Bases on Balls : 1898 National League Top 25

Finding the American or National League leader in virtually every hitting & pitching statistic is easy-to-do. Finding the top 25 players during any given season is far more challenging. Baseball Almanac has taken away that difficult problem and is pleased to present the data you requested:

"Although baseball decided to extend the regular season deeper into October to play 162 games (after the 09-11 disaster), why not just play 154? Baseball has dealt with shortened seasons before. (Bud) Selig spoke about the sanctity of playing 162 games, but baseball played 154 games until 1961. Baseball should have just let the games go and continued with the current schedule." - Joe Morgan on ESPN (September 19, 2001)
 

1898 Bases on Balls Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

John McGraw 112 Baltimore Orioles 1
Bill Joyce 88 New York Giants 2
Billy Hamilton 87 Boston Beaneaters 3
Elmer Flick 86 Philadelphia Phillies 4
Hughie Jennings 78 Baltimore Orioles 5
Ed Delahanty 77 Philadelphia Phillies 6
Jimmy Ryan 73 Chicago Orphans 7
Harry Blake 69 Cleveland Spiders 8
Jesse Burkett 69 Cleveland Spiders  
Cupid Childs 69 Cleveland Spiders  
Elmer Smith 69 Cincinnati Reds  
Bid McPhee 66 Cincinnati Reds 12
Kip Selbach 64 Washington Senators 13
Bobby Wallace 63 Cleveland Spiders 14
Mike Griffin 60 Brooklyn Bridegrooms 15
Hugh Duffy 59 Boston Beaneaters 16
George Van Haltren 59 New York Giants  
Bill Dahlen 58 Chicago Orphans 18
Joe Kelley 56 Baltimore Orioles 19
Ed McKean 56 Cleveland Spiders  
Monte Cross 55 Philadelphia Phillies 21
Klondike Douglass 55 Philadelphia Phillies  
Bill Everitt 53 Chicago Orphans 23
Dan McGann 53 Baltimore Orioles  
Jake Stenzel 53 Baltimore Orioles  
St. Louis Browns  



Did you know that more than forty players have worn the number twenty-five for the Boston Red Sox — including Jack Clark, Denny Galehouse, Dizzy Trout and Tony Conigliaro.

Future Hall of Famer Sammy Sosa is best known for wearing number twenty-one; however, when the young slugger played for the Chicago White Sox (1989-1991) he only wore number twenty-five.

Jose Cruz of the Houston Astros had his number twenty-five retired on October 3, 1992, and became the first Major League player with that particular retired number.