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Career Leaders for Bases on Balls
A base-on-balls is an officially recognized statistic that counts the number of times a batter reaches first base after accepting four pitches outside the strike zone. Prior to 1889, the rule regarding the walk statistic was different and used the following rules of the day: 1876-1879 nine balls, 1880-1882 eight balls, 1882-1884 seven balls, 1884-1885 six balls, 1886 seven balls, 1887-1888 five balls and from 1889 forward it has and still remains four balls.
Baseball Almanac is pleased to present the top one-hundred (100) all-time career leaders in Major League bases on balls. Note: A bold faced entry denotes that the player was active during the previous Major League season.
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"If he'd just tip his cap once, he (Ted Williams) could be elected Mayor of Boston in five minutes." - Hall of Famer Eddie Collins (16th Overall Base on Balls Leader)
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| Name |
Base on Balls |
Rank |
| Barry Bonds
|
2,558 |
1 |
| Rickey Henderson
|
2,190 |
2 |
| Babe Ruth
|
2,062 |
3 |
| Ted Williams
|
2,021 |
4 |
| Joe Morgan
|
1,865 |
5 |
| Carl Yastrzemski
|
1,845 |
6 |
| Mickey Mantle
|
1,733 |
7 |
| Mel Ott
|
1,708 |
8 |
| Frank Thomas
|
1,667 |
9 |
| Eddie Yost
|
1,614 |
10 |
| Darrell Evans
|
1,605 |
11 |
| Stan Musial
|
1,599 |
12 |
| Pete Rose
|
1,566 |
13 |
| Harmon Killebrew
|
1,559 |
14 |
| Jim Thome
|
1,550 |
15 |
| Lou Gehrig
|
1,508 |
16 |
| Mike Schmidt
|
1,507 |
17 |
| Eddie Collins
|
1,499 |
18 |
| Willie Mays
|
1,464 |
19 |
| Jimmie Foxx
|
1,452 |
20 |
| Eddie Mathews
|
1,444 |
21 |
| Gary Sheffield
|
1,435 |
22 |
| Frank Robinson
|
1,420 |
23 |
| Wade Boggs
|
1,412 |
24 |
| Hank Aaron
|
1,402 |
25 |
| Jeff Bagwell
|
1,401 |
26 |
| Dwight Evans
|
1,391 |
27 |
| Tris Speaker
|
1,381 |
28 |
| Reggie Jackson
|
1,375 |
29 |
| Rafael Palmeiro
|
1,353 |
30 |
| Willie McCovey
|
1,345 |
31 |
| Eddie Murray
|
1,333 |
32 |
| Tim Raines
|
1,330 |
33 |
| Tony Phillips
|
1,319 |
34 |
| Mark McGwire
|
1,317 |
35 |
| Fred McGriff
|
1,305 |
36 |
| Luke Appling
|
1,302 |
37 |
| Edgar Martinez
|
1,283 |
38 |
| Al Kaline
|
1,277 |
39 |
| John Olerud
|
1,275 |
40 |
| Ken Singleton
|
1,263 |
41 |
| Jack Clark
|
1,262 |
42 |
| Rusty Staub
|
1,255 |
43 |
| Ty Cobb
|
1,249 |
44 |
| Willie Randolph
|
1,243 |
45 |
| Chipper Jones
|
1,242 |
46 |
| Ken Griffey, Jr.
|
1,240 |
47 |
| Jimmy Wynn
|
1,224 |
48 |
| Dave Winfield
|
1,216 |
49 |
| Manny Ramirez
|
1,212 |
50 |
| Pee Wee Reese
|
1,210 |
51 |
| Jason Giambi
|
1,205 |
52 |
| Richie Ashburn
|
1,198 |
53 |
| Brian Downing
|
1,197 |
54 |
| Lou Whitaker
|
1,197 |
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| Chili Davis
|
1,194 |
56 |
| Billy Hamilton
|
1,187 |
57 |
| Charlie Gehringer
|
1,186 |
58 |
| Bobby Abreu
|
1,160 |
59 |
| Craig Biggio
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1,160 |
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| Donie Bush
|
1,158 |
61 |
| Brian Giles
|
1,157 |
62 |
| Luis Gonzalez
|
1,155 |
63 |
| Max Bishop
|
1,153 |
64 |
| Toby Harrah
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1,153 |
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| Harry Hooper
|
1,136 |
66 |
| Jimmy Sheckard
|
1,135 |
67 |
| Brett Butler
|
1,129 |
68 |
| Cal Ripken, Jr.
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1,129 |
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| Ron Santo
|
1,108 |
70 |
| Carlos Delgado
|
1,097 |
71 |
| George Brett
|
1,096 |
72 |
| Paul Molitor
|
1,094 |
73 |
| Lu Blue
|
1,092 |
74 |
| Stan Hack
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1,092 |
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| Paul Waner
|
1,091 |
76 |
| Graig Nettles
|
1,088 |
77 |
| Bobby Grich
|
1,087 |
78 |
| Mark Grace
|
1,075 |
79 |
| Bob Johnson
|
1,075 |
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| Robin Ventura
|
1,075 |
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| Ozzie Smith
|
1,072 |
82 |
| Harlond Clift
|
1,070 |
83 |
| Keith Hernandez
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1,070 |
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| Bernie Williams
|
1,069 |
85 |
| Bill Dahlen
|
1,064 |
86 |
| Harold Baines
|
1,062 |
87 |
| Joe Cronin
|
1,059 |
88 |
| Ron Fairly
|
1,052 |
89 |
| Billy Williams
|
1,045 |
90 |
| Norm Cash
|
1,043 |
91 |
| Eddie Joost
|
1,043 |
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| Roy Thomas
|
1,042 |
93 |
| Todd Helton
|
1,041 |
94 |
| Max Carey
|
1,040 |
95 |
| Rogers Hornsby
|
1,038 |
96 |
| Jim Gilliam
|
1,036 |
97 |
| Roberto Alomar
|
1,032 |
98 |
| Sal Bando
|
1,031 |
99 |
| Jesse Burkett
|
1,029 |
100 |
| Name |
Base on Balls |
Rank |
| Current Through 2008 Season |


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Sam Crawford (leader in 1903, 1910, & 1913 through 1915) is the only player in the history of Major League Baseball with more than three-hundred (300+) career triples.
During the 1912 season Owen "Chief" Wilson set the single season triples record — yet he never led the league in triples again.
Did you know that Sam Crawford (1903, 1910, 1913-1915), Stan Musial (1943, 1946, 1948-1949, 1951) and Willie Wilson (1980, 1982, 1985 1987-1988) are the only three (3) players who have the led the league in triples for a Major League record five (5) seasons? |
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