Hits : 1961 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:

"The baseball season - six months & 2,106 games - is flat out long, and it's a rare one of those games that doesn't ramble or sputter or digress or somehow violate the rules of dramatic narrative. Baseball takes its own sweet time reaching its conclusions." - Dwight Allen in Reds, Yanks and O's (1989)
 

1961 Hits Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Vada Pinson 208 Cincinnati Reds 1
Roberto Clemente 201 Pittsburgh Pirates 2
Hank Aaron 197 Milwaukee Braves 3
Ken Boyer 194 St. Louis Cardinals 4
Orlando Cepeda 182 San Francisco Giants 5
Willie Mays 176 San Francisco Giants 6
Frank Robinson 176 Cincinnati Reds  
Eddie Mathews 175 Milwaukee Braves 8
Maury Wills 173 Los Angeles Dodgers 9
Bill White 169 St. Louis Cardinals 10
Dick Groat 164 Pittsburgh Pirates 11
Ron Santo 164 Chicago Cubs  
Joe Adcock 160 Milwaukee Braves 13
Dick Stuart 160 Pittsburgh Pirates  
Gene Freese 159 Cincinnati Reds 15
George Altman 157 Chicago Cubs 16
Bill Virdon 156 Pittsburgh Pirates 17
Frank Bolling 153 Milwaukee Braves 18
Wally Moon 152 Los Angeles Dodgers 19
Don Hoak 150 Pittsburgh Pirates 20
Gordy Coleman 149 Cincinnati Reds 21
Bill Mazeroski 148 Pittsburgh Pirates 22
Billy Williams 147 Chicago Cubs 23
Ernie Banks 142 Chicago Cubs 24
Frank Thomas 133 Chicago Cubs 25
Milwaukee Braves  



Did you know that more than forty players have worn the number twenty-five for the Boston Red Sox — including Jack Clark, Denny Galehouse, Dizzy Trout and Tony Conigliaro.

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.