Earned Run Average : 1886 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:

"What people don't understand is, one day off for Cal Ripken would not recharge his batteries. One day would not do it. He's not playing 2,130 games in a row. Cal is ONLY playing 162 games a year." - Frank Robinson in The Sporting News (September 11, 1995)
 

1886 Earned Run Average Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Henry Boyle 1.76 (1.7571) St. Louis Maroons 1
Charlie Ferguson 1.98 (1.9789) Philadelphia Phillies 2
Lady Baldwin 2.24 (2.2361) Detroit Wolverines 3
Jocko Flynn 2.24 (2.2412) Chicago White Stockings 4
John Clarkson 2.41 (2.4107) Chicago White Stockings 5
Dan Casey 2.41 (2.4146) Philadelphia Phillies 6
Frank Gilmore 2.52 (2.5200) Washington Senators 7
Tim Keefe 2.56 (2.5570) New York Giants 8
Jim McCormick 2.82 (2.8217) Chicago White Stockings 9
John Healy 2.88 (2.8756) St. Louis Maroons 10
Mickey Welch 2.99 (2.9880) New York Giants 11
Old Hoss Radbourn 3.00 (3.0039) Boston Beaneaters 12
Bill Stemmeyer 3.02 (3.0201) Boston Beaneaters 13
Charlie Getzien 3.03 (3.0259) Detroit Wolverines 14
Ed Daily 3.06 (3.0550) Philadelphia Phillies 15
John Kirby 3.30 (3.2954) St. Louis Maroons 16
Dupee Shaw 3.34 (3.3371) Washington Senators 17
Bill Smith 4.09 (4.0909) Detroit Wolverines 18
Charlie Sweeney 4.16 (4.1613) St. Louis Maroons 19
Bob Barr 4.30 (4.2954) Washington Senators 20
Jim Whitney 4.49 (4.4885) Kansas City Cowboys 21
Stump Wiedman 4.50 (4.5035) Kansas City Cowboys 22
Charlie Buffinton 4.59 (4.5894) Boston Beaneaters 23
Pete Conway 4.95 (4.9483) Kansas City Cowboys 24
Detroit Wolverines  
Tony Madigan 5.06 (5.0576) Washington Senators 25



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

Jim Thome wore number twenty-five since he first came up with the Cleveland Indians making him the franchise record holder for that particular number (Mike Garcia is second).

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?