Bases on Balls : 1921 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:

"Although baseball decided to extend the regular season deeper into October to play 162 games (after the 09-11 disaster), why not just play 154? Baseball has dealt with shortened seasons before. (Bud) Selig spoke about the sanctity of playing 162 games, but baseball played 154 games until 1961. Baseball should have just let the games go and continued with the current schedule." - Joe Morgan on ESPN (September 19, 2001)
 

1921 Bases on Balls Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

George Burns 80 New York Giants 1
Ross Youngs 71 New York Giants 2
Max Carey 70 Pittsburgh Pirates 3
Ray Grimes 70 Chicago Cubs  
Dave Bancroft 66 New York Giants 5
Rogers Hornsby 60 St. Louis Cardinals 6
Ray Powell 58 Boston Braves 7
Jack Fournier 56 St. Louis Cardinals 8
Sam Bohne 54 Cincinnati Reds 9
Tony Boeckel 52 Boston Braves 10
Walton Cruise 48 Boston Braves 11
Milt Stock 48 St. Louis Cardinals  
Rabbit Maranville 47 Pittsburgh Pirates 13
Jimmy Johnston 45 Brooklyn Robins 14
Pat Duncan 44 Cincinnati Reds 15
Zack Wheat 44 Brooklyn Robins  
Charlie Hollocher 43 Chicago Cubs 17
Larry Kopf 43 Cincinnati Reds  
Frankie Frisch 42 New York Giants 19
Turner Barber 41 Chicago Cubs 20
Carson Bigbee 41 Pittsburgh Pirates  
George Kelly 40 New York Giants 22
Ed Konetchy 40 Brooklyn Robins  
Philadelphia Phillies  
Rube Bressler 39 Cincinnati Reds 24
Austin McHenry 38 St. Louis Cardinals 25



Future Hall of Famer Sammy Sosa is best known for wearing number twenty-one; however, when the young slugger played for the Chicago White Sox (1989-1991) he only wore number twenty-five.

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?

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.