Complete Games : 1961 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:

"The key for this year was staying healthy, playing 154 games (his biggest goal was to play 162 games). When I'm healthy, I'm can put up the best numbers I can." - Juan Gonzalez (1999)
 

1961 Complete Games Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Warren Spahn 21 Milwaukee Braves 1
Sandy Koufax 15 Los Angeles Dodgers 2
Lew Burdette 14 Milwaukee Braves 3
Joey Jay 14 Cincinnati Reds  
Don Cardwell 13 Chicago Cubs 5
Mike McCormick 13 San Francisco Giants  
Bob Purkey 13 Cincinnati Reds  
Ray Sadecki 13 St. Louis Cardinals  
Larry Jackson 12 St. Louis Cardinals 9
Art Mahaffey 12 Philadelphia Phillies  
Jim O'Toole 11 Cincinnati Reds 11
Don Drysdale 10 Los Angeles Dodgers 12
Bob Friend 10 Pittsburgh Pirates  
Bob Gibson 10 St. Louis Cardinals  
Bob Buhl 9 Milwaukee Braves 15
Juan Marichal 9 San Francisco Giants  
Ernie Broglio 7 St. Louis Cardinals 17
Dick Ellsworth 7 Chicago Cubs  
Joe Gibbon 7 Pittsburgh Pirates  
Glen Hobbie 7 Chicago Cubs  
John Buzhardt 6 Philadelphia Phillies 21
Jack Curtis 6 Chicago Cubs  
Johnny Podres 6 Los Angeles Dodgers  
Jack Sanford 6 San Francisco Giants  
Curt Simmons 6 St. Louis Cardinals  



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.

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?

The first player from the Angels franchise (they were the California Angels at the time) to wear the number twenty-five was Bob Perry.