1890 MLB Season Leaders

2 leagues · 133 team games · 46 ranking tables

Awards

None of these awards existed yet. The earliest award in this database is from 1911, so a 1890 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	Hub Collins	148
2	Cliff Carroll	134
3	Billy Hamilton	133
4	Mike Tiernan	132
5	Bid McPhee	125
6	Sam Thompson	116
7	George Pinkney	115
8	Jimmy Cooney	114
8	John Reilly	114
8	Walt Wilmot	114

HitsH

1	Jack Glasscock	172
1	Sam Thompson	172
3	Mike Tiernan	168
4	Cliff Carroll	166
4	John Reilly	166
6	Billy Hamilton	161
7	Tommy Tucker	159
7	Walt Wilmot	159
9	Cap Anson	157
9	Lefty Marr	157
9	Ed McKean	157

Doubles2B

1	Sam Thompson	41
2	Hub Collins	32
2	Jack Glasscock	32
4	Al Myers	29
5	Darby O'Brien	28
6	Joe Knight	26
7	Dave Foutz	25
7	Ed Mayer	25
7	Al McCauley	25
7	John Reilly	25
7	Mike Tiernan	25

Triples3B

1	John Reilly	26
2	Bid McPhee	22
3	Mike Tiernan	21
4	Ollie Beard	15
5	Bug Holliday	14
5	Ed McKean	14
7	Eddie Burke	13
7	Jesse Burkett	13
7	Dave Foutz	13
7	Walt Wilmot	13

Home RunsHR

1	Thomas Burns	13
1	Mike Tiernan	13
1	Walt Wilmot	13
4	Herman Long	8
5	Cap Anson	7
5	Cliff Carroll	7
5	Jack Clements	7
5	Howard Earl	7
5	Ed McKean	7
5	George Pinkney	7

Runs Batted InRBI

1	Thomas Burns	128
2	Cap Anson	107
3	Sam Thompson	102
4	Walt Wilmot	99
5	Dave Foutz	98
6	Tom Burns	86
6	John Reilly	86
8	George Pinkney	83
9	Al Myers	81
10	Bug Holliday	75

WalksBB

1	Cap Anson	113
2	Bob Allen	87
2	Ed McKean	87
4	Hub Collins	85
5	Billy Hamilton	83
6	Bid McPhee	82
7	George Pinkney	80
7	Pop Smith	80
9	Jimmy Cooney	73
10	Charlie Bennett	72

Stolen BasesSB

1	Billy Hamilton	102
2	Hub Collins	85
3	Billy Sunday	84
4	Walt Wilmot	76
5	Mike Tiernan	56
6	Bid McPhee	55
7	Jack Glasscock	54
8	Bug Holliday	50
9	Herman Long	49
10	George Pinkney	47

Wins Above ReplacementWAR

1	Jack Glasscock	6.3
2	Ed McKean	5.5
3	Billy Hamilton	5.5
4	Mike Tiernan	5.0
5	Bid McPhee	4.9
6	Walt Wilmot	4.9
7	Hub Collins	4.3
8	Bob Allen	4.1
9	Cap Anson	4.1
10	George Pinkney	4.0

Batting Averagemin 412 PA

1	Jack Glasscock	.336
2	Billy Hamilton	.325
3	Jack Clements	.315
4	Sam Thompson	.313
5	Cap Anson	.312
5	Joe Knight	.312
7	Jesse Burkett	.309
7	George Pinkney	.309
9	Mike Tiernan	.304
10	Dave Foutz	.303

On-Base Percentagemin 412 PA

1	Cap Anson	.443
2	Billy Hamilton	.430
3	George Pinkney	.411
4	Ed McKean	.401
5	Jack Glasscock	.395
6	Jack Clements	.392
7	Steve Brodie	.387
7	Tommy Tucker	.387
9	Hub Collins	.385
9	Mike Tiernan	.385

Slugging Percentagemin 412 PA

1	Mike Tiernan	.495
2	Jack Clements	.472
2	John Reilly	.472
4	Thomas Burns	.464
5	Jesse Burkett	.461
6	Sam Thompson	.443
7	Jack Glasscock	.439
8	Dave Foutz	.432
9	George Pinkney	.431
10	Joe Knight	.424

