On Base Percentage : 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:

"Maybe I missed my routine and my game so much that I was trying to rationalize reasons for getting it back. I wanted those 162 games. I wanted all the suspense of the playoff and home run races. And I honestly didn't believe baseball would bend far enough to allow the possibility of games in November. I was wrong. And baseball was right." - Paul White in USA Today Baseball Weekly (September 14, 2001)
 

1886 On Base Percentage Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

King Kelly .483 (.48315) Chicago White Stockings 1
Dan Brouthers .445 (.44505) Detroit Wolverines 2
George Gore .434 (.43407) Chicago White Stockings 3
Cap Anson .433 (.43292) Chicago White Stockings 4
Roger Connor .405 (.40494) New York Giants 5
Hardy Richardson .402 (.40240) Detroit Wolverines 6
Jim Fogarty .385 (.38509) Philadelphia Phillies 7
Jack Glasscock .374 (.37405) St. Louis Maroons 8
Charlie Bennett .371 (.37102) Detroit Wolverines 9
Jim O'Rourke .365 (.36534) New York Giants 10
Paul Hines .358 (.35824) Washington Senators 11
Sam Thompson .355 (.35502) Detroit Wolverines 12
Buck Ewing .347 (.34708) New York Giants 13
Charlie Ferguson .346 (.34564) Philadelphia Phillies 14
Sam Wise .345 (.34524) Boston Beaneaters 15
Jack Rowe .340 (.34008) Detroit Wolverines 16
Ned Williamson .339 (.33922) Chicago White Stockings 17
Mike Dorgan .335 (.33546) New York Giants 18
Fred Dunlap .335 (.33524) St. Louis Maroons 19
Detroit Wolverines  
John Morrill .333 (.33333) Boston Beaneaters 20
Deacon White .331 (.33142) Detroit Wolverines 21
Charley Bassett .331 (.33069) Kansas City Cowboys 22
Jimmy Ryan .330 (.33038) Chicago White Stockings 23
Alex McKinnon .330 (.33008) St. Louis Maroons 24
Emmett Seery .324 (.32353) St. Louis Maroons 25



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?

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).

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.