1889 MLB Season Leaders

2 leagues · 138 team games · 46 ranking tables

Awards

None of these awards existed yet. The earliest award in this database is from 1911, so a 1889 season has no award to show. That is a fact about the calendar, not about the players on this page.

National League

Led the National League — the first row of every table below.

Batting13 categories

RunsR

1	Mike Tiernan	147
2	Hugh Duffy	144
3	Jimmy Ryan	140
4	George Gore	132
5	Jack Glasscock	128
6	George Van Haltren	126
7	Emmett Seery	123
8	Hardy Richardson	122
9	King Kelly	120
10	Roger Connor	117

HitsH

1	Jack Glasscock	205
2	Jimmy Ryan	187
3	Hugh Duffy	182
4	Dan Brouthers	181
5	Cap Anson	177
6	George Van Haltren	175
7	Mike Tiernan	167
8	Emmett Seery	165
9	Jerry Denny	163
9	Hardy Richardson	163

Doubles2B

1	King Kelly	41
2	Jack Glasscock	40
3	Jim O'Rourke	36
3	Sam Thompson	36
5	Hardy Richardson	33
6	Cap Anson	32
6	Roger Connor	32
6	Jack McGeachey	32
9	Jimmy Ryan	31
10	Tom Burns	27
10	Paul Hines	27

Triples3B

1	Walt Wilmot	19
2	Roger Connor	17
2	Jim Fogarty	17
4	Jimmy Ryan	14
4	Mike Tiernan	14
6	Buck Ewing	13
7	Emmett Seery	12
8	Fred Carroll	11
8	Larry Twitchell	11
10	Jake Beckley	10
10	Ned Hanlon	10
10	Hardy Richardson	10
10	George Van Haltren	10

Home RunsHR

1	Sam Thompson	20
2	Jerry Denny	18
3	Jimmy Ryan	17
4	Roger Connor	13
5	Hugh Duffy	12
6	Duke Farrell	11
7	Mike Tiernan	10
8	Jake Beckley	9
8	King Kelly	9
8	George Van Haltren	9
8	Walt Wilmot	9

Runs Batted InRBI

1	Roger Connor	130
2	Dan Brouthers	118
3	Cap Anson	117
4	Jerry Denny	112
5	Sam Thompson	111
6	Danny Richardson	100
7	Jake Beckley	97
8	Larry Twitchell	95
9	Hugh Duffy	89
10	Buck Ewing	87

WalksBB

1	Mike Tiernan	96
2	Roger Connor	93
3	Paul Radford	91
4	Cap Anson	86
5	Fred Carroll	85
6	George Gore	84
7	George Van Haltren	82
8	Billy Nash	79
9	Billy Hoy	75
10	Jimmy Ryan	70

Stolen BasesSB

1	Jim Fogarty	99
2	King Kelly	68
3	Tom Brown	63
4	John Ward	62
5	Jack Glasscock	57
6	Ned Hanlon	53
7	Hugh Duffy	52
8	Hardy Richardson	47
8	Billy Sunday	47
10	Fred Pfeffer	45
10	Jimmy Ryan	45

Wins Above ReplacementWAR

1	Jack Glasscock	7.0
2	Jimmy Ryan	6.7
3	Dan Brouthers	5.5
4	Mike Tiernan	5.3
5	Cap Anson	5.2
6	Fred Carroll	5.0
7	Roger Connor	4.8
8	Jim Fogarty	4.4
9	George Gore	4.4
10	Walt Wilmot	4.4

Batting Averagemin 428 PA

1	Dan Brouthers	.373
2	Jack Glasscock	.352
3	Cap Anson	.342
4	Mike Tiernan	.335
5	Buck Ewing	.327
6	Jimmy Ryan	.325
7	George Van Haltren	.322
8	Jim O'Rourke	.321
9	Ed McKean	.318
10	Roger Connor	.317

On-Base Percentagemin 428 PA

1	Dan Brouthers	.462
2	Mike Tiernan	.447
3	Cap Anson	.440
4	Roger Connor	.426
5	George Gore	.416
5	George Van Haltren	.416
7	Jimmy Ryan	.403
8	Emmett Seery	.401
9	Jack Glasscock	.390
10	Buck Ewing	.383

