Complete Games : 1969 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)
 

1969 Complete Games Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Bob Gibson 28 St. Louis Cardinals 1
Juan Marichal 27 San Francisco Giants 2
Gaylord Perry 26 San Francisco Giants 3
Fergie Jenkins 23 Chicago Cubs 4
Phil Niekro 21 Atlanta Braves 5
Larry Dierker 20 Houston Astros 6
Bill Hands 18 Chicago Cubs 7
Tom Seaver 18 New York Mets  
Jerry Koosman 16 New York Mets 9
Claude Osteen 16 Los Angeles Dodgers  
Bill Singer 16 Los Angeles Dodgers  
Rick Wise 14 Philadelphia Phillies 12
Grant Jackson 13 Philadelphia Phillies 13
Don Wilson 13 Houston Astros  
Steve Carlton 12 St. Louis Cardinals 15
Ken Holtzman 12 Chicago Cubs  
Denny Lemaster 11 Houston Astros 17
Don Sutton 11 Los Angeles Dodgers  
Nelson Briles 10 St. Louis Cardinals 19
Woodie Fryman 10 Philadelphia Phillies  
Steve Blass 9 Pittsburgh Pirates 21
Mike McCormick 9 San Francisco Giants  
Bob Veale 9 Pittsburgh Pirates  
Dock Ellis 8 Pittsburgh Pirates 24
Jim Merritt 8 Cincinnati Reds  



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

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).

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.