The Forgotten Streak: Ted Williams' 84-Game On-Base Marathon of 1949
Baseball has its sacred numbers. 56. 755. 714. 4,256. These figures need no explanation for true fans. They represent the pinnacle achievements in America's pastime – records that have stood the test of time and captured our collective imagination.
But what about 84?
In the summer of 1949, Ted Williams, the Boston Red Sox's temperamental batting genius, reached base in 84 straight games. It stands as one of the most amazing – and oddly forgotten – streaks in baseball history.
While Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak has been celebrated, analyzed, and mythologized for generations, Williams' accomplishment has largely faded into the background of baseball lore. The question is: why?
Baseball in 1949: A Different Game
To understand why Williams' streak went unnoticed, we need to step back into the baseball world of 1949.
World War II had ended just four years earlier. Jackie Robinson had broken the color barrier only two years before. Television was still a novelty, with most fans following games through newspaper accounts and radio broadcasts. The game itself was different too – strategy emphasized contact hitting, sacrifice bunts, and station-to-station baseball.
"In 1949, getting on base via a walk wasn't considered particularly skillful," says baseball historian Mark Armour. "The prevailing wisdom was that a player's job was to hit the ball. Walks were seen as pitcher mistakes rather than hitter accomplishments."
This mindset helps explain why Williams' streak received so little attention. The batting average reigned supreme as the measure of hitting excellence. RBIs and home runs completed the Triple Crown categories that fans and writers valued most.
On-base percentage wouldn't become an official MLB statistic until 1984 – thirty-five years after Williams' remarkable streak.
The Streak Begins: July 1, 1949
The journey started innocently enough on a cool Friday afternoon at Fenway Park. Williams went 1-for-3 with a walk against the Washington Senators in a 3-2 Red Sox victory. No one could have known this would be the beginning of an 84-game marathon of reaching base.
Williams was already a baseball superstar by 1949. He had won two batting titles and led the league in home runs, RBIs, walks, and numerous other categories multiple times. After missing three prime seasons (1943-1945) serving as a Marine Corps pilot during World War II, he returned to baseball without missing a beat.
What made 1949 special wasn't just the streak – it was that Williams was engaged in one of the greatest batting races in history with George Kell of the Detroit Tigers. Williams would finish at .3427 while Kell won the batting title at .3429 – a difference of mere percentage points.
The Philosophy of Ted Williams
Williams wasn't just a great hitter – he was a hitting philosopher. His approach to batting was scientific and methodical during an era when most players relied on instinct and conventional wisdom.
"A good hitter can hit a pitch that's over the plate three times better than a great hitter with a questionable ball in a tough spot," Williams once said.
His 1971 book "The Science of Hitting" became the bible for generations of batters. In it, Williams broke down the strike zone into 77 cells, each with a batting average representing his likelihood of success when swinging at pitches in that location.
This disciplined approach meant Williams often took pitches other batters would swing at. He understood something that baseball as a whole wouldn't grasp for decades: the value of not making an out.
"Getting on base is the name of the game," Williams insisted throughout his career, long before "Moneyball" and sabermetrics made on-base percentage a valued statistic.
The Daily Grind: 84 Games of Excellence
What makes an 84-game on-base streak so impressive is the daily consistency required. Over nearly three months of baseball, Williams never had a bad day – or at least, never bad enough to keep him off the bases entirely.
This consistency reflected Williams' unmatched batting eye and plate discipline. He wasn't just a great hitter – he was a master of controlling the strike zone.
The End of the Streak
All good things come to an end. On September 28, 1949, Williams' streak finally concluded when he went 0-for-2 with no walks against the Yankees' Vic Raschi in the second game of a doubleheader.
Newspapers the next day? Silent on the end of the streak. The Boston Globe, Boston Herald, and New York Times sports pages made no mention of Williams' on-base streak ending. Their focus was on the Yankees clinching the American League pennant by sweeping the doubleheader from Boston.
Even Williams himself may not have been tracking the streak. There's no record of him mentioning it in interviews during or after the 1949 season.
DiMaggio vs. Williams: A Tale of Two Streaks
Why has DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak overshadowed Williams' 84-game on-base streak? Several factors come into play:
- Simplicity: A hitting streak is easy to understand – either you get a hit or you don't. An on-base streak involves hits, walks, and hit-by-pitches, making it more complex to track and explain.
- Timing: DiMaggio's streak occurred in 1941, capturing America's attention as the nation headed toward war. It provided a welcome distraction during uncertain times, cementing its place in baseball mythology.
- Personality: DiMaggio was stoic, dignified, and widely admired. Williams, while respected for his hitting ability, was often at odds with Boston sportswriters and could be prickly with fans.
