On Base Percentage : 1884 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:

"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)
 

1884 On Base Percentage Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

King Kelly .414 (.41365) Chicago White Stockings 1
George Gore .404 (.40373) Chicago White Stockings 2
Jim O'Rourke .392 (.39243) Buffalo Bisons 3
Ezra Sutton .384 (.38431) Boston Beaneaters 4
Dan Brouthers .378 (.37819) Buffalo Bisons 5
Cap Anson .373 (.37302) Chicago White Stockings 6
Deacon White .370 (.36983) Buffalo Bisons 7
Roger Connor .367 (.36699) New York Gothams 8
Paul Hines .360 (.35955) Providence Grays 9
Jack Rowe .352 (.35225) Buffalo Bisons 10
Ned Williamson .344 (.34423) Chicago White Stockings 11
Joe Start .337 (.33654) Providence Grays 12
Charlie Bennett .334 (.33422) Detroit Wolverines 13
Hardy Richardson .334 (.33406) Buffalo Bisons 14
Jack Manning .334 (.33405) Philadelphia Phillies 15
Abner Dalrymple .327 (.32710) Chicago White Stockings 16
Buck Ewing .327 (.32683) New York Gothams 17
Barney Gilligan .325 (.32523) Providence Grays 18
Fred Pfeffer .325 (.32520) Chicago White Stockings 19
Bill Crowley .325 (.32500) Boston Beaneaters 20
Ned Hanlon .324 (.32449) Detroit Wolverines 21
Charlie Ferguson .311 (.31081) Philadelphia Phillies 22
Jack Glasscock .310 (.31046) Cleveland Blues 23
George Wood .309 (.30859) Detroit Wolverines 24
John Morrill .308 (.30769) Boston Beaneaters 25



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.

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).

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.