Slugging Percentagemin 428 PA

1	Roger Connor	.528
2	Jimmy Ryan	.516
3	Dan Brouthers	.507
4	Mike Tiernan	.497
5	Sam Thompson	.492
6	Walt Wilmot	.484
7	Buck Ewing	.477
8	Cap Anson	.471
9	Jack Glasscock	.467
10	Emmett Seery	.454

On-Base Plus Sluggingmin 428 PA

1	Dan Brouthers	.969
2	Roger Connor	.955
3	Mike Tiernan	.944
4	Jimmy Ryan	.919
5	Cap Anson	.911
6	George Van Haltren	.862
7	Buck Ewing	.860
8	Jack Glasscock	.857
9	Emmett Seery	.856
10	Walt Wilmot	.851

Pitching10 categories

WinsW

1	John Clarkson	49
2	Charlie Buffinton	28
2	Tim Keefe	28
4	Mickey Welch	27
5	Pud Galvin	23
6	Cinders O'Brien	22
7	Henry Boyle	21
7	Harry Staley	21
9	Ed Beatin	20
9	Old Hoss Radbourn	20

SavesSV

1	Bill Sowders	3
2	Bill Bishop	2
2	Mickey Welch	2
4	Bill Burdick	1
4	John Clarkson	1
4	Pretzels Getzien	1
4	Kid Gleason	1
4	Henry Gruber	1
4	Tim Keefe	1
4	Kid Madden	1
4	Ben Sanders	1
4	Harry Staley	1

StrikeoutsSO

1	John Clarkson	284
2	Tim Keefe	225
3	Harry Staley	159
4	Charlie Buffinton	153
5	Pretzels Getzien	139
6	Bill Hutchison	136
7	Ed Crane	130
8	Ed Beatin	126
9	Mickey Welch	125
10	Ben Sanders	123

Innings PitchedIP

1	John Clarkson	620.0
2	Harry Staley	420.0
3	Charlie Buffinton	380.0
4	Henry Boyle	378.7
5	Mickey Welch	375.0
6	Tim Keefe	364.0
7	Ben Sanders	349.7
8	Pretzels Getzien	349.0
9	Cinders O'Brien	346.7
10	Pud Galvin	341.0

Complete GamesCG

1	John Clarkson	68
2	Harry Staley	46
3	Tim Keefe	39
3	Cinders O'Brien	39
3	Mickey Welch	39
6	Henry Boyle	38
6	Pud Galvin	38
8	Charlie Buffinton	37
9	Pretzels Getzien	36
10	Ed Beatin	35

ShutoutsSHO

1	John Clarkson	8
2	Pud Galvin	4
3	Ed Beatin	3
3	Bill Hutchison	3
3	Tim Keefe	3
3	Mickey Welch	3
7	Jersey Bakley	2
7	Henry Boyle	2
7	Charlie Buffinton	2
7	Ad Gumbert	2

Wins Above ReplacementWAR

1	John Clarkson	16.5
2	Harry Staley	10.5
3	Charlie Buffinton	10.1
4	Tim Keefe	9.5
5	Ben Sanders	9.4
6	Henry Boyle	8.9
7	Mickey Welch	7.7
8	Bill Hutchison	7.6
9	Pretzels Getzien	7.2
10	Jersey Bakley	7.2

Earned Run Averagemin 138 IP

1	John Clarkson	2.73
2	Jersey Bakley	2.96
3	Mickey Welch	3.02
4	Charlie Buffinton	3.25
5	Tim Keefe	3.36
6	Harry Staley	3.51
7	Bill Hutchison	3.54
8	Ben Sanders	3.55
9	Ed Beatin	3.57
10	Frank Dwyer	3.59

Walks and Hits per Inningmin 138 IP

1	John Clarkson	1.28
2	Old Hoss Radbourn	1.28
3	Tim Keefe	1.29
4	Mickey Welch	1.30
5	Harry Staley	1.31
6	Jersey Bakley	1.32
7	Bill Hutchison	1.33
8	Charlie Buffinton	1.34
9	Ad Gumbert	1.36
10	Henry Boyle	1.36