On-Base Plus Sluggingmin 412 PA

1	Mike Tiernan	.880
2	Jack Clements	.864
3	Cap Anson	.844
4	George Pinkney	.842
5	Jack Glasscock	.834
6	Billy Hamilton	.829
7	Jesse Burkett	.827
8	Thomas Burns	.823
9	Ed McKean	.818
10	Sam Thompson	.813

Pitching10 categories

WinsW

1	Bill Hutchison	41
2	Kid Gleason	38
3	Tom Lovett	30
4	Amos Rusie	29
5	Billy Rhines	28
6	Kid Nichols	27
7	John Clarkson	26
7	Adonis Terry	26
9	Tom Vickery	24
10	Bob Caruthers	23
10	Pretzels Getzien	23

SavesSV

1	Dave Foutz	2
1	Kid Gleason	2
1	Bill Hutchison	2
4	Pat Luby	1
4	Tony Mullane	1
4	Amos Rusie	1
4	John Taber	1

StrikeoutsSO

1	Amos Rusie	341
2	Bill Hutchison	289
3	Kid Gleason	222
3	Kid Nichols	222
5	Adonis Terry	185
6	Billy Rhines	182
7	Tom Vickery	162
8	Ed Beatin	155
9	Pretzels Getzien	140
10	John Clarkson	138

Innings PitchedIP

1	Bill Hutchison	603.0
2	Amos Rusie	548.7
3	Kid Gleason	506.0
4	Ed Beatin	474.3
5	Kid Nichols	424.0
6	Billy Rhines	401.3
7	John Clarkson	383.0
8	Tom Vickery	382.0
9	Tom Lovett	372.0
10	Adonis Terry	370.0

Complete GamesCG

1	Bill Hutchison	65
2	Amos Rusie	56
3	Kid Gleason	54
4	Ed Beatin	53
5	Kid Nichols	47
6	Billy Rhines	45
7	John Clarkson	43
8	Tom Vickery	41
9	Pretzels Getzien	39
9	Tom Lovett	39

ShutoutsSHO

1	Kid Nichols	7
2	Kid Gleason	6
2	Billy Rhines	6
4	Bill Hutchison	5
5	Pretzels Getzien	4
5	Tom Lovett	4
5	Amos Rusie	4
8	Kirtley Baker	2
8	John Clarkson	2
8	Jesse Duryea	2
8	Lee Viau	2
8	Tom Vickery	2
8	Mickey Welch	2

Wins Above ReplacementWAR

1	Bill Hutchison	16.2
2	Kid Gleason	14.1
3	Amos Rusie	14.0
4	Kid Nichols	13.4
5	Billy Rhines	11.8
6	Pretzels Getzien	10.9
7	Ed Beatin	10.8
8	Adonis Terry	10.4
9	John Clarkson	9.0
10	Tom Vickery	8.4

Earned Run Averagemin 133 IP

1	Billy Rhines	1.95
2	Kid Nichols	2.23
3	Tony Mullane	2.24
4	Amos Rusie	2.56
5	Kid Gleason	2.63
6	Bill Hutchison	2.70
7	Tom Lovett	2.78
8	Jack Sharrott	2.89
9	Jesse Duryea	2.92
10	Adonis Terry	2.94

Walks and Hits per Inningmin 133 IP

1	Billy Rhines	1.12
2	Kid Nichols	1.15
3	Bill Hutchison	1.17
4	Cy Young	1.19
5	Pat Luby	1.20
6	Jesse Duryea	1.20
7	Pretzels Getzien	1.21
8	Tom Lovett	1.26
9	Bob Caruthers	1.26
10	Kid Gleason	1.28

Fielding Independent Pitchingmin 133 IP

1	Kid Nichols	2.98
2	Pretzels Getzien	3.03
3	Billy Rhines	3.16
4	Adonis Terry	3.22
5	Kid Gleason	3.32
6	Jesse Duryea	3.39
7	Bill Hutchison	3.44
8	Amos Rusie	3.46
9	Cy Young	3.69
10	Phenomenal Smith	3.75

Other leagues

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

Batting13 categories

RunsR

1	Hugh Duffy	161
2	Tom Brown	149
3	Harry Stovey	145
4	Jim McTamany	140
5	Tommy McCarthy	137
6	John Ward	134
7	Roger Connor	133
7	Hardy Richardson	133
9	George Gore	132
10	Lou Bierbauer	128

