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Double (baseball)




Typically, a double is a well-hit ball into the Outfield that finds the "gap" between the Center Fielder and one of the corner outfielders, or bounces off the outfield wall and down into the field of play or is hit up one of the two foul lines. To hit many doubles, one must have decent hitting skill and power; it helps to also run well enough to beat an outfield throw.

Doubles typically drive in Run s from Third Base , second base, and even from First Base at times. When Total Base s and Slugging Percentage s are calculated, the number two is used for the calculation. The all time leader in double hits is Tris Speaker with 793.

A two-base hit awarded by an umpire when a batted ball is hit fairly and bounces out of play is referred to as an automatic double. The batter is awarded second base and any runners advance two bases from the base they occupied at the time of the pitch. Prior to 1931 , such hits were considered as Home Run s.

A two-base hit awarded because the batter hit into a special situation defined in the ground rules is a ground rule double. An example of this occurs where the rules of Wrigley Field (Chicago, Illinois) award a ground rule double if a batted ball hangs in the vines on the outfield bleacher wall.


DOUBLE LEADERS IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL



Career


# Tris Speaker - 792
# Pete Rose - 746
# Stan Musial - 725
# Ty Cobb - 724
# George Brett - 665


Season


# Earl Webb ( 1931 ) - 67
# George Burns ( 1926 ) - 64
# Joe Medwick ( 1936 ) - 64
# Hank Greenberg ( 1934 ) - 63
# Paul Waner ( 1932 ) - 62