Home Runs per 600 at Bats?

[Badge714]

Has anyone read the late Robert C. McConnell's SABR article about The Home Run Average? FYI - In 1981, McConnell took over the SABR Home Run Log after John Tattersall's death in 1981. SABR published SABR Presents The Home Run Encyclopedia in 1996.

The gist of the article is:

"A meaningful home run average is home runs per 600 at bats (HR/600 AB). Why 600 at bats? A player will chalk up about 600 at bats by playing a reasonably full schedule during a season. Thus, HR/600 AB tells the fan how many home runs the player would have hit if he had played a full season."

The following tables illustrate the use of this home run average:

TOP LIFETIME HOME RUN AVERAGES

Player	HR	AVE.		Player	HR	AVE.
Babe Ruth	714	51.0		Willie Mays	660	36.4
Harm Killebrew	546	43.7		Hank Sauer	288	36.0
Ralph Kiner	369	42.5		Eddie Mathews	512	36.0
Willie McCovey	413	41.9		Frank Robinson	552	35.5
Ted Williams	521	40.6		Frank Howard	382	35.3
Mickey Mantle	536	39.7		Reggie Jackson	189	34.9
Jimmy Foxx	534	39.4		Richie Allen	287	34.5
Hank Greenberg	331	38.2		Roy Campanella	242	34.5
Henry Aaron	713	37.9		Rocky Colavito	374	34.5
Willie Stargell	321	37.1		Gus Zernial	237	34.4
Lou Gehrig	493	37.0		Dick Stuart	228	34.2
Jim Gentile	179	36.8		Duke Snider	407	34.1

TOP SEASON HOME RUN AVERAGES

Rank	Player and Club	Year	HR	AVE.
1	Babe Ruth, Yankees	1920	54	70.7
2	Babe Ruth, Yankees	1927	60	66.7
3	Babe Ruth, Yankees	1921	59	65.6
4	Mickey Mantle, Yankees	1961	54	63.0
5	Hank Greenberg, Tigers	1938	58	62.6.
6	Roger Mans, Yankees	1961	61	62.0
7	Henry Aaron, Braves	1973	40	61.2
8	Babe Ruth, Yankees	1928	54	60.5
9	Jimmy Foxx, Athletics	1932	58	59.5
10	Ralph Kiner, Pirates	1949	54	59.0
11	Mickey Mantle, Yankees	1956	52	58.5
12	Hack Wilson, Cubs	1930	56	57.4
13	Babe Ruth, Yankees	1926	47	57.0
14	Henry Aaron, Braves	1971	47	57.0
15	Jim Gentile, Orioles	1961	46	56.8
16	Babe Ruth, Yankees	1930	49	56.8
17	Willie Stargell, Pirates	1971	48	56.4
18	Ted Williams, Red Sox	1960	29	56.1
19	Rudy York, Tigers	1937	35	56.0
20	Willie Nays, Giants	1965	52	55.9
21	Babe Ruth, Yankees	1929	46	55.3
22	Boog Powell, Orioles	1964	39	55.2
23	Willie McCovey, Giants	1969	45	55.0
24	Johnny Mize, Yankees	1950	25	54.7
25	Ted Williams, Red Sox	1957	38	54.3

Interesting and I'm not really surprised at the result. These charts were obviously done in the late nineties and do not include the PED players.

[Stolensingle]

These charts were obviously done in the late nineties and do not include the PED players.

Including McGwire, the all-time leader at 56.7 for his career, The only other player I think who is higher than Ruth for his career is Judge, at 51.7, but of course he only has about one season behind him. Bonds has the single season record of 92.0, McGwire second at 82.5. Bonds had one other season with a higher average than Ruth's best, Mac had two. I don't think anyone else bested Ruth.