Strikeouts : 1940 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:

"I don't think I stayed for a complete game that first year (in Arizona). But something happened. During the second year, I started watching more intently, listening to the broadcasters talk about strategy. I started getting it. Suddenly, a 162-game season didn't seem ridiculously long anymore." - Richard Ruelas in The Arizona Republic (11-07-2001)
 

1940 Strikeouts Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Bob Feller 261 Cleveland Indians 1
Bobo Newsom 164 Detroit Tigers 2
Johnny Rigney 141 Chicago White Sox 3
Tommy Bridges 133 Detroit Tigers 4
Ken Chase 129 Washington Senators 5
Dutch Leonard 124 Washington Senators 6
Eddie Smith 119 Chicago White Sox 7
Jack Wilson 102 Boston Red Sox 8
Al Milnar 99 Cleveland Indians 9
Red Ruffing 97 New York Yankees 10
Sid Hudson 96 Washington Senators 11
Johnny Babich 94 Philadelphia Athletics 12
Hal Newhouser 89 Detroit Tigers 13
Thornton Lee 87 Chicago White Sox 14
Marius Russo 87 New York Yankees  
Johnny Niggeling 82 St. Louis Browns 16
Fritz Ostermueller 80 Boston Red Sox 17
Elden Auker 78 St. Louis Browns 18
Mel Harder 76 Cleveland Indians 19
George Caster 75 Philadelphia Athletics 20
Nels Potter 73 Philadelphia Athletics 21
Ted Lyons 72 Chicago White Sox 22
Marv Breuer 71 New York Yankees 23
Vern Kennedy 70 St. Louis Browns 24
Johnny Gorsica 68 Detroit Tigers 25



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

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?

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.