In 1957 Bob Hazle hit .403: 54 for 134. Fewest hits (>=50) and .400 BA.

Bob Hazle

Positions: Rightfielder and Pinch Hitter

Bats: Left  •  Throws: Right

6-0, 190lb (183cm, 86kg)

Born: December 9, 1930 in Laurens, SC us

Died: April 25, 1992 (Aged 61-138d) in Columbia, SC

Another way of putting it: most Hits for a non qualifier.

One hot month did it. See at the bottom of this post.

https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/hO8F7

For single seasons, since 1903, Playing in the AL or NL, in the regular season, requiring Batting Average >= .400 and Hits >= 50, sorted by descending Adjusted OPS+.

Rk	Player	OPS+	BA	H	Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	1B	2B	3B	HR	OBP	SLG	OPS
1	Ted Williams	235	.406	185	1941	22	BOS	AL	143	606	456	135	112	33	3	37	.553	.735	1.287
2	Rogers Hornsby	222	.424	227	1924	28	STL	NL	143	642	536	121	145	43	14	25	.507	.696	1.203
3	Rogers Hornsby	210	.403	203	1925	29	STL	NL	138	606	504	133	113	41	10	39	.489	.756	1.245
4	Bob Hazle	209	.403	54	1957	26	MLN	NL	41	155	134	26	35	12	0	7	.477	.649	1.126
5	Rogers Hornsby	207	.401	250	1922	26	STL	NL	154	704	623	141	148	46	14	42	.459	.722	1.181
6	Ty Cobb	200	.409	226	1912	25	DET	AL	140	610	553	119	166	30	23	7	.456	.584	1.040
7	Ty Cobb	196	.419	248	1911	24	DET	AL	146	656	592	148	169	47	24	8	.466	.620	1.086
8	Harry Heilmann	194	.403	211	1923	28	DET	AL	144	627	524	121	138	44	11	18	.481	.632	1.113
9	Joe Jackson	193	.408	233	1911	23	CLE	AL	147	641	571	126	162	45	19	7	.468	.590	1.058
10	George Sisler	181	.407	257	1920	27	SLB	AL	154	692	631	137	171	49	18	19	.449	.632	1.082
11	George Sisler	170	.420	246	1922	29	SLB	AL	142	655	586	134	178	42	18	8	.467	.594	1.061
12	Ty Cobb	169	.401	211	1922	35	DET	AL	137	613	526	99	149	42	16	4	.462	.565	1.026
13	Bill Terry	158	.401	254	1930	31	NYG	NL	154	710	633	139	177	39	15	23	.452	.619	1.071

Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 6/14/2026.

I was fiddling with .400 BA, looking for the lowest OPS+. Initially I searched on 500 At Bats (AB). Then 450. Then 400 AB.

I switched to Hits, the other number in the simple equation: Hits/AB. I've often thought that Hits should be the qualifier, not AB. Getting a lot of Hits on fewer AB seems more impressive.

So I started lowering Hits. Many times. Finally, 50 Hits produced a new .400 hitter.

Among the expected .400 hitters, Ted Williams was the only one with fewer than 200 Hits: 185.

Bob Hazle had a short career:

Season	Age	Team	Lg	WAR	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
1955	24	CIN	NL	0.2	6	13	13	0	3	0	0	0	0	.231	.231	.231	.462	21
1957	26	MLN	NL	1.8	41	155	134	26	54	12	0	7	27	.403	.477	.649	1.126	209
1958	27	2TM	2LG	-0.5	63	129	114	11	24	2	0	2	10	.211	.302	.281	.583	60
1958	27	MLN	NL	-0.2	20	66	56	6	10	0	0	0	5	.179	.303	.179	.482	37
1958	27	DET	AL	-0.3	43	63	58	5	14	2	0	2	5	.241	.302	.379	.681	81
3 Yr	3 Yr	3 Yr	3 Yr	1.5	110	297	261	37	81	14	0	9	37	.310	.390	.467	.857	134
162	162	162	162	2.2	162	437	384	54	119	21	0	13	54	.310	.390	.467	.857	134
MLN	MLN	MLN	MLN	1.6	61	221	190	32	64	12	0	7	32	.337	.425	.511	.935	158
DET	DET	DET	DET	-0.3	43	63	58	5	14	2	0	2	5	.241	.302	.379	.681	81
CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	0.2	6	13	13	0	3	0	0	0	0	.231	.231	.231	.462	21
NL (	NL (	NL (	NL (	1.8	67	234	203	32	67	12	0	7	32	.330	.414	.493	.906	149
AL (	AL (	AL (	AL (	-0.3	43	63	58	5	14	2	0	2	5	.241	.302	.379	.681	81

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/14/2026.

He played in the 1957 World Series: Braves beat Yankees 4-3.

Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	GIDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
1957	26	MLN	WS	4	14	13	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	.154	.214	.154	.368

His first game in 1957 was July 29: pinch it and sacrificed.

Splits:

I	Split	G	GS	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
	vs RHP	40		149	131	23	53	12	0	6	26	1	3	15	15	.405	.469	.634	1.103
	vs LHP	5		6	3	3	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	3	0	.333	.667	1.333	2.000

I	Split	G	GS	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
	Home	18	17	63	54	6	16	4	0	2	6	0	1	6	6	.296	.377	.481	.859
	Away	23	20	92	80	20	38	8	0	5	21	1	2	12	9	.475	.543	.763	1.306

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/14/2026.

I	Split	G	GS	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
	July	2	1	5	4	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	.250	.250	.500	.750
	August	21	18	79	67	16	33	6	0	5	21	0	2	11	8	.493	.564	.806	1.370
	Sept/Oct	18	18	71	63	10	20	5	0	2	5	1	1	7	7	.317	.394	.492	.886

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/14/2026.