Hits : 1917 American 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)
 

1917 Hits Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Ty Cobb 225 Detroit Tigers 1
George Sisler 190 St. Louis Browns 2
Tris Speaker 184 Cleveland Indians 3
Bobby Veach 182 Detroit Tigers 4
Happy Felsch 177 Chicago White Sox 5
Sam Rice 177 Washington Senators  
Stuffy McInnis 172 Philadelphia Athletics 7
Ray Chapman 170 Cleveland Indians 8
Clyde Milan 170 Washington Senators  
Duffy Lewis 167 Boston Red Sox 10
Donie Bush 163 Detroit Tigers 11
Eddie Collins 163 Chicago White Sox  
Ping Bodie 162 Philadelphia Athletics 13
Joe Jackson 162 Chicago White Sox  
Frank Baker 156 New York Yankees 15
Harry Heilmann 156 Detroit Tigers  
Amos Strunk 152 Philadelphia Athletics 17
Chick Gandil 151 Chicago White Sox 18
Harry Hooper 143 Boston Red Sox 19
Wally Pipp 143 New York Yankees  
Roger Peckinpaugh 141 New York Yankees 21
Braggo Roth 141 Cleveland Indians  
Larry Gardner 133 Boston Red Sox 23
Hank Severeid 133 St. Louis Browns  
Baby Doll Jacobson 131 St. Louis Browns 25



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.

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.