List of lifetime home run leaders through history

The following is a chronology of the top ten leaders in lifetime home runs in Major League Baseball. This includes any home runs hit by a player in the National League (1876-present), the American Association (1882-1891), the Union Association (1884), the Players League (1890), the American League (1901-present), and the Federal League (1914-1915).

The list helps contextualize the evolution of one of the most prized achievements in U.S sports. It is interesting to note, for example, that in the early 1930s, Babe Ruth had 300 more home runs than the next guy; or that when Joe DiMaggio retired in 1951, he was fifth on the all-time list.

Note: I am still working on getting the 19th century numbers right. Feel free to check my numbers. I know there are mistakes and I am sure inaccuracies exist. -Kingturtle

Players closing in (through the end of the 2003 season): Rafael Palmeiro 528, Fred McGriff 491.

Year	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	(joint)
1876	Cjones 4
1877	Cjones 6
1878	Cjones 9	Hines 6
1879	Cjones 18	Hines 8
1880	Cjones 23	Hines 11	Jorourke 10	Stovey 6
1881	Cjones 23	Hines 13	DBrouthers 12	Jorourke 10	Stovey 8
1882	Cjones 23	dBrouthers 18	Hines 17	Stovey 13	Jorourke 12	Connor 9	kkelly 6	Williamson 6	Browning 5	Anson 4	Richardson 4
1883	Cjones 34	Stovey 27	Hines 21	Brouthers 21	Jorourke 13	Ewing 12	Denny 11	Connor 10	Kkelly 9	Reilly 9
1884	Cjones 41	Stovey 38	Williamson 35	Brouthers 35	Pfeffer 27	Dalrymple 26	Anson 25	Hines 24	Kkelly 22	Reilly 20
1885	Stovey 51	Cjones 45	Brouthers 42	Williamson 38	Dalrymple 37	Pfeffer 33	Anson 32	Kkelly 31	Reilly 25	Hines 25
1886	Stovey 58	Brouthers 53	Cjones 50	Williamson 44	Anson 42	Pfeffer 40	Dalrymple 37	Hines 34	Denny 29	Reilly 29
1887	Brouthers 65	Stovey 62	Pfeffer 56	Cjones 55	Williamson 53	Anson 49	Hines 44	Kkelly 43	Denny 40	Dalrymple 40
1888	Brouthers 74	Stovey 71	Pfeffer 64	Anson 61	Williamson 61	Cjones 55	Connor 53	Denny 52	Kkelly 52	Reilly 52
1889	Brouthers 81	Stovey 90	Pfeffer 71	Denny 70	Anson 68	Connor 66	Williamson 62	Kkelly 61	Reilly 57	Cjones 55
1890	Stovey 101	Brouthers 82	Connor 79	Pfeffer 76	Anson 75	Denny 73	Kkelly 65	Richardson 64	Williamson 63	Reilly 63
1891	Stovey 117	Brouthers 87	Connor 85	Anson 83	Pfeffer 83	Denny 73	Richardson 71	Kkelly 67	Reilly 67	Thompson 64
1892	Stovey 119	Connor 97	Brouthers 92	Pfeffer 85	Anson 84	Denny 73	Richardson 73	JRyan 73	Thompson 73	Kkelly 69
1893	Stovey 120	Connor 108	Brouthers 94	Pfeffer 88	Thompson 84	Anson 84	Tiernan 80	JRyan 76	Denny 74	Richardson 73
1894	Stovey 120	Connor 116	Brouthers 103	Thompson 97	Pfeffer 93	Anson 89	Tiernan 85	JRyan 79	Denny 74	Richardson 73
1895	Connor 124	Stovey 120	Thompson 115	Brouthers 105	Pfeffer 93	Tiernan 92	Anson 91	JRyan 85	Denny 74	Richardson 73
1896	Connor 135	Thompson 127	Stovey 120	Brouthers 106	Tiernan 99	Pfeffer 95	Anson 93	JRyan 88	Duffy 77	Denny 74
1897	Connor 138	Thompson 127	Stovey 120	Brouthers 106	Tiernan 104	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95	JRyan 93	Duffy 88	Denny 74
1898	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	JRyan 97	Anson 96	Duffy 96	Pfeffer 95	Denny 74
1899	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	JRyan 100	Duffy 99	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95	Delahanty 79
1900	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	JRyan 105	Duffy 101	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95	Long 87
1901	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 111	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95	Long 90
1902	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 99	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1903	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1904	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1905	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1906	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1907	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1908	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1909	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1910	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1911	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1912	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1913	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1914	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Anson 96	Pfeffer 95
1915	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Delahanty 100	Wagner 100	Anson 96
1916	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Wagner 101	Delahanty 100	Anson 96
1917	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Wagner 101	Delahanty 100	Cravath 98
1918	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Cravath 106	Duffy 103	Wagner 101	Delahanty 100
