Stolen Bases : 1949 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)
 

1949 Stolen Bases Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Bob Dillinger 20 St. Louis Browns 1
Phil Rizzuto 18 New York Yankees 2
Elmer Valo 14 Philadelphia Athletics 3
Dave Philley 13 Chicago White Sox 4
Larry Doby 10 Cleveland Indians 5
Dale Mitchell 10 Cleveland Indians  
Sherry Robertson 10 Washington Senators  
Gil Coan 9 Washington Senators 8
Dom DiMaggio 9 Boston Red Sox  
Mickey Vernon 9 Cleveland Indians  
Jerry Coleman 8 New York Yankees 11
Ferris Fain 8 Philadelphia Athletics  
Johnny Pesky 8 Boston Red Sox  
Birdie Tebbetts 8 Boston Red Sox  
Luke Appling 7 Chicago White Sox 15
George Kell 7 Detroit Tigers  
Don Kolloway 7 Chicago White Sox  
Detroit Tigers  
Hoot Evers 6 Detroit Tigers 18
Chuck Kress 6 Chicago White Sox  
Cliff Mapes 6 New York Yankees  
Bud Stewart 6 Washington Senators  
Joe Gordon 5 Cleveland Indians 22
Bob Kennedy 5 Cleveland Indians  
Catfish Metkovich 5 Chicago White Sox  
Cass Michaels 5 Chicago White Sox  



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?

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