On Base Percentage Records

On Base Percentage Records

Baseball Almanac invites you to examine Major League records for on base percentage. Research is complete through completion of the previous season and includes career on base percentage records & single season on base percentage records.

"One of my best friends (Ted Williams [Career Leader for On Base Percentage]) on Earth and the greatest hitter I ever faced. And I faced a lot of guys, including Lou Gehrig... He was a great American." - Hall of Fame Pitcher Bob Feller

On Base Percentage Career Records
Record	Lg	Name(s)	Team(s)	Data
Highest	AL	Ted Williams	Boston	.481
	NL	John McGraw	Baltimore	.466
			St. Louis
			New York
Highest (By A Lefthander)	AL	Ted Williams	Boston	.481
	NL	John McGraw	Baltimore	.466
			St. Louis
			New York
Highest (By A Righthander)	AL	Frank Thomas	Chicago	.438
	NL	Rogers Hornsby	St. Louis	.434
			New York
			Boston
			Chicago
Highest (By A Switch Hitter)	AL	Mickey Mantle	New York	.421
Highest (By A Switch Hitter)	NL	Lance Berkman	Houston	.416
On Base Percentage Single Season Records
Record	Lg	Name(s)	Team(s)	Data
Highest	AL	Ted Williams	Boston	.551	1941
Highest	NL	Barry Bonds	San Francisco	.609	2004
Highest (By A Lefthander)	AL	Ted Williams	Boston	.551	1941
Highest (By A Lefthander)	NL	Barry Bonds	San Francisco	.609	2004
Highest (By A Righthander)	AL	Frank Thomas	Chicago	.487	1994
Highest (By A Righthander)	NL	Rogers Hornsby	St. Louis	.507	1924
Highest (By A Switch Hitter)	AL	Mickey Mantle	New York	.512	1957
Highest (By A Switch Hitter)	NL	Lance Berkman	Houston	.450	2004
Most Seasons (Leading The League)	AL	Ted Williams	Boston	12	1940
			Boston		1941
			Boston		1942
			Boston		1946
			Boston		1947
			Boston		1948
			Boston		1949
			Boston		1951
			Boston		1954
			Boston		1956
			Boston		1957
			Boston		1958
	NL	Rogers Hornsby	St. Louis	8	1920
			St. Louis		1921
			St. Louis		1922
			St. Louis		1923
			St. Louis		1924
			St. Louis		1925
			New York		1927
			Boston		1928
Most Seasons (Leading The League) (Consecutively)	AL	Wade Boggs	Boston	5	1985
			Boston		1986
			Boston		1987
			Boston		1988
			Boston		1989
	NL	Rogers Hornsby	St. Louis	6	1920
			St. Louis		1921
			St. Louis		1922
			St. Louis		1923
			St. Louis		1924
			St. Louis		1925
Record	Lg	Name(s)	Team(s)	Data
On Base Percentage Records

The on base percentage Major League career record holder has had the following players at the top of its leaderboard: Cap Anson (1881-1885), George Gore (1886), Dan Brouthers (1887), Pete Browning (1888), Dan Brouthers (1889-1892), Billy Hamilton (1893-1898), John McGraw (1899-1922), Babe Ruth (1923-1945) and Ted Williams (1946 through today).

The progression of Major League single season on base percentage leaders has included: Ross Barnes (1876-1885), King Kelly (1886), Tip O'Neill (1887-1892), Billy Hamilton (1893-1898), John McGraw (1899-1940), Ted Williams (1941-2001) and Barry Bonds (2002 through today).

Thomas Boswell in How Life Imitates the World Series (1982) wrote, "For one thing, batting average is less meaningful than on base percentage, since on base percentage is a far better indicator of a player's ability to foment or maintain a rally."

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