Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen, and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.

In cricket, a player's batting average is the total number of runs he has scored divided by the number of times he has been out. Since the number of runs a player scores and how often he gets out are primarily measures of his own playing ability, and largely independent of his team mates, batting average is a good metric for an individual player's skill as a batsman. The number is also simple to interpret intuitively, being approximately the average number of runs the batsman scores per innings. Batting average has been used to gauge cricket players' relative skills since the 18th century.

Most players have career batting averages in the range of 20 to 40. This is also the desirable range for wicket-keepers, though some fall short and make up for it with keeping skill. Until a substantial increase in scores in the 21st century due to improved bats and smaller grounds among other factors, players who sustained an average above 50 through a career were considered exceptional, and before the development of the heavy roller in the 1870s an average of 25 was considered very good.

George Herman Ruth, Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948), best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American baseball player who spent 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) playing for three teams (1914–1935). Known for his hitting brilliance, Ruth set career records for home runs (714), slugging percentage (.690), runs batted in (RBI) (2,217), and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (1.164). Ruth originally entered the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox as a starting pitcher, but after he was sold to the New York Yankees in 1919, he converted to a full time right fielder. He subsequently became one of the league's most prolific hitters and with his home run hitting prowess, he helped the Yankees win seven pennants and four World Series titles. Ruth retired in 1935 after a short stint with the Boston Braves, and the following year, he became one of the first five players to be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ruth was the first player to hit 60 home runs in one season (1927), a mark first eclipsed by Roger Maris in 1961 with 61. Ruth's lifetime record of 714 home runs stood until 1974 when it was surpassed by Hank Aaron. Unlike many power hitters, Ruth also hit for a high batting average: his .342 lifetime average is the tenth highest in baseball history, and in one season (1923) he batted .393, a Yankee record. Ruth dominated the era in which he played. He led the league in home runs during a season twelve times, slugging percentage and OPS thirteen times each, runs scored eight times, and RBIs six times. Each of those totals represents a modern record.

Pablo E. Sandoval (born August 11, 1986), nicknamed Kung Fu Panda, is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. Sandoval is a 5'11", 237 pound switch hitter. He was born left handed, but did not want to have to play outfield all of his career. He therefore taught himself to throw right handed as well. He can still throw with both hands, but throws right handed during games.

Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2002, Sandoval began his professional career as a catcher in 2004 with the AZL Giants, hitting .266 with no home runs and 26 RBIs in 177 at bats.

In 2005, he was used almost entirely as a third baseman while playing for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. He hit .330 with three home runs and 50 RBIs. His batting average slumped in 2006 to .265. He had one home run and 49 RBIs with the Augusta GreenJackets that year, splitting time between first and third base. In 2007, he played for the San Jose Giants, hitting .287 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs. That season, he was used as a catcher and first baseman.

Daniel William "Danny" Wood (born May 14, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and occasional actor. He is also a member of the American boy band New Kids on the Block and also serves as one of the key choreographers.

Wood was born in Boston, Massachusetts. After his work within New Kids On The Block, Wood started to take on acting, and his first film was Thank You, Good Night, a story about four musicians struggling to succeed in their personal and professional lives. He has also worked within Deveria and I-15. He also appeared in Tequila Express.

In 1994, Wood decided to pursue a solo career. He released his first solo album on 22 July 2003. It was called Second Face, all the songs of which were produced by Wood and his friend, Pete Masitti. In 1999 he released an album "Room Full Of Smoke" as D-Fuse, and in 2008 he released Coming Home. Wood operates his own record label called Damage Records. In 2009, Wood decided to release another album this time called Coming Home 2 : This Time to Joey and Heather and on the album are two singles "Just Working Out" and "Breakfast."