For a guy who won back-to-back batting championships, Ferris Fain is relatively unknown today. Fain took the AL crown in 1951 and 1952 – so he was up against guys like Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra – about as stiff a competition as you can get. Part of his relative obscurity is due to his team, the Philadelphia Athletics, not only being perennial losers but also left town shortly after his run of batting championships. Still, for a brief period in the early 1950s, Ferris Fain was ranked among the great hitters in the game. In 1951, Fain hit .344, a full 18 points against the runner up, Minnie Minoso. The A’s star repeated the feat in 1952 with a .324 average and also led the league with 43 doubles. Unfortunately, Fain liked the nightlife and brawling, both of which had taken such a toll on him that by 1955 he was out of the Majors.

Still for two great summers, Ferris Fain was the best hitter in the American League – and this beautiful 56-ounce, 34-inch sterling silver Louisville Slugger is the proof. The American League Batting Champion Award is a silver replica of a Hillerich & Bradsby bat, its barrel engraved with “BATTING CHAMPION 1951 AMERICAN LEAGUE B.A. .344.” The award shows some light surface scuffs and dings from age and display, but remains clean and bright. The bat is housed in a protective wall-mounted presentation case. Baseball’s ultimate single season batting award from one of baseball’s most overlooked hitters of the 1950’s.

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