Don't heckle me for being too young but while listening to ESPN radio one of the guests was discussing Ted Williams and the things he might have achieved if not for having to serve the country in two wars. One thing he did mention was that in "Ted's time" a sacrifice fly counted as an at bat for the batter. When did this change and did they go back and adjust his batting averages and things like that?

Thanks

Well, youngster...

I found some info at this website...it's not mentioned here, but I presume they didn't change any stats retroactively when they changed the sac fly rule.

Baseball Library.com - Baseball Rules Chronology

1908
The sacrifice fly rule is adopted, exempting the batter from an at-bat when a run scores after a catch.

1926
The sacrifice fly rule is amended to exempt a batter from an at-bat when a runner advances from first to second or second to third as well as on scoring.

1931
The sacrifice fly is eliminated.

1939
A batter is credited with a sacrifice fly and not charged with a time at bat if he hits a fly ball that is caught and a runner scores on the catch. This rule lasted only a year.

1940
A batter is no longer credited with a sacrifice fly.

1954
A batter is credited with a sacrifice fly and not charged with a time at bat if he hits a fly ball and the runner scores on the catch.

[ July 15, 2002: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

Thanks for the info, Joe. It was noted that during Ted Williams' great .406 season in 1941, sac flies were counted as outs. If the 12 sac flies he hit that season were excluded as at-bats, Williams' season average would have been an even more astonishing .417!

Thanks alot for the info. I appreciate it. One would think that MLB might go back and adjust some of the stats for sacrifice flies.