Bases on Balls League by League Totals on Baseball Almanac

League by League Totals 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 a year-by-year leaderboard in Major League at-bats for every league since 1901.

"There's only one way to become a hitter. Go up to the plate and get mad. Get mad at yourself and mad at the pitcher." - Ted Williams

Base on Balls League By League Totals
American League	National League	A.L. + N.L.	Year
2,780	2,685	5,465	1901
2,815	2,620	5,435	1902
2,266	3,103	5,369	1903
2,611	2,969	5,580	1904
2,982	3,207	6,189	1905
2,802	3,367	6,169	1906
2,824	3,277	6,101	1907
2,803	3,057	5,860	1908
2,931	3,574	6,505	1909
3,395	4,024	7,419	1910
3,559	4,279	7,838	1911
3,794	3,889	7,683	1912
3,737	3,530	7,267	1913
3,920	3,600	7,520	1914
4,217	3,266	7,483	1915
4,061	3,015	7,076	1916
3,856	3,054	6,910	1917
3,207	2,541	5,748	1918
3,367	2,615	5,982	1919
3,802	3,016	6,818	1920
3,940	2,906	6,846	1921
3,798	3,455	7,253	1922
4,069	3,494	7,563	1923
4,148	3,216	7,364	1924
4,284	3,460	7,744	1925
4,230	3,473	7,703	1926
4,033	3,413	7,446	1927
3,815	3,848	7,663	1928
4,031	3,961	7,992	1929
3,963	3,691	7,654	1930
4,177	3,502	7,679	1931
4,408	3,141	7,549	1932
4,365	2,979	7,344	1933
4,607	3,247	7,854	1934
4,550	3,284	7,834	1935
4,853	3,565	8,418	1936
4,776	3,667	8,443	1937
4,924	3,708	8,632	1938
4,654	3,824	8,478	1939
4,494	3,779	8,273	1940
4,741	4,145	8,886	1941
4,316	4,077	8,393	1942
4,325	4,036	8,361	1943
3,949	3,981	7,930	1944
4,146	4,153	8,299	1945
4,400	4,400	8,800	1946
4,743	4,474	9,217	1947
5,227	4,396	9,263	1948
5,622	4,405	10,027	1949
5,418	4,537	9,955	1950
4,882	4,362	9,244	1951
4,630	4,147	8,777	1952
4,462	4,220	8,682	1953
4,618	4,414	9,032	1954
4,804	4,240	9,044	1955
5,015	3,982	8,997	1956
4,301	3,866	8,167	1957
4,062	4,065	8,127	1958
4,210	3,974	8,184	1959
4,447	3,937	8,384	1960
5,902	3,995	9,897	1961
5,671	5,265	10,936	1962
5,031	4,560	9,591	1963
5,227	4,394	9,621	1964
5,306	4,730	10,036	1965
4,927	4,404	9,331	1966
4,993	4,672	9,665	1967
4,881	4,275	9,156	1968
7,032	6,397	13,429	1969
6,808	6,919	13,727	1970
6,477	6,059	12,536	1971
5,742	5,985	11,727	1972
6,647	6,453	13,100	1973
6,135	6,828	12,963	1974
6,672	6,730	13,402	1975
6,128	6,263	12,391	1976
7,270	6,487	13,757	1977
7,287	6,279	13,566	1978
7,413	6,188	13,601	1979
7,221	5,969	13,190	1980
4,761	4,107	8,868	1981
7,338	5,964	13,302	1982
7,094	6,424	13,518	1983
7,171	6,149	13,320	1984
7,465	6,373	13,838	1985
7,667	6,560	14,227	1986
7,812	6,577	14,389	1987
7,191	5,793	12,984	1988
7,277	6,251	13,528	1989
7,631	6,221	13,852	1990
7,730	6,254	13,984	1991
7,704	5,978	13,682	1992
8,006	7,104	15,110	1993
5,938	5,193	11,131	1994
7,572	6,668	14,240	1995
8,592	7,501	16,093	1996
7,967	7,699	15,666	1997
7,732	8,716	16,448	1998
8,289	9,602	17,891	1999
8,503	9,735	18,238	2000
7,239	8,567	15,806	2001
7,325	8,921	16,246	2002
7,223	8,666	15,889	2003
7,486	8,736	16,222	2004
6,811	8,396	15,207	2005
7,247	8,600	15,847	2006
7,503	8,576	16,079	2007
7,521	8,816	16,337	2008
--	--	--	2009
American League	National League	A.L. + N.L.	Year
League By League Base on Balls Totals

Ted Williams had a record eleven base on balls in eighteen All-Star Games, which is more than any other player in All-Star history.

In the history of the World Series only six players have had four walks in one game. Do you know which players hold this unique Fall Classic record?

Did you know that on June 16, 1938, Jimmie Foxx set the American League record for walks during a single game with six — talk about respect?

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