1919	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Cravath 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Wagner 101	Delahanty 100
1920	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	JRyan 118	Cravath 118	Tiernan 108	Brouthers 106	Duffy 103	Ruth 103	Wagner 101
1921	Ruth 162	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	Cravath 119	Ryan 118	Tiernan 108	DBrouthers 106	Duffy 106	Wagner 101
1922	Ruth 197	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	Cravath 119	Ryan 118	Walker 116	C Williams 108	Tiernan 108	DBrouthers 106
1923	Ruth 238	C Williams 149	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Stovey 120	Cravath 119	Ryan 118	Walker 118	Hornsby 116	K Williams 108
1924	Ruth 284	C Williams 173	Hornsby 141	Connor 138	Thompson 128	K Williams 126	Stovey 120	Cravath 119	Ryan 118	Walker 118
1925	Ruth 309	C Williams 186	Hornsby 180	K Williams 151	Connor 138	Thompson 128	Wheat 126	Stovey 120	Cravath 119	Ryan 118
1926	Ruth 356	C Williams 204	Hornsby 191	K Williams 168	Connor 138	Wheat 131	Thompson 128	Fournier 126	Heilmann 121	Stovey 120
1927	Ruth 416	C Williams 234	Hornsby 217	K Williams 185	Connor 138	Fournier 136	Heilmann 135	Wheat 132	Meusel 125	Thompson 128
1928	Ruth 470	C Williams 246	Hornsby 238	K Williams 193	Heilmann 149	Connor 138	Fournier 136	Meusel 136	Wheat 132	Thompson 128
1929	Ruth 516	Hornsby 277	C Williams 251	K Williams 196	Heilmann 164	Gehrig 146	Bottomly 146	Meusel 146	Connor 138	Fournier 136
1930	Ruth 565	Hornsby 279	C Williams 251	K Williams 196	Gehrig 187	Heilmann 183	Bottomly 161	Meusel 156	Simmons 151	Goslin 145
1931	Ruth 611	Hornsby 295	C Williams 251	Gehrig 233	K Williams 196	Heilmann 183	Simmons 173	Bottomly 170	Goslin 169	Connor 138
1932	Ruth 652	Hornsby 296	Gehrig 267	C Williams 251	Simmons 208	K Williams 196	Goslin 186	Heilmann 183	Bottomly 181	Foxx 174
1933	Ruth 686	Hornsby 299	Gehrig 299	C Williams 251	Simmons 222	Foxx 222	Goslin 196	K Williams 196	Bottomly 194	Klein 191
1934	Ruth 708	Gehrig 348	Hornsby 300	Foxx 266	C Williams 251	Wilson 244	Simmons 240	Ott 211	Klein 211	Goslin 209
1935	Ruth 714	Gehrig 378	Foxx 302	Hornsby 300	Simmons 256	C Williams 251	Wilson 244	Ott 242	Klein 232	Goslin 218
1936	Ruth 714	Gehrig 427	Foxx 343	Hornsby 300	Ott 275	Simmons 269	Klein 257	C Williams 251	Wilson 244	Goslin 242
1937	Ruth 714	Gehrig 464	Foxx 379	Ott 306	Hornsby 301	Simmons 277	Klein 272	C Williams 251	Goslin 246	Wilson 244
1938	Ruth 714	Gehrig 493	Foxx 429	Ott 342	Hornsby 301	Simmons 298	Klein 280	C Williams 251	Goslin 248	Wilson 244
1939	Ruth 714	Gehrig 493	Foxx 464	Ott 369	Simmons 305	Hornsby 301	Klein 292	C Williams 251	Goslin 248	Wilson 244
1940	Ruth 714	Foxx 500	Gehrig 493	Ott 388	Simmons 306	Hornsby 301	Klein 299	C Williams 251	Goslin 248	Greenberg 247
1941	Ruth 714	Foxx 519	Gehrig 493	Ott 415	Simmons 306	Hornsby 301	Klein 300	C Williams 251	Greenberg 249	Goslin 248
1942	Ruth 714	Foxx 527	Gehrig 493	Ott 445	Simmons 306	Hornsby 301	Klein 300	Johnson 252	Greenberg 249	C Williams 251
1943	Ruth 714	Foxx 527	Gehrig 493	Ott 463	Simmons 307	Hornsby 301	Klein 300	Johnson 259	Greenberg 249	C Williams 251
1944	Ruth 714	Foxx 527	Gehrig 493	Ott 489	Simmons 307	Hornsby 301	Klein 300	Johnson 276	Greenberg 249	C Williams 251
1945	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 510	Gehrig 493	Simmons 307	Hornsby 301	Klein 300	Johnson 288	Greenberg 262	C Williams 251
1946	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	Simmons 307	Greenberg 306	Hornsby 301	Klein 300	Johnson 288	C Williams 251
1947	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	Greenberg 331	Simmons 307	Hornsby 301	Klein 300	Johnson 288	DiMaggio 264
1948	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	Greenberg 331	Simmons 307	DiMaggio 303	Hornsby 301	Klein 300	Mize 297
1949	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	Greenberg 331	DiMaggio 317	Mize 316	Simmons 307	Hornsby 301	Klein 300
1950	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	DiMaggio 349	Mize 341	Greenberg 331	Simmons 307	Hornsby 301	Klein 300
1951	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	DiMaggio 361	Mize 351	Greenberg 331	T Williams 323	Simmons 307	Hornsby 301
1952	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	DiMaggio 361	Mize 355	Greenberg 331	T Williams 337	Simmons 307	Hornsby 301
1953	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	DiMaggio 361	Mize 359	T Williams 337	Greenberg 331	Kiner 329	Simmons 307
1954	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	T Williams 366	DiMaggio 361	Mize 359	Kiner 351	Greenberg 331	Simmons 307
1955	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	T Williams 394	Kiner 369	DiMaggio 361	Mize 359	Greenberg 331	Musial 325