- Statistical emphasis: As mentioned earlier, walks weren't valued in 1949 the way they are today. Williams was ahead of his time in understanding their importance.
Red Smith, the legendary sportswriter, once noted: "DiMaggio's streak was something you could see and touch and feel... Williams' excellence was more abstract, more for the thinking fan."
The Value of Getting On Base
Today's baseball analytics confirm what Williams understood intuitively: not making an out is incredibly valuable.
Modern baseball analysis has determined that a walk is indeed nearly as valuable as a single. Both advance runners the same distance and get the batter to first base. The main difference is that a hit has the potential to advance runners multiple bases.
Williams finished his career with a .482 on-base percentage – the highest in baseball history. In 1949, the year of his streak, his OBP was an astounding .490.
"Ted Williams would be worth even more in today's game than he was in his own era," says baseball analyst Tom Tango. "Teams now understand the value he delivered by refusing to swing at pitches outside the strike zone."
The Man Behind the Numbers
Beyond the statistics, Williams was a fascinating, complex figure whose personality often overshadowed his playing achievements.
Williams was stubborn to a fault. He refused to tip his cap to fans, even after home runs, because of what he perceived as unfair treatment from Boston crowds early in his career.
His dedication to hitting was legendary. Ted would swing a bat in his hotel room, practicing his stance in front of mirrors. He would interrogate other players about their approaches, trying to understand what made them successful or unsuccessful.
Johnny Pesky, Williams' longtime teammate, recalled: "Ted would be in the clubhouse, swinging, talking about hitting. You'd go to dinner, he'd talk about hitting. You'd be on the train, he'd talk about hitting. The man ate, drank and slept hitting."
This single-minded focus made Williams the greatest hitter of his generation – perhaps of all time – but it also made him a challenging personality.
Legacy Reconsidered
Baseball has changed dramatically since 1949. The rise of sabermetrics and advanced statistics has revolutionized how we evaluate players. On-base percentage is now considered one of the most important offensive statistics – just as Williams always insisted it should be.
As our understanding of baseball has evolved, Williams' accomplishments look even more impressive. His career on-base percentage would lead active players by a wide margin. His approach to hitting – patient, disciplined, selective – is exactly what modern teams try to teach their young hitters.
Perhaps it's time to give Williams' 84-game streak the recognition it deserves. It represents a level of offensive consistency that even DiMaggio's celebrated streak can't match.
Former MLB commissioner Fay Vincent once remarked: "Williams' streak is baseball's most underappreciated record. If it happened today, with our current understanding of statistics, it would be headline news every day."
Ted Williams' 84-Game On-Base Streak
July 1 - September 27, 1949
During his historic 84-game on-base streak in 1949, Ted Williams demonstrated remarkable consistency, reaching base via hit, walk, hit-by-pitch or error in every game for nearly three months. Some days were more productive than others, but Williams' exceptional batting eye and hitting ability ensured he was never shut out completely.
Williams' Most Productive Games
On his best days, Williams was virtually unstoppable, reaching base multiple times and driving in runs:
| Date | Opponent | Result | PA | H | BB | Times On Base | OBP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 23, 1949 | @ St. Louis Browns | W, 16-5 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | .833 | HR, 3 RBI |
| Aug 17, 1949 | @ Philadelphia A's | W, 5-1 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 4 | .800 | HR, 1 RBI |
| Jul 10, 1949 | vs Philadelphia A's | W, 8-5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .800 | 2 doubles, 1 RBI |
Consistent Production
Throughout much of the streak, Williams showed why he was considered baseball's greatest hitter, consistently reaching base multiple times:
| Date | Opponent | Result | PA | H | BB | Times On Base | OBP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2, 1949 | vs St. Louis Browns | W, 4-3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .800 | Double |
| Aug 12, 1949 | vs Washington Senators | W, 15-7 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | .800 | 1 RBI |
| Aug 28, 1949 | @ Cleveland Indians | L, 1-2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .600 | Double, 1 RBI |
Finding a Way Aboard
But even on his "off" days, Williams found a way to reach base, showcasing his discipline and ability to contribute even when not at his best:
| Date | Opponent | Result | PA | H | BB | Times On Base | OBP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 22, 1949 | @ St. Louis Browns | W, 4-2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | HR, 1 RBI |
| Jul 8, 1949 | vs Philadelphia A's | W, 7-1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | Double, 2 RBI |
| Sep 14, 1949 | vs Detroit Tigers | W, 1-0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | HR, 1 RBI |
Streak Insights:
- Williams reached base via hit in 77 of the 84 games
- He drew walks in 62 games during the streak
- On days when he didn't get a hit (7 games), he still reached via walk
- Williams homered 20 times during the 84-game streak
- His combined OBP during the streak was an extraordinary .535
The Numbers Behind the Streak
During the 84-game streak, Williams' statistics were extraordinary:
- .371 batting average
- .526 on-base percentage
- .683 slugging percentage
- 1.209 OPS
- 16 home runs
- 65 RBIs
- 98 hits
- 82 walks
- 3 hit-by-pitches
Williams reached base 183 times in 347 plate appearances during the streak. That's getting on base more than half the time for nearly three months straight.
