Home Run Records in a Single Season by Baseball Almanac

Home Run Records in a Single Season

Baseball Almanac is pleased to present a record book full of baseball milestones for home runs hit during a single season — including most, most by positions, most at home and most on the road.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Many totals do not match-up exactly with single season totals when positional records are viewed. This is because the home run MUST be hit while the player is at that position. Example: Mark McGwire finished the 1998 season with sevety home runs. However, one of his home runs was hit while he was pinch-hitting so his single season record for home runs by a first baseman is sixty-nine.

"You guys got to see this kid (Mickey Mantle) we have in camp. Out of class C ball, hits 'em both ways - five-hundred feet both ways!" - Bill Dickey

Home Run Records Single Season Records
Record	Lg	Name(s)	Team(s)	Data
Most (Top 100)	AL	Roger Maris	New York	61	1961
Most (Top 100)	NL	Barry Bonds	San Francisco	73	2001
Most By A Catcher	AL	Ivan Rodriguez	Texas	35	1999
Most By A Catcher	NL	Javy Lopez	Atlanta	42	2003
Most By A Designated Hitter	AL	David Ortiz	Boston	47	2006
Most By A Designated Hitter	NL	Jim Thome	Philadelphia	4	2004
Most By A First Baseman	AL	Hank Greenberg	Detroit	58	1938
Most By A First Baseman	NL	Mark McGwire	St. Louis	69	1998
Most By A Leadoff Hitter Leading off a Game	AL	Alfonso Soriano	New York	13	2003
Most By A Leadoff Hitter Leading off a Game	NL	Bobby Bonds	San Francisco	11	1973
Most By A Lefthander	AL	Roger Maris	New York	61	1961
Most By A Lefthander	NL	Barry Bonds	San Francisco	73	2001
Most By A Pinch Hitter	AL	Joe Cronin	Boston	5	1943
	NL	Dave Hansen	Los Angeles	7	2000
	NL	Craig Wilson	Pittsburgh	7	2001
Most By A Pitcher	AL	Wes Ferrell	Cleveland	9	1931
	NL	Don Drysdale	Los Angeles	7	1958
		Don Drysdale	Los Angeles		1965
		Mike Hampton	Colorado		2001
		Don Newcombe	Brooklyn		1955
Most By A Righthander	AL	Jimmie Foxx	Philadelphia	58	1932
	AL	Hank Greenberg	Detroit	58	1938
	NL	Mark McGwire	St. Louis	70	1998
Most By A Rookie	AL	Mark McGwire	Oakland	49	1987
	NL	Wally Berger	Boston	38	1930
	NL	Frank Robinson	Cincinnati	38	1956
Most By A Second Baseman	AL	Alfonso Soriano	New York	39	2002
	NL	Rogers Hornsby	St. Louis	42	1922
	NL	Davey Johnson	Atlanta	42	1973
Most By A Shortstop	AL	Alex Rodriguez	Texas	57	2002
Most By A Shortstop	NL	Ernie Banks	Chicago	47	1958
Most By A Switch Hitter	AL	Mickey Mantle	New York	54	1961
Most By A Switch Hitter	NL	Chipper Jones	Atlanta	45	1999
Most By A Third Baseman	AL	Alex Rodriguez	New York	52	2007
	NL	Adrian Beltre	Los Angeles	48	2004
	NL	Mike Schmidt	Philadelphia	48	1980
Most By An Outfielder	AL	Roger Maris	New York	61	1961
Most By An Outfielder	NL	Barry Bonds	San Francisco	71	2001
Home Run Records Single Season At-Home Records
Record	Lg	Name(s)	Team(s)	Data
Most At Home	AL	Hank Greenberg	Detroit	39	1938
Most At Home	NL	Mark McGwire	St. Louis	38	1998
Most At Home By A Lefthander	AL	Babe Ruth	New York	32	1921
	AL	Kenny Williams	St. Louis	32	1922
	NL	Barry Bonds	San Francisco	37	2001
Most At Home By A Righthander	AL	Hank Greenberg	Detroit	39	1938
Most At Home By A Righthander	NL	Mark McGwire	St. Louis	38	1998
Most At Home By A Switch Hitter	AL	Mickey Mantle	New York	27	1956
Most At Home By A Switch Hitter	NL	Chipper Jones	Atlanta	25	1999
Home Run Records Single Season On-The-Road Records
Record	Lg	Name(s)	Team(s)	Data
Most On The Road	AL	David Ortiz	Boston	32	2006
	AL	Babe Ruth	New York	32	1927
	NL	Barry Bonds	San Francisco	36	2001
Most On The Road By A Lefthander	AL	David Ortiz	Boston	32	2006
	AL	Babe Ruth	New York	32	1927
	NL	Barry Bonds	San Francisco	36	2001
Most On The Road By A Righthander	AL	George Bell	Toronto	28	1987
		Jose Canseco	Oakland		1991
		Harmon Killebrew	Minnesota		1962
		Mark McGwire	Oakland		1996
	NL	Mark McGwire	St. Louis	32	1998
Most On The Road By A Switch Hitter	AL	Mickey Mantle	New York	30	1961
Most On The Road By A Switch Hitter	NL	Howard Johnson	New York	23	1987
Home Run Records Miscellaneous Single Season Records
Record	Lg	Name(s)	Team(s)	Data
Fewest By The League Leader	AL	Sam Crawford	Detroit	7	1908
		Braggo Roth	Cleveland		1915
		Braggo Roth	Chicago		1915
	NL	Red Murray	New York	7	1909
Most Seasons Leading League	AL	Babe Ruth	Boston	1	12
	AL	Babe Ruth	New York	11	12
	NL	Mike Schmidt	Philadelphia	8
Record	Lg	Name(s)	Team(s)	Data
Single Season Home Run Records

Babe Ruth hit a home run in every possible ballpark during eleven different seasons for the Major League record. His closest competition is Hank Aaron who hit home runs in every possible ballpark during nine seasons.

During the 1936 season, Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees terrorized the Cleveland Indians by slamming fourteen home runs against the club — an American League and Major League record.

Did you know that Rabbit Maranville had the most consecutive at-bats with six-hundred seventy-two in a season of play (1922) without hitting a single home run?

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