Single Season Leaders for Home Runs in the American League

When Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris' single season record he brought back many of the fans who were still upset from the strike in 1994. When Sammy Sosa kept the pressure on McGwire and finished with sixty-six he brought back as many fans by his sheer class and off-field activities.

Baseball Almanac is pleased to present the top one-hundred (100) all-time single season leaders in Major League home runs. Note: A bold faced entry denotes that the player was active during the previous Major League season.
"I don't know (Jose) Canseco, besides hello and goodbye. I don't put any weight into what he says. Mark McGwire was a big boy in college. To me, Canseco, you've got to come with a whole lot more. ... It's to make a buck, that's all it is." - Barry Bonds on ESPN.com (AP Wire, 02/23/2005)
Home Runs
Single Season National League Leaders

'Top 100'
Barry Bonds 73 2001 San Francisco Giants NL 1
Mark McGwire 70 1998 St. Louis Cardinals NL 2
Sammy Sosa 66 1998 Chicago Cubs NL 3
Mark McGwire 65 1999 St. Louis Cardinals NL 4
Sammy Sosa 64 2001 Chicago Cubs NL 5
Sammy Sosa 63 1999 Chicago Cubs NL 6
Ryan Howard 58 2006 Philadelphia Phillies NL 7
Luis Gonzalez 57 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks NL 8
Hack Wilson 56 1930 Chicago Cubs NL 9
Ralph Kiner 54 1949 Pittsburgh Pirates NL 10
George Foster 52 1977 Cincinnati Reds NL 11
Willie Mays 52 1965 San Francisco Giants NL  
Andruw Jones 51 2005 Atlanta Braves NL 13
Ralph Kiner 51 1947 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Willie Mays 51 1955 New York Giants NL  
Johnny Mize 51 1947 New York Giants NL  
Prince Fielder 50 2007 Milwaukee Brewers NL 17
Sammy Sosa 50 2000 Chicago Cubs NL  
Greg Vaughn 50 1998 San Diego Padres NL  
Barry Bonds 49 2000 San Francisco Giants NL 20
Andre Dawson 49 1987 Chicago Cubs NL  
Shawn Green 49 2001 Los Angeles Dodgers NL  
Todd Helton 49 2001 Colorado Rockies NL  
Ted Kluszewski 49 1954 Cincinnati Redlegs NL  
Willie Mays 49 1962 San Francisco Giants NL  
Albert Pujols 49 2006 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Sammy Sosa 49 2002 Chicago Cubs NL  
Larry Walker 49 1997 Colorado Rockies NL  
Adrian Beltre 48 2004 Los Angeles Dodgers NL 29
Ryan Howard 48 2008 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Dave Kingman 48 1979 Chicago Cubs NL  
Mike Schmidt 48 1980 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Willie Stargell 48 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Hank Aaron 47 1971 Atlanta Braves NL 34
Jeff Bagwell 47 2000 Houston Astros NL  
Ernie Banks 47 1958 Chicago Cubs NL  
Andres Galarraga 47 1996 Colorado Rockies NL  
Ryan Howard 47 2007 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Ralph Kiner 47 1950 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Ted Kluszewski 47 1955 Cincinnati Redlegs NL  
Eddie Mathews 47 1953 Milwaukee Braves NL  
Willie Mays 47 1964 San Francisco Giants NL  
Kevin Mitchell 47 1989 San Francisco Giants NL  
Albert Pujols 47 2009 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Jim Thome 47 2003 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Barry Bonds 46 1993 San Francisco Giants NL 46
Barry Bonds 46 2002 San Francisco Giants NL  
Vinny Castilla 46 1998 Colorado Rockies NL  
Orlando Cepeda 46 1961 San Francisco Giants NL  
Adam Dunn 46 2004 Cincinnati Reds NL  
Prince Fielder 46 2009 Milwaukee Brewers NL  
Derrek Lee 46 2005 Chicago Cubs NL  
Eddie Mathews 46 1959 Milwaukee Braves NL  
Albert Pujols 46 2004 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Alfonso Soriano 46 2006 Washington Nationals NL  
Hank Aaron 45 1962 Milwaukee Braves NL 56
Ernie Banks 45 1959 Chicago Cubs NL  
Johnny Bench 45 1970 Cincinnati Reds NL  
Lance Berkman 45 2006 Houston Astros NL  
Barry Bonds 45 2003 San Francisco Giants NL  
Barry Bonds 45 2004 San Francisco Giants NL  
Ryan Howard 45 2009 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Chipper Jones 45 1999 Atlanta Braves NL  
Willie McCovey 45 1969 San Francisco Giants NL  
Mike Schmidt 45 1979 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Richie Sexson 45 2001 Milwaukee Brewers NL  
Richie Sexson 45 2003 Milwaukee Brewers NL  
Greg Vaughn 45 1999 Cincinnati Reds NL  
Hank Aaron 44 1963 Milwaukee Braves NL 69
Hank Aaron 44 1969 Atlanta Braves NL  
Hank Aaron 44 1957 Milwaukee Braves NL  
Hank Aaron 44 1966 Atlanta Braves NL  
Ernie Banks 44 1955 Chicago Cubs NL  
Andres Galarraga 44 1998 Atlanta Braves NL  
Vladimir Guerrero 44 2000 Montreal Expos NL  
Richard Hidalgo 44 2000 Houston Astros NL  
Willie McCovey 44 1963 San Francisco Giants NL  
Dale Murphy 44 1987 Atlanta Braves NL  
Mark Reynolds 44 2009 Arizona Diamondbacks NL  
Willie Stargell 44 1973 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Jeff Bagwell 43 1997 Houston Astros NL 81
Ernie Banks 43 1957 Chicago Cubs NL  
Davey Johnson 43 1973 Atlanta Braves NL  
Chuck Klein 43 1929 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Javy Lopez 43 2003 Atlanta Braves NL  
Johnny Mize 43 1940 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Albert Pujols 43 2003 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Gary Sheffield 43 2000 Los Angeles Dodgers NL  
Duke Snider 43 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers NL  
Matt Williams 43 1994 San Francisco Giants NL  
Jeff Bagwell 42 1999 Houston Astros NL 91
Lance Berkman 42 2002 Houston Astros NL  
Barry Bonds 42 1996 San Francisco Giants NL  
Jim Edmonds 42 2000 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Jim Edmonds 42 2004 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Shawn Green 42 2002 Los Angeles Dodgers NL  
Vladimir Guerrero 42 1999 Montreal Expos NL  
Todd Helton 42 2000 Colorado Rockies NL  
Gil Hodges 42 1954 Brooklyn Dodgers NL  
Rogers Hornsby 42 1922 St. Louis Cardinals NL 100
Ralph Kiner 42 1951 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Mel Ott 42 1929 New York Giants NL  
Gary Sheffield 42 1996 Florida Marlins NL  
Duke Snider 42 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers NL  
Duke Snider 42 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers NL  
Jim Thome 42 2004 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Billy Williams 42 1970 Chicago Cubs NL  
Current Through 2009 Season


Do you believe that Roger Maris is still the "true" single season home run leader due to the constant debate and controversy in respect to steroid usage amongst modern major league ballplayers? Tell us on Baseball Fever.

The code to write the single season home runs league splits was developed in 2005, launched during 2006 and made possible by your support — please continue helping us create these kinds of pages by supporting our site.

The American League single season record for home runs was set in 1961 by Roger Maris of the New York Yankees. The National League single season record for home runs is on this page. Is either the Career Leader for Home Runs?
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