HitsH

1	Chicken Wolf	197
2	Tommy McCarthy	192
3	Hugh Duffy	191
4	Billy Shindle	189
5	John Ward	188
6	Hardy Richardson	187
7	Spud Johnson	186
8	Pete Browning	184
9	Lou Bierbauer	180
10	Tip O'Neill	174

Doubles2B

1	Pete Browning	40
2	Jake Beckley	38
2	Dan Brouthers	38
4	Jim O'Rourke	37
5	Hugh Duffy	36
6	Cupid Childs	33
7	Henry Larkin	32
7	Billy Nash	32
7	Dave Orr	32
7	Jimmy Ryan	32

Triples3B

1	Jake Beckley	22
1	Joe Visner	22
3	Billy Shindle	21
4	Jocko Fields	20
4	Perry Werden	20
6	Spud Johnson	18
6	Bill Joyce	18
8	Billy Alvord	16
8	Hugh Duffy	16
8	Joe Mulvey	16
8	Tip O'Neill	16

Home RunsHR

1	Hardy Richardson	16
2	Roger Connor	14
3	Harry Stovey	12
4	George Gore	10
4	Billy Shindle	10
6	Jake Beckley	9
6	Count Campau	9
6	Jocko Fields	9
6	Jim O'Rourke	9
6	George Wood	9

Runs Batted InRBI

1	Hardy Richardson	152
2	Dave Orr	124
3	Jake Beckley	123
4	Jim O'Rourke	115
5	Spud Johnson	113
6	Henry Larkin	112
7	Roger Connor	103
8	Dan Brouthers	102
8	Sam Wise	102
8	George Wood	102

WalksBB

1	Bill Joyce	123
2	Jim McTamany	112
3	William Robinson	104
4	Dan Brouthers	99
5	Jack Crooks	96
6	Billy Hoy	94
7	Billy Nash	90
8	Roger Connor	88
9	Tom Brown	87
10	Paul Radford	82
10	Harry Stovey	82

Stolen BasesSB

1	Harry Stovey	97
2	Tommy McCarthy	83
3	Tom Brown	80
4	Hugh Duffy	78
5	Ted Scheffler	77
6	Bill Van Dyke	73
7	Curt Welch	72
8	Ned Hanlon	65
9	John Ward	63
10	Ed Daily	62
10	Tim Shinnick	62

Wins Above ReplacementWAR

1	Cupid Childs	7.4
2	Pete Browning	7.3
3	John Ward	6.5
4	Billy Shindle	6.2
5	Roger Connor	6.1
6	Dan Brouthers	5.8
7	Denny Lyons	5.7
8	Tommy McCarthy	5.7
9	Hugh Duffy	5.5
10	Billy Hoy	5.5

Batting Averagemin 412 PA

1	Pete Browning	.373
2	Dave Orr	.371
3	Chicken Wolf	.363
4	Jim O'Rourke	.360
5	Tommy McCarthy	.350
6	Roger Connor	.349
7	Spud Johnson	.346
8	Cupid Childs	.345
9	Jimmy Ryan	.340
10	Dan Brouthers	.335
10	George Van Haltren	.335
10	John Ward	.335

On-Base Percentagemin 412 PA

1	Dan Brouthers	.466
2	Pete Browning	.459
3	Roger Connor	.450
4	Ed Swartwood	.444
5	William Robinson	.436
6	Cupid Childs	.434
7	George Gore	.432
8	Tommy McCarthy	.430
9	Chicken Wolf	.421
10	Henry Larkin	.419

Slugging Percentagemin 412 PA

1	Roger Connor	.548
2	Dave Orr	.534
3	Jake Beckley	.529
4	Pete Browning	.517
5	Jim O'Rourke	.515
6	Hardy Richardson	.511
7	George Gore	.499
8	Billy Shindle	.483
9	Henry Larkin	.482
10	Cupid Childs	.481

On-Base Plus Sluggingmin 412 PA

1	Roger Connor	.998
2	Pete Browning	.976
3	Dave Orr	.948
4	Dan Brouthers	.936
5	George Gore	.931
6	Jim O'Rourke	.925
7	Cupid Childs	.915
8	Jake Beckley	.909
9	Henry Larkin	.901
10	Chicken Wolf	.900