Fielding Independent Pitchingmin 138 IP

1	Harry Staley	3.47
2	Tim Keefe	3.48
3	John Clarkson	3.49
4	Ben Sanders	3.49
5	Charlie Buffinton	3.54
6	Bill Hutchison	3.78
7	Ed Morris	3.79
8	Old Hoss Radbourn	3.81
9	Jersey Bakley	3.82
10	Henry Boyle	3.84

Other leagues

Led the Other leagues — the first row of every table below.

Batting13 categories

RunsR

1	Mike Griffin	152
1	Harry Stovey	152
3	Darby O'Brien	146
4	Billy Hamilton	144
5	Hub Collins	139
6	Herman Long	137
7	Tommy McCarthy	136
8	Denny Lyons	135
9	Curt Welch	134
10	Tip O'Neill	123

HitsH

1	Tommy Tucker	196
2	Dave Orr	183
3	Bug Holliday	181
4	Tip O'Neill	179
5	Billy Shindle	178
6	Jim Burns	176
6	Tommy McCarthy	176
8	Harry Stovey	171
9	Darby O'Brien	170
10	Charlie Comiskey	168
10	Denny Lyons	168

Doubles2B

1	Curt Welch	39
2	Harry Stovey	38
3	Denny Lyons	36
4	Tip O'Neill	33
5	Herman Long	32
6	Dave Orr	31
7	John Milligan	30
7	Darby O'Brien	30
9	Charlie Comiskey	28
9	Bug Holliday	28

Triples3B

1	Lefty Marr	15
2	Ollie Beard	14
2	Mike Griffin	14
4	Thomas Burns	13
4	John Reilly	13
4	Harry Stovey	13
7	Billy Hamilton	12
7	Henry Larkin	12
7	Dave Orr	12
7	Dan Shannon	12
7	Dan Stearns	12

Home RunsHR

1	Bug Holliday	19
1	Harry Stovey	19
3	Charlie Duffee	16
4	John Milligan	12
5	Denny Lyons	9
5	Tip O'Neill	9
7	John Corkhill	8
7	Joe Visner	8
9	Lou Bierbauer	7
9	George Tebeau	7

Runs Batted InRBI

1	Harry Stovey	119
2	Dave Foutz	113
3	Tip O'Neill	110
4	Lou Bierbauer	105
5	Bug Holliday	104
6	Charlie Comiskey	102
7	Thomas Burns	100
8	Tommy Tucker	99
9	Jim Burns	97
10	Reddy Mack	87
10	Dave Orr	87
10	Dan Stearns	87

WalksBB

1	William Robinson	118
2	Jim McTamany	116
3	Mike Griffin	91
4	Billy Hamilton	87
4	Lefty Marr	87
6	Henry Larkin	83
7	Hub Collins	80
8	Denny Lyons	79
9	Harry Stovey	77
10	Tip O'Neill	72

Stolen BasesSB

1	Billy Hamilton	111
2	Darby O'Brien	91
3	Herman Long	89
4	Hugh Nicol	80
5	Arlie Latham	69
6	Dan Stearns	67
7	Curt Welch	66
8	Hub Collins	65
8	Charlie Comiskey	65
10	Bid McPhee	63
10	Harry Stovey	63
10	Tommy Tucker	63

Wins Above ReplacementWAR

1	Harry Stovey	7.1
2	Herman Long	6.2
3	Tommy Tucker	6.1
4	Denny Lyons	6.1
5	Lefty Marr	5.2
6	Billy Shindle	5.1
7	Darby O'Brien	5.0
8	Tip O'Neill	4.8
9	Lou Bierbauer	4.8
10	Bug Holliday	4.6

Batting Averagemin 428 PA

1	Tommy Tucker	.372
2	Tip O'Neill	.335
3	Denny Lyons	.329
4	Dave Orr	.327
5	Bug Holliday	.321
6	Henry Larkin	.318
7	Blondie Purcell	.316
8	Billy Shindle	.314
9	Harry Stovey	.308
10	Lefty Marr	.306

