .600-1-2 | ||
| Manny Ramirez | BOS | AL | 2001 | 1 | 6/3 | .380-18-60 | Bret Boone (r) | |
| Barry Bonds | SFN | NL | 2002 | 3 | 4/3-4/5 | .636-5-11 | ||
| Alfonso Soriano | NYA | AL | 2003 | 1 | 4/27 | .387-9-25 | ||
| Reggie Sanders | PIT | NL | 2003 | 1 | 4/5 | .571-4-11 | ||
| Dmitri Young | DET | AL | 2005 | 1 | 4/4 | 1.000-3-5 | ||
| Derrek Lee | CHN | NL | 2005 | 25 | 4/27-4/28 4/30 5/2-5/7 5/29 5/31-6/5 6/14-6/17 6/21 7/19-7/22 |
.430-7-27 .419-7-28 .406-9-32 .366-16-46 .385-17-52 .385-18-57 .390-20-60 .370-31-79 |
. Clint Barmes (a) Clint Barmes (a) Miguel Cabrera (a) Carlos Lee (r) Andruw Jones (h) & C. Lee (r) Andruw Jones (h) & C. Lee (r) Carlos Lee (r) |
|
| Chris Shelton | DET | AL | 2006 | 6 | 4/8 4/12 4/14 4/18 4/20-4/21 |
.700-5-9 .500-6-12 .512-7-15 .455-9-17 .406-9-18 |
||
| Albert Pujols | SLN | NL | 2006 | 1 | 4/3 | 1.000-2-4 | ||
| Miguel Cabrera | FLO | NL | 2007 | 3 | 4/4-4/5 4/9 |
.700-2-6 .500-3-11 |
||
| A.J. Pierzynski | CHA | AL | 2008 | 2 | 4/4-4/5 | .529-2-7 | ||
| Josh Hamilton | TEX | AL | 2008 | 2 | 5/22 6/2 |
.335-12-53 .330-16-65 |
Joe Mauer (a) Hideki Matsui (a) |
|
| Chipper Jones | ATL | NL | 2008 | 1 | 4/18 | .454-6-18 | ||
| Vernon Wells | TOR | AL | 2010 | 1 | 4/7 | .714-3-6 | ||
| Miguel Cabrera | DET | AL | 2010 | 1 | 7/6 | .343-21-73 | Jose Bautista (h) | |
| Andre Ethier | LAN | NL | 2010 | 12 | 5/7-5/18 | .392-11-38 | Kelly Johnson (h) | |
| J.P. Arencibia | TOR | AL | 2011 | 1 | 4/1 | .750-2-5 | ||
| David Freese | SLN | NL | 2012 | 1 | 4/4 | .600-0-2 | Cardinals-Marlins was the only NL game on Opening Day. | |
| Josh Hamilton | TEX | AL | 2012 | 17 | 4/17 5/2 5/8-5/22 |
.413-5-11 .395-9-25 .376-18-48 |
. Derek Jeter (a) Paul Konerko (a) |
|
| Matt Kemp | LAN | NL | 2012 | 9 | 4/21-4/26 4/28-4/30 |
.449-10-23 .417-12-25 |
Andre Ethier (r) | |
| Miguel Cabrera | DET | AL | 2012 | 7 | 9/22-9/23 9/29-end |
.331-42-133 .330-44-139 |
Josh Hamilton (h) | |
| Chris Davis | BAL | AL | 2013 | 3 | 4/5-4/6 4/21 |
.556-4-17 .403-7-21 |
||
| Scott Van Slyke | LAN | NL | 2014 | 1 | 3/22 | .667-1-2 | Dodgers-Diamondbacks was the first series of the season. | |
| Nolan Arenado | COL | NL | 2015 | 1 | 4/6 | .750-1-4 | ||
| Adrian Gonzalez | LAN | NL | 2015 | 3 | 4/8-4/9 4/18 |
.769-5-7 .523-5-14 |
||
| Nelson Cruz | SEA | AL | 2015 | 3 | 5/15 5/20-5/21 |
.358-15-30 .351-16-33 |
Jose Iglesias (a) Kendrys Morales (r) |
|
| Mark Trumbo | BAL | AL | 2016 | 2 | 4/17-4/18 | .386-5-11 |
* Only includes days in which at least one league game was played.
** Player must have met the minimum league standards for plate appearances per team game to qualify, as described here.
The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at www.retrosheet.org.
Originally posted May 13, 2012 | 7:37 a.m.