Pitching10 categories

WinsW

1	Sadie McMahon	36
2	Scott Stratton	34
3	Mark Baldwin	33
4	Hank Gastright	30
4	Silver King	30
4	Gus Weyhing	30
7	Bob Barr	28
8	Old Hoss Radbourn	27
8	Jack Stivetts	27
10	Red Ehret	25

SavesSV

1	Herb Goodall	4
2	George Hemming	3
2	Hank O'Day	3
4	Bill Daley	2
4	Red Ehret	2
4	John Ewing	2
4	Frank Knauss	2
4	Con Murphy	2
4	George Van Haltren	2
10	Dan Abbott	1
10	Charlie Bartson	1
10	Charlie Buffinton	1
10	Ed Cushman	1
10	Frank Dwyer	1
10	Jack Easton	1
10	Jim Field	1
10	Ed Green	1
10	Gil Hatfield	1
10	Matt Kilroy	1
10	Kid Madden	1
10	Sadie McMahon	1
10	George Meakim	1
10	Bob Miller	1
10	Ben Sanders	1
10	Bill Whitrock	1

StrikeoutsSO

1	Sadie McMahon	291
2	Jack Stivetts	289
3	Toad Ramsey	257
4	Egyptian Healy	225
5	Bob Barr	209
6	Scott Stratton	207
7	Mark Baldwin	206
8	Hank Gastright	199
9	Silver King	185
10	Gus Weyhing	177

Innings PitchedIP

1	Sadie McMahon	509.0
2	Bob Barr	493.3
3	Mark Baldwin	492.0
4	Silver King	461.0
5	Scott Stratton	431.0
6	Jack Stivetts	419.3
7	Hank Gastright	401.3
8	Harry Staley	396.7
9	Gus Weyhing	390.0
10	Egyptian Healy	389.0

Complete GamesCG

1	Sadie McMahon	55
2	Mark Baldwin	53
3	Bob Barr	52
4	Silver King	48
5	Harry Staley	45
6	Egyptian Healy	44
6	Scott Stratton	44
8	Hank Gastright	41
8	Jack Stivetts	41
10	Dan Casey	40

ShutoutsSHO

1	Ice Box Chamberlain	6
2	Red Ehret	4
2	Hank Gastright	4
2	Silver King	4
2	Scott Stratton	4
6	Bob Barr	3
6	Frank Knauss	3
6	George Meakim	3
6	Harry Staley	3
6	Jack Stivetts	3
6	Gus Weyhing	3

Wins Above ReplacementWAR

1	Sadie McMahon	15.4
2	Scott Stratton	14.9
3	Silver King	12.7
4	Jack Stivetts	12.0
5	Toad Ramsey	11.9
6	Egyptian Healy	11.8
7	Harry Staley	11.7
8	Bob Barr	11.4
9	Red Ehret	11.1
10	Mark Baldwin	11.1

Earned Run Averagemin 133 IP

1	Scott Stratton	2.36
2	Red Ehret	2.53
3	Silver King	2.69
4	Frank Knauss	2.81
5	Ice Box Chamberlain	2.83
6	Egyptian Healy	2.89
7	George Meakim	2.91
8	Hank Gastright	2.94
9	Bob Barr	3.25
10	Sadie McMahon	3.27

Walks and Hits per Inningmin 133 IP

1	Scott Stratton	1.06
2	Hank Gastright	1.11
3	Frank Knauss	1.13
4	Egyptian Healy	1.17
5	Red Ehret	1.20
6	Harry Staley	1.21
7	Toad Ramsey	1.23
8	George Meakim	1.23
9	Billy Hart	1.26
10	Silver King	1.26

Fielding Independent Pitchingmin 133 IP

1	Scott Stratton	2.56
2	Toad Ramsey	2.76
3	Red Ehret	2.93
4	George Meakim	2.97
5	Harry Staley	3.02
6	Sadie McMahon	3.06
7	Egyptian Healy	3.09
8	Hank Gastright	3.33
9	Frank Knauss	3.37
10	Ice Box Chamberlain	3.37

How this page is built

The qualifying line for 1890 is 412 plate appearances and 133 innings pitched. It comes from the length of the schedule — 133 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. 1890 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, 25 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 1890 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.