Complete Games : 1953 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)
 

1953 Complete Games Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Robin Roberts 33 Philadelphia Phillies 1
Warren Spahn 24 Milwaukee Braves 2
Harvey Haddix 19 St. Louis Cardinals 3
Curt Simmons 19 Philadelphia Phillies  
Carl Erskine 16 Brooklyn Dodgers 5
Johnny Lindell 15 Pittsburgh Pirates 6
Philadelphia Phillies  
Ruben Gomez 13 New York Giants 7
Johnny Antonelli 11 Milwaukee Braves 8
Max Surkont 11 Milwaukee Braves  
Fred Baczewski 10 Chicago Cubs 10
Cincinnati Redlegs  
Murry Dickson 10 Pittsburgh Pirates  
Russ Meyer 10 Brooklyn Dodgers  
Vinegar Bend Mizell 10 St. Louis Cardinals  
Jerry Staley 10 St. Louis Cardinals  
Warren Hacker 9 Chicago Cubs 15
Billy Loes 9 Brooklyn Dodgers  
Sal Maglie 9 New York Giants  
Paul Minner 9 Chicago Cubs  
Ken Raffensberger 9 Cincinnati Redlegs  
Preacher Roe 9 Brooklyn Dodgers  
Bob Buhl 8 Milwaukee Braves 21
Bob Friend 8 Pittsburgh Pirates  
Bob Miller 8 Philadelphia Phillies  
Stu Miller 8 St. Louis Cardinals  
Bud Podbielan 8 Cincinnati Redlegs  



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.

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.

Jim Thome wore number twenty-five since he first came up with the Cleveland Indians making him the franchise record holder for that particular number (Mike Garcia is second).