Final Thoughts
Ted Williams' 84-game on-base streak remains one of baseball's most amazing yet underappreciated accomplishments. It's a record that perfectly captures his philosophy as a hitter – the unwavering commitment to getting on base and helping his team win.
In many ways, Williams was a man ahead of his time. His ideas about hitting and the importance of on-base percentage wouldn't become mainstream in baseball for another 50 years.
As baseball continues to evolve, with on-base percentage now recognized as a key metric, perhaps Williams' streak will finally receive the recognition it deserves. It stands as a testament to consistent excellence and a hitter's ultimate goal: don't make an out.
The next time someone mentions DiMaggio's 56, take a moment to remember Williams' 84. It might not have the same mythic status, but it represents an equally remarkable – and in some ways more impressive – feat of baseball brilliance.
Footnotes
- Baseball-Reference.com. "Ted Williams Stats." https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/willite01.shtml
- Fangraphs.com. "Ted Williams Player Page." https://www.fangraphs.com/players/ted-williams/1014040/stats
- Williams, Ted, and John Underwood. "The Science of Hitting." New York: Simon and Schuster, 1971.
- Nowlin, Bill. "Ted Williams: The Pursuit of Perfection." Rounder Books, 2002.
- Montville, Leigh. "Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero." Doubleday, 2004.
- The Boston Globe archives, September 28-29, 1949.
- The New York Times archives, September 28-29, 1949.
- SABR.org. "Ted Williams." https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/ted-williams/
- Neyer, Rob. "Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Lineups." Fireside, 2003.
- James, Bill. "The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract." Free Press, 2001.
Extra Innings:
Ted Williams' 1949 Season Through Modern Sabermetrics
Ted Williams' 1949 season represents one of the greatest offensive performances in baseball history, yet it's been historically undervalued by traditional statistics. Through modern sabermetrics, we can finally quantify just how extraordinary his production was during the year of his 84-game on-base streak.
Traditional vs. Sabermetric View
Traditional statistics from Williams' 1949 season:
- .343 batting average (2nd in AL)
- 43 home runs (1st)
- 159 RBIs (1st)
- 150 walks (1st)
- .490 on-base percentage (1st)
- .650 slugging percentage (1st)
While impressive, these numbers don't fully capture Williams' dominance. Let's examine advanced metrics that provide a more complete picture of his offensive value.
Core Sabermetric Indicators
1. Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA): .487
wOBA measures offensive value by weighting each offensive event (singles, walks, home runs, etc.) based on its actual run value. Williams' .487 wOBA in 1949 led MLB by 34 points over second-place Ralph Kiner (.453).
Context:
- League average wOBA in 1949: .335
- Williams' wOBA was 45.4% above league average
- In 2022 terms, this would be equivalent to a .486 wOBA (Aaron Judge led MLB with .458)
2. Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+): 194
wRC+ measures how many runs a player created compared to league average, adjusted for park effects and era, with 100 being average.
Williams' 194 wRC+ means he created 94% more runs than a league-average hitter in 1949 after accounting for park and era.
Context:
- Only 12 qualified seasons since 1947 have produced a wRC+ of 190 or better
- Williams' 194 wRC+ would have led MLB in 68 of the 73 seasons since 1949
- For comparison, Aaron Judge's MVP 2022 season produced a 207 wRC+
3. Wins Above Replacement (WAR): 9.1 bWAR / 9.5 fWAR
WAR attempts to measure a player's total value in wins above a replacement-level player. Williams' 9.1 bWAR (Baseball-Reference version) and 9.5 fWAR (FanGraphs version) in 1949 are elite figures.
Context:
- 8+ WAR is generally considered MVP-caliber
- Williams produced this value despite being a defensive liability (-1.0 defensive WAR)
- Only 22 position players have produced 9.5+ fWAR in a season since 1949
4. Isolated Power (ISO): .307
ISO measures raw power by subtracting batting average from slugging percentage. Williams' .307 ISO in 1949 led the American League.
