1976 Hostess #100 - Bill Madlock

• That is a nice looking lifetime batting average. The average would drop as the  years went by, but Bill Madlock still retired with a .305 average in a 15-year career
• Bill had a great start to his career. He finished a distant third in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 1974,  but he avoided the sophomore jinx by winning the first of four NL batting titles in 1975.
• Madlock had an eventful 1976 season. He made the headlines in early May when he took exception to  being hit by a pitch by San Francisco's Jim Barr. Barr had been warned by umpires earlier in the game after some inside pitches to Jose Cardenal. Madlock and Barr brawled and Madlock managed to land a right hook to Barr. Oddly, even after Barr had been warned, he was allowed to stay in the game while Madlock was ejected.
• Bill was in contention for a second straight batting title in 1976, but he was quoted in August as saying his chances weren't very good because there were too many good hitters in the league.
• On the last day of the season Ken Griffey was leading the batting race with a .338 average while Madlock had a .333 average. Griffey was not in the lineup for the final game. After Madlock went 4 for 4, Griffey was inserted into his game but struck out twice. Madlock won the title with a .339 average, three points ahead of Griffey's .336 average.
• Before peak, peak, or after peak? peak