# Oldest MLB player to hit a .300+ batting average for the season? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 31, 2016, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-mlb-player-to-hit-a-300-batting-average-for-the-season/770232 "2016-10-31T04:00:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-mlb-player-to-hit-a-300-batting-average-for-the-season/770232/1 "2016-10-31T04:00:04Z")
Minimum of 100 at bats . ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-mlb-player-to-hit-a-300-batting-average-for-the-season/770232/2 "2016-10-31T04:07:32Z")
The immortal Julio Franco hit .309 in 2004 for the Braves. He turned 46 years old that summer and had 361 at-bats. Not sure if that’s the answer, but it’s hard to imagine that too many people beat that one. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-mlb-player-to-hit-a-300-batting-average-for-the-season/770232/3 "2016-10-31T04:12:57Z")
[Batting leaders by age.](http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/leaders_40_bat.shtml)Only goes to age 43. Age 40 Ty Cobb .357 Age 43 Cap Anson .335 ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-mlb-player-to-hit-a-300-batting-average-for-the-season/770232/4 "2016-11-02T16:13:18Z")
Not exactly the answer to the OP, but we did just see one of the best seasons ever by a hitter 40 years old. David Ortiz, at 40, just led the majors in Slugging%, OPS, doubles, and extra base hits. Second in adjusted OPS+ (according to baseball reference) and fourth in offensive win% (whatever that is). Led the AL in RBIs, too, if you like stats that say more about your teammates that you. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-mlb-player-to-hit-a-300-batting-average-for-the-season/770232/5 "2016-11-03T06:17:54Z")
Also not the answer to the OP, but I remember Paul Molitor’s being the first person (with an unremembered minimum # of at-bats) to become a lifetime .300 hitter only after turning thirty. Later, Barry Bonds would top this feat by reaching a lifetime .300 average only after turning forty. Unfortunately, he failed to retire in time to keep it over. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-mlb-player-to-hit-a-300-batting-average-for-the-season/770232/6 "2016-11-03T13:12:35Z")
While Franco did not technically qualify for the batting title in 2004, c’mon, I think that wins. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-mlb-player-to-hit-a-300-batting-average-for-the-season/770232/7 "2016-11-03T22:13:01Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Batting leaders by age.](http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/leaders_40_bat.shtml)Only goes to age 43. > Age 40 Ty Cobb .357 > > Age 43 Cap Anson .335 Not to mention Stan Musial’s .330 at age 41, and Anson’s .388:eek: at age 42. ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-mlb-player-to-hit-a-300-batting-average-for-the-season/770232/8 "2016-11-03T23:20:13Z")
Baseball Reference has a query function that can tell you a whole lot of stuff like that. Getting the full results requires a paid subscription, but you can find out that only one person hit .300+ in 100+ AB at age\* 44+. Presumably, that was Franco. - More precisely, the age of the player on June 30 of that season. Franco was 45 on 2004-06-30. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-mlb-player-to-hit-a-300-batting-average-for-the-season/770232/9 "2016-11-04T05:17:32Z")
Ted Williams led the American League with .328 in 1958, at the age of 40.