1956	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	T Williams 418	Kiner 369	DiMaggio 361	Mize 359	Musial 352	Greenberg 331
1957	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	T Williams 456	Musial 381	Kiner 369	DiMaggio 361	Mize 359	Greenberg 331
1958	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	T Williams 482	Musial 398	Kiner 369	DiMaggio 361	Mize 359	Greenberg 331	Snider 331
1959	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	T Williams 492	Musial 412	Kiner 369	DiMaggio 361	Mize 359	Snider 354
1960	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	Musial 429	Kiner 369	Snider 358	DiMaggio 361	Mize 359
1961	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	Musial 444	Snider 384	Mantle 374	Mathews 370	Kiner 369
1962	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	Musial 463	Mantle 404	Mathews 399	Snider 389	Hodges 370
1963	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	Musial 475	Mathews 422	Mantle 419	Mays 406	Snider 403
1964	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Ott 511	Gehrig 493	Musial 475	Mantle 454	Mays 453	Mathews 445	Snider 407
1965	Ruth 714	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Ott 511	Mays 505	Gehrig 493	Mathews 477	Musial 475	Mantle 473	Snider 407
1966	Ruth 714	Mays 542	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Ott 511	Mantle 496	Gehrig 493	Mathews 493	Musial 475	Aaron 442
1967	Ruth 714	Mays 564	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Mantle 518	Ott 511	Mathews 509	Gehrig 493	Aaron 481	Musial 475
1968	Ruth 714	Mays 587	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Mathews 512	Ott 511	Aaron 510	Gehrig 493	Musial 475
1969	Ruth 714	Mays 600	Aaron 554	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Mathews 512	Ott 511	Banks 497	Gehrig 493
1970	Ruth 714	Mays 628	Aaron 592	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Mathews 512	Ott 511	Banks 509	Gehrig 493
1971	Ruth 714	Mays 646	Aaron 639	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Killebrew 515	Mathews 512	Banks 512	Ott 511
1972	Ruth 714	Aaron 673	Mays 654	Killebrew 541	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	Robinson 522	T Williams 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1973	Ruth 714	Aaron 713	Mays 660	Robinson 552	Killebrew 546	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1974	Aaron 733	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 574	Killebrew 559	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1975	Aaron 745	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 583	Killebrew 573	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1976	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1977	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1978	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1979	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 520	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1980	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1981	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1982	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1983	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1984	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521	Mathews 512	Banks 512
1985	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	Jackson 530	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1986	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1987	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	Schmidt 530	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1988	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 542	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1989	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1990	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1991	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1992	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1993	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1994	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1995	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1996	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1997	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1998	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	T Williams 521	McCovey 521
1999	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534	McGwire 522
2000	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	McGwire 554	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536	Foxx 534
2001	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Robinson 586	McGwire 583	Killebrew 573	Bonds 567	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536
2002	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Bonds 613	Robinson 586	McGwire 583	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Mantle 536
2003	Aaron 755	