Hits : 1971 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:

"What people don't understand is, one day off for Cal Ripken would not recharge his batteries. One day would not do it. He's not playing 2,130 games in a row. Cal is ONLY playing 162 games a year." - Frank Robinson in The Sporting News (September 11, 1995)
 

1971 Hits Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Cesar Tovar 204 Minnesota Twins 1
Sandy Alomar 179 California Angels 2
Rod Carew 177 Minnesota Twins 3
Bobby Murcer 175 New York Yankees 4
Reggie Smith 175 Boston Red Sox  
Amos Otis 167 Kansas City Royals 6
Tony Oliva 164 Minnesota Twins 7
Brooks Robinson 160 Baltimore Orioles 8
Freddie Patek 158 Kansas City Royals 9
Reggie Jackson 157 Oakland Athletics 10
Horace Clarke 156 New York Yankees 11
Graig Nettles 156 Cleveland Indians  
Merv Rettenmund 156 Baltimore Orioles  
Frank Howard 153 Washington Senators 14
Aurelio Rodriguez 153 Detroit Tigers  
Roy White 153 New York Yankees  
Tommy Harper 151 Milwaukee Brewers 17
Paul Schaal 150 Kansas City Royals 18
Vada Pinson 149 Cleveland Indians 19
Ken McMullen 148 California Angels 20
Del Unser 148 Washington Senators  
Carlos May 147 Chicago White Sox 22
Sal Bando 146 Oakland Athletics 23
Leo Cardenas 146 Minnesota Twins  
Bill Melton 146 Chicago White Sox  



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.

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?