Runs Batted In : 1939 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:

"Although baseball decided to extend the regular season deeper into October to play 162 games (after the 09-11 disaster), why not just play 154? Baseball has dealt with shortened seasons before. (Bud) Selig spoke about the sanctity of playing 162 games, but baseball played 154 games until 1961. Baseball should have just let the games go and continued with the current schedule." - Joe Morgan on ESPN (September 19, 2001)
 

1939 Runs Batted In Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Frank McCormick 128 Cincinnati Reds 1
Joe Medwick 117 St. Louis Cardinals 2
Johnny Mize 108 St. Louis Cardinals 3
Dolph Camilli 104 Brooklyn Dodgers 4
Hank Leiber 88 Chicago Cubs 5
Cookie Lavagetto 87 Brooklyn Dodgers 6
Enos Slaughter 86 St. Louis Cardinals 7
Zeke Bonura 85 New York Giants 8
Ernie Lombardi 85 Cincinnati Reds  
Ival Goodman 84 Cincinnati Reds 10
Max West 82 Boston Bees 11
Mel Ott 80 New York Giants 12
Frank Demaree 79 New York Giants 13
Rip Russell 79 Chicago Cubs  
Elbie Fletcher 77 Boston Bees 15
Pittsburgh Pirates  
Terry Moore 77 St. Louis Cardinals  
Harry Danning 74 New York Giants 17
Augie Galan 71 Chicago Cubs 18
Billy Herman 70 Chicago Cubs 19
Morrie Arnovich 67 Philadelphia Phillies 20
Harry Craft 67 Cincinnati Reds  
Ernie Koy 67 Brooklyn Dodgers  
Billy Jurges 63 New York Giants 23
Pinky May 62 Philadelphia Phillies 24
Arky Vaughan 62 Pittsburgh Pirates  



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?

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.