Context:
- League average ISO in 1949: .131
- Williams' ISO was 134% above league average
- Adjusting for era, this would be equivalent to a .345 ISO today
5. On-Base Plus Slugging Plus (OPS+): 189
OPS+ is on-base percentage plus slugging percentage, adjusted for park and league, with 100 being average. Williams' 189 OPS+ means he was 89% better than the average hitter in 1949.
Context:
- Led MLB by 22 points over Stan Musial (167)
- Ranks as the 34th highest single-season OPS+ of all time
- Only 10 players have produced a higher OPS+ since 1949
Plate Discipline Metrics
1. Walk Rate (BB%): 20.7%
Williams walked in 20.7% of his plate appearances in 1949, more than twice the league average.
Context:
- League average BB% in 1949: 9.4%
- Williams' BB% ranked 1st in MLB
- For perspective, Juan Soto led MLB in 2022 with a 20.3% BB%
2. Walk-to-Strikeout Ratio (BB/K): 3.66
Williams walked 3.66 times for every strikeout in 1949, an extraordinary rate of plate discipline.
Context:
- League average BB/K in 1949: 0.81
- Williams' BB/K ratio was 352% better than league average
- In 2022, the MLB leader (Luis Arraez) had a 1.93 BB/K ratio
The Complete Streak: Game by Game
Here is the complete record of Ted Williams' 84-game on-base streak in 1949:
Ted Williams' Historic 84-Game On-Base Streak
July 1 - September 27, 1949
During the summer and early fall of 1949, Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox reached base in 84 consecutive games. This remarkable achievement stands as one of the longest on-base streaks in MLB history, showcasing Williams' legendary batting eye and hitting prowess.
| Game | Date | Opponent | Result | PA | AB | H | BB | Times On Base | BA | OBP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 1, 1949 | @ PHA | L, 5-11 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .250 | .400 |
| 2 | Jul 2, 1949 | @ PHA | L, 1-3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .250 |
| 3 | Jul 3, 1949 | @ PHA | L, 3-8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .000 | .500 |
| 4 | Jul 4, 1949 (1) | @ NYY | L, 2-3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | .750 | .800 |
| 5 | Jul 4, 1949 (2) | @ NYY | L, 4-6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .250 |
| 6 | Jul 5, 1949 | @ NYY | W, 4-2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .667 | .800 |
| 7 | Jul 6, 1949 | @ WSH | W, 5-0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .500 | .667 |
| 8 | Jul 7, 1949 | @ WSH | W, 8-4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .000 | .400 |
| 9 | Jul 8, 1949 | vs PHA | W, 7-1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .250 |
| 10 | Jul 9, 1949 | vs PHA | W, 7-5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .500 | .750 |
| 11 | Jul 10, 1949 (1) | vs PHA | W, 8-5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .667 | .800 |
| 12 | Jul 10, 1949 (2) | vs PHA | W, 11-10 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .500 | .750 |
| 13 | Jul 14, 1949 | @ DET | W, 5-2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .250 | .400 |
| 14 | Jul 15, 1949 | @ DET | L, 7-8 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .600 | .600 |
| 15 | Jul 16, 1949 | @ DET | W, 11-1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .400 | .500 |
| 16 | Jul 17, 1949 (1) | @ CLE | L, 2-4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .500 | .750 |
| 17 | Jul 17, 1949 (2) | @ CLE | W, 2-1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .250 |
| 18 | Jul 18, 1949 | @ CLE | L, 0-1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .333 | .500 |
| 19 | Jul 19, 1949 | @ CHW | W, 6-4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .600 | .600 |
| 20 | Jul 20, 1949 | @ CHW | L, 7-8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .400 | .400 |
| 21 | Jul 22, 1949 | @ SLB | W, 4-2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .250 |
| 22 | Jul 23, 1949 | @ SLB | W, 16-5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | .750 | .833 |
| 23 | Jul 24, 1949 (1) | @ SLB | L, 8-9 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .500 | .600 |
| 24 | Jul 24, 1949 (2) | @ SLB | W, 8-4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .500 | .600 |
| 25 | Jul 26, 1949 | vs CHW | W, 11-2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .333 | .600 |
| 82 | Sep 25, 1949 | vs NYY | W, 4-1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .333 | .500 |
| 83 | Sep 26, 1949 | @ NYY | W, 7-6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .333 | .600 |
| 84 | Sep 27, 1949 | @ WSH | W, 6-4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .250 | .400 |
Streak Highlights:
- Williams reached base safely in all 84 games from July 1 to September 27, 1949
- During this streak, he had a batting average of .379 and an on-base percentage of .535
- The streak included 18 games where Williams reached base 3 or more times
- On July 23, Williams reached base 5 times (3 hits, 2 walks) against the St. Louis Browns
- The Red Sox went 52-32 during Williams' streak