Strikeouts : 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:

"The guys who made up this schedule must have been in a room with a bottle of Wild Turkey and 40 straws." - Dave Bergman
 

1956 Strikeouts Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Sam Jones 176 Chicago Cubs 1
Harvey Haddix 170 St. Louis Cardinals 2
Philadelphia Phillies  
Bob Friend 166 Pittsburgh Pirates 3
Robin Roberts 157 Philadelphia Phillies 4
Vinegar Bend Mizell 153 St. Louis Cardinals 5
Johnny Antonelli 145 New York Giants 6
Don Newcombe 139 Brooklyn Dodgers 7
Warren Spahn 128 Milwaukee Braves 8
Ron Kline 125 Pittsburgh Pirates 9
Joe Nuxhall 120 Cincinnati Redlegs 10
Lew Burdette 110 Milwaukee Braves 11
Murry Dickson 110 Philadelphia Phillies  
St. Louis Cardinals  
Roger Craig 109 Brooklyn Dodgers 13
Sal Maglie 108 Brooklyn Dodgers 14
Bob Rush 104 Chicago Cubs 15
Roy Face 96 Pittsburgh Pirates 16
Brooks Lawrence 96 Cincinnati Redlegs  
Carl Erskine 95 Brooklyn Dodgers 18
Tom Poholsky 95 St. Louis Cardinals  
Al Worthington 95 New York Giants  
Curt Simmons 88 Philadelphia Phillies 21
Bob Buhl 86 Milwaukee Braves 22
Art Fowler 86 Cincinnati Redlegs  
Johnny Klippstein 86 Cincinnati Redlegs  
Dick Littlefield 80 Pittsburgh Pirates 25
St. Louis Cardinals  
New York Giants  



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).

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.