Hits : 1956 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)
 

1956 Hits Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Hank Aaron 200 Milwaukee Braves 1
Richie Ashburn 190 Philadelphia Phillies 2
Bill Virdon 185 St. Louis Cardinals 3
Pittsburgh Pirates  
Stan Musial 184 St. Louis Cardinals 4
Ken Boyer 182 St. Louis Cardinals 5
Johnny Temple 180 Cincinnati Redlegs 6
Jim Gilliam 178 Brooklyn Dodgers 7
Gus Bell 176 Cincinnati Redlegs 8
Willie Mays 171 New York Giants 9
Al Dark 170 New York Giants 10
St. Louis Cardinals  
Roberto Clemente 169 Pittsburgh Pirates 11
Frank Robinson 166 Cincinnati Redlegs 12
Frank Thomas 166 Pittsburgh Pirates  
Del Ennis 164 Philadelphia Phillies 14
Wally Moon 161 St. Louis Cardinals 15
Ernie Banks 160 Chicago Cubs 16
Duke Snider 158 Brooklyn Dodgers 17
Ted Kluszewski 156 Cincinnati Redlegs 18
Don Blasingame 153 St. Louis Cardinals 19
Johnny Logan 153 Milwaukee Braves  
Carl Furillo 151 Brooklyn Dodgers 21
Walt Moryn 151 Chicago Cubs  
Eddie Mathews 150 Milwaukee Braves 23
Pee Wee Reese 147 Brooklyn Dodgers 24
Red Schoendienst 147 St. Louis Cardinals  
New York Giants  



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.

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.