Bases on Balls : 1940 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:

"Over 162 games, if my big guys are hitting and we get even halfway decent pitching, we'll beat their (our opponents) brains out." - Cincinnati Reds' Manager Sparky Anderson
 

1940 Bases on Balls Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Elbie Fletcher 119 Pittsburgh Pirates 1
Mel Ott 100 New York Giants 2
Dolph Camilli 89 Brooklyn Dodgers 3
Arky Vaughan 88 Pittsburgh Pirates 4
Johnny Mize 82 St. Louis Cardinals 5
Lonny Frey 80 Cincinnati Reds 6
Stan Hack 75 Chicago Cubs 7
Cookie Lavagetto 70 Brooklyn Dodgers 8
Babe Young 69 New York Giants 9
Bill Werber 68 Cincinnati Reds 10
Joe Orengo 65 St. Louis Cardinals 11
Max West 65 Boston Bees  
Ival Goodman 60 Cincinnati Reds 13
Chet Ross 59 Boston Bees 14
Pinky May 58 Philadelphia Phillies 15
Johnny Rizzo 56 Pittsburgh Pirates 16
Cincinnati Reds  
Philadelphia Phillies  
Jim Gleeson 54 Chicago Cubs 17
Pete Coscarart 53 Brooklyn Dodgers 18
Frank McCormick 52 Cincinnati Reds 19
Bill Nicholson 50 Chicago Cubs 20
Enos Slaughter 50 St. Louis Cardinals  
Billy Herman 47 Chicago Cubs 22
Frank Demaree 45 New York Giants 23
Bob Elliott 45 Pittsburgh Pirates  
Hank Leiber 45 Chicago Cubs  



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?

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 first player from the Angels franchise (they were the California Angels at the time) to wear the number twenty-five was Bob Perry.