George Kell, RIP

He won the batting title in 1949 over Ted Williams in one of the closest finishes ever.

Kell played for the Tigers when he and Williams waged one of the closest batting races in baseball history.

"I beat him out, but not many people beat him out," Kell said years later. "That's why it was so fascinating. But it happened."

Kell was always proud of the way it happened. Cleveland pitched Bob Lemon in the finale against Detroit, then brought in future Hall of Famer Bob Feller in relief. Kell was in the on-deck circle in the ninth.

"The manager said he wanted to send a pinch-hitter in for me, but I said, 'I'm not going to sit on a stool and win the batting title,'" Kell told The Associated Press. "What Feller was doing in there in relief on the last day of the season I'll never know. They should have been trying some minor league prospect in there."

The final out was made before Kell had to hit, preserving his slim margin over Williams.