On-Base Percentagemin 428 PA

1	Tommy Tucker	.450
2	Henry Larkin	.428
3	Denny Lyons	.426
4	Tip O'Neill	.419
5	Billy Hamilton	.413
6	Lefty Marr	.407
6	Jim McTamany	.407
8	Harry Stovey	.393
9	Thomas Burns	.391
10	Mike Griffin	.387

Slugging Percentagemin 428 PA

1	Harry Stovey	.525
2	Bug Holliday	.497
3	Tommy Tucker	.484
4	Tip O'Neill	.478
5	Denny Lyons	.469
6	Dave Orr	.446
7	Henry Larkin	.426
8	Thomas Burns	.423
9	Darby O'Brien	.418
10	Lou Bierbauer	.417

On-Base Plus Sluggingmin 428 PA

1	Tommy Tucker	.934
2	Harry Stovey	.918
3	Tip O'Neill	.897
4	Denny Lyons	.895
5	Bug Holliday	.869
6	Henry Larkin	.854
7	Lefty Marr	.821
8	Thomas Burns	.813
9	Billy Hamilton	.808
10	Darby O'Brien	.802

Pitching10 categories

WinsW

1	Bob Caruthers	40
2	Silver King	35
3	Ice Box Chamberlain	32
3	Jesse Duryea	32
5	Gus Weyhing	30
6	Matt Kilroy	29
7	Mark Baldwin	27
8	Frank Foreman	23
9	Adonis Terry	22
9	Lee Viau	22

SavesSV

1	Tony Mullane	5
2	Jack Stivetts	2
3	Mark Baldwin	1
3	Bob Caruthers	1
3	Ice Box Chamberlain	1
3	Theodore Conover	1
3	Bert Cunningham	1
3	Ed Daily	1
3	Jesse Duryea	1
3	Jack Easton	1
3	Silver King	1
3	Mike Mattimore	1
3	John Sowders	1
3	Scott Stratton	1
3	Park Swartzel	1
3	Lee Viau	1
3	Wild Bill Widner	1

StrikeoutsSO

1	Mark Baldwin	368
2	Matt Kilroy	217
3	Gus Weyhing	213
4	Ice Box Chamberlain	202
5	Silver King	188
6	Adonis Terry	186
7	Jesse Duryea	183
8	Frank Foreman	180
9	John Ewing	155
10	Lee Viau	152

Innings PitchedIP

1	Mark Baldwin	513.7
2	Matt Kilroy	480.7
3	Silver King	458.0
4	Gus Weyhing	449.0
5	Bob Caruthers	445.0
6	Ice Box Chamberlain	421.7
7	Frank Foreman	414.0
8	Park Swartzel	410.3
9	Jesse Duryea	401.0
10	Lee Viau	373.0

Complete GamesCG

1	Matt Kilroy	55
2	Mark Baldwin	54
3	Gus Weyhing	50
4	Silver King	47
5	Bob Caruthers	46
6	Park Swartzel	45
7	Ice Box Chamberlain	44
8	Frank Foreman	43
9	Jesse Duryea	38
9	Lee Viau	38

ShutoutsSHO

1	Bob Caruthers	7
2	Mark Baldwin	6
3	Frank Foreman	5
3	Matt Kilroy	5
5	Gus Weyhing	4
6	Ice Box Chamberlain	3
6	Ed Seward	3
8	Jesse Duryea	2
8	Silver King	2
8	Sadie McMahon	2
8	Jack Stivetts	2
8	Adonis Terry	2
8	Wild Bill Widner	2

Wins Above ReplacementWAR

1	Matt Kilroy	12.9
2	Mark Baldwin	12.7
3	Silver King	12.3
4	Jesse Duryea	10.7
5	Ice Box Chamberlain	10.1
6	Frank Foreman	10.0
7	Bob Caruthers	9.8
8	Park Swartzel	9.4
9	Lee Viau	9.3
10	Gus Weyhing	9.0

