Designated hitter (baseball)
The designated hitter (DH) in baseball is a rule that allows a player to bat in place of the pitcher, traditionally considered a weaker hitter. This concept emerged in the 1920s but was formally adopted by the American League (AL) in 1973 to enhance offensive performance amid declining fan interest and low batting averages. The change aimed to address the AL's struggles, including a significant attendance gap compared to the National League (NL). The introduction of the DH was met with mixed reactions; while it boosted batting averages and reduced the frequency of shutouts, traditionalists criticized it for removing strategic elements from the game. The rule also allowed aging stars to prolong their careers, contributing to renewed fan engagement during a tumultuous era for baseball. Despite its initial novelty, the designated hitter has become a longstanding point of debate between fans and the two leagues, highlighting differing philosophies on how the game should be played.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Designated hitter (baseball)
Baseball rule that eliminated hitting by pitchers in the American League
Date Instituted in 1973
The substitution of a hitter for the pitcher in the American League was the first fundamental change in baseball regulations since the late nineteenth century.
The idea of replacing the usually weak-hitting pitcher with a permanent pinch hitter had been occasionally proposed since the 1920’s. Longtime Hall of Fame manager Connie Mack once wryly stated that it would take away the fans’ chance to boo four times a game. After experimentation in the minor leagues, the American League (AL) unilaterally adopted the designated hitter rule beginning with the 1973 season.
The designated hitter was part of a general strategy by major-league baseball to bolster offense. Shutouts were rampant, and in 1968, when Carl Yastrzemski won the AL batting championship with a .301 average, he was the only player in the league to hit over .300. Both leagues responded by lowering pitching mounds and shrinking the strike zone.
For the AL, the change was particularly desirable. It repeatedly lost the annual All-Star Game to the National League (NL), whose teams also seemed to develop the brightest stars in the game. The American League lagged behind the National League in most offensive categories, and in 1972 AL attendance was 26 percent less than for the rival league. The AL team owners saw the designated hitter as a desperate measure to retain fan interest.
Traditionalists hated the rule. They denounced the removal of strategy from the game and the use of less-rounded players. The National League, with generally newer ballparks and higher revenues, felt more secure. The American League thus acted alone, and on April 6, 1973, Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees walked with the bases loaded in Boston. He was the first designated hitter in major-league history.
The effect of the designated hitter on attendance and offense in the American League was positive. Batting average rose from .239 in 1972 to .259 the next year and increased to .269 by the end of the 1970’s. Fans liked that pitchers stayed in the game longer, but the number of shutouts declined. The AL also benefited since the designated hitter extended the careers of popular but aging players such as Orlando Cepeda, Harmon Killebrew, Frank Robinson, and Hank Aaron.
Impact
Amid the disturbing labor turmoil and free agency in baseball in the 1970’s, the adoption of the designated hitter provoked renewed interest and crucial revenue for AL teams. The novelty wore off by the end of the 1970’s, but the designated hitter rule was and remains a source of healthy contention between the two leagues and among baseball fans.
Bibliography
Pepe, Phil. Talkin’ Baseball: An Oral History of Baseball in the 1970’s. New York: Ballantine Books, 1998.
Preston, Joseph G. Major League Baseball in the 1970’s: A Modern Game Emerges. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2004.