Bases on Balls : 1909 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)
 

1909 Bases on Balls Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Fred Clarke 80 Pittsburgh Pirates 1
Bobby Byrne 78 St. Louis Cardinals 2
Pittsburgh Pirates  
Johnny Evers 73 Chicago Cubs 3
Jimmy Sheckard 72 Chicago Cubs 4
Al Bridwell 67 New York Giants 5
Steve Evans 66 St. Louis Cardinals 6
Tommy Leach 66 Pittsburgh Pirates  
John Titus 66 Philadelphia Phillies  
Honus Wagner 66 Pittsburgh Pirates  
Jap Barbeau 65 Pittsburgh Pirates 10
St. Louis Cardinals  
Art Devlin 65 New York Giants  
Ed Konetchy 65 St. Louis Cardinals  
Tim Jordan 59 Brooklyn Superbas 13
Mike Mitchell 57 Cincinnati Reds 14
Harry Steinfeldt 57 Chicago Cubs  
Bob Bescher 56 Cincinnati Reds 16
Al Shaw 55 St. Louis Cardinals 17
Rube Ellis 54 St. Louis Cardinals 18
Solly Hofman 53 Chicago Cubs 19
Fred Tenney 52 New York Giants 20
Al Burch 51 Brooklyn Superbas 21
Moose McCormick 49 New York Giants 22
Johnny Bates 48 Boston Doves 23
Philadelphia Phillies  
Hans Lobert 48 Cincinnati Reds  
Beals Becker 47 Boston Doves 25



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.

The most recognizable Detroit Tiger to wear the number twenty-five was probably Norm Cash (who wore it from 1960 through 1974), but did you know that Hall of Famer Larry Doby also wore it during his single season with Detroit?

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.