Earned Run Averagemin 138 IP

1	Jack Stivetts	2.25
2	Jesse Duryea	2.56
3	Matt Kilroy	2.85
4	Gus Weyhing	2.95
5	Ice Box Chamberlain	2.97
6	Tony Mullane	2.99
7	Bob Caruthers	3.13
8	Silver King	3.14
9	Jim Conway	3.25
10	Adonis Terry	3.29

Walks and Hits per Inningmin 138 IP

1	Jack Stivetts	1.15
2	Frank Foreman	1.21
3	Bob Caruthers	1.23
4	Jesse Duryea	1.24
5	Adonis Terry	1.26
6	Jim Conway	1.27
7	Silver King	1.28
8	Ice Box Chamberlain	1.28
9	Matt Kilroy	1.29
10	Tom Lovett	1.31

Fielding Independent Pitchingmin 138 IP

1	Jack Stivetts	2.93
2	Tom Lovett	3.33
3	Matt Kilroy	3.37
4	Adonis Terry	3.41
5	Jesse Duryea	3.45
6	Mark Baldwin	3.52
7	Silver King	3.57
8	Tony Mullane	3.61
9	Lee Viau	3.64
10	Frank Foreman	3.67

How this page is built

The qualifying line for 1889 is 428 plate appearances and 138 innings pitched. It comes from the length of the schedule — 138 games per team, measured from the season files themselves — at the official rate of 3.1 plate appearances and one inning per team game. Batting average, on-base, slugging, OPS, earned run average and WHIP all use it; a player who came to the plate twice and got two hits does not appear at the top of the batting average table, which is exactly what that line is for. Counting statistics such as home runs and strikeouts have no minimum, because none is needed.

How the rankings were made

Wins above replacement in these tables is ours rather than the source database's, so it will not match a published figure exactly. Also: why every ranking stops at one league, and why some categories are missing on purpose.

Every ranking on this page is worked out inside one league. 1889 is counted as 2 separate leagues — National League and Other leagues, and a player is ranked only against the men in his own. Leading the American League and leading baseball are different claims, and the one we can make from these files is the first. There is no combined table anywhere on this page, because adding two leagues together would produce a number that no record book recognises.

There are 46 ranking tables here, 17 places deep. Players tied on a value share a place, so a table can run past ten rows when the tenth spot is shared, and a league with fewer than ten qualified players in a category is left out rather than shown as a top ten that is not one. A player who did none of the thing is not ranked in it either — a shutout table lists the pitchers who threw one, not the hundreds who threw none tied on zero. Some categories are missing on purpose: nobody leads a league in strikeouts at the plate, in losses, or in home runs allowed. A ranking is meant to mark an achievement, so only achievements are ranked.

Wins above replacement on this page is ours, not the source database's. The hitting and pitching files carry a WAR column that we compute here from the same season lines you see, using park factors and a run environment worked out per season. Published versions elsewhere use different methods and will not match ours exactly. Every other column is the record as the database supplies it.

Names on this page lead to that player's own record. Most of them open a full career page with every season he appeared in. Some open a summary screen instead — we pre-build pages for the players people look for, and everyone else is assembled on demand from the same files, so the numbers are identical either way even though the address looks different.

Data for 1871 to 2025: Lahman Baseball Database 2025, compiled by SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) and licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported. Negro Leagues data licensed from Seamheads.com and included under SABR major-league recommendations (2021-02-11, 2024-06-03). This page ranks the 1889 season lines published on this site, league by league, with WAR worked out here. — the WAR columns are computed here — and they are published under the same CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported licence, as ShareAlike requires. That database is published once a season is complete, so the 2026 figures on this site come from a different place: the MLB Stats API, whose notice reads “Copyright 2026 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Use of any content on this page acknowledges agreement to the terms posted here http://gdx.mlb.com/components/copyright.txt”. Those numbers are MLB Advanced Media, L.P.’s, not SABR (Society for American Baseball Research)’s, and they carry that notice rather than the CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported licence above. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Major League Baseball or any of its clubs.