Wins : 1897 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:

"What people don't understand is, one day off for Cal Ripken would not recharge his batteries. One day would not do it. He's not playing 2,130 games in a row. Cal is ONLY playing 162 games a year." - Frank Robinson in The Sporting News (September 11, 1995)
 

1897 Wins Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Kid Nichols 31 Boston Beaneaters 1
Amos Rusie 28 New York Giants 2
Fred Klobedanz 26 Boston Beaneaters 3
Joe Corbett 24 Baltimore Orioles 4
Ted Breitenstein 23 Cincinnati Reds 5
Bill Hoffer 22 Baltimore Orioles 6
Clark Griffith 21 Chicago Colts 7
Ted Lewis 21 Boston Beaneaters  
Billy Rhines 21 Cincinnati Reds  
Cy Young 21 Cleveland Spiders  
Jouett Meekin 20 New York Giants 11
Win Mercer 20 Washington Senators  
Jerry Nops 20 Baltimore Orioles  
Frank Dwyer 18 Cincinnati Reds 14
Pink Hawley 18 Pittsburgh Pirates  
Brickyard Kennedy 18 Brooklyn Bridegrooms  
Arlie Pond 18 Baltimore Orioles  
Cy Seymour 18 New York Giants  
Frank Killen 17 Pittsburgh Pirates 19
Jack Taylor 16 Philadelphia Phillies 20
Zeke Wilson 16 Cleveland Spiders  
Chick Fraser 15 Louisville Colonels 22
Doc McJames 15 Washington Senators  
Jack Powell 15 Cleveland Spiders  
Bert Cunningham 14 Louisville Colonels 25



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.

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?