On Base Percentage : 1896 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
 

1896 On Base Percentage Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Billy Hamilton .477 (.47717) Boston Beaneaters 1
Hughie Jennings .472 (.47208) Baltimore Orioles 2
Ed Delahanty .472 (.47193) Philadelphia Phillies 3
Bill Joyce .470 (.46990) Washington Senators 4
New York Giants  
Joe Kelley .469 (.46945) Baltimore Orioles 5
Cupid Childs .467 (.46678) Cleveland Spiders 6
Jesse Burkett .461 (.46106) Cleveland Spiders 7
Elmer Smith .454 (.45406) Pittsburgh Pirates 8
Mike Tiernan .452 (.45167) New York Giants 9
Bill Dahlen .438 (.43773) Chicago Colts 10
Willie Keeler .432 (.43197) Baltimore Orioles 11
Fielder Jones .427 (.42697) Brooklyn Bridegrooms 12
Bill Lange .414 (.41373) Chicago Colts 13
George Van Haltren .410 (.41034) New York Giants 14
Jake Stenzel .409 (.40927) Pittsburgh Pirates 15
Tom McCreery .409 (.40909) Louisville Colonels 16
Cap Anson .407 (.40749) Chicago Colts 17
Denny Lyons .406 (.40551) Pittsburgh Pirates 18
Kip Selbach .405 (.40526) Washington Senators 19
Dummy Hoy .403 (.40307) Cincinnati Reds 20
Jack Doyle .400 (.40037) Baltimore Orioles 21
Fred Tenney .400 (.40000) Boston Beaneaters 22
Eddie Burke .392 (.39223) Cincinnati Reds 23
Fred Clarke .392 (.39199) Louisville Colonels 24
Bid McPhee .391 (.39069) Cincinnati Reds 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.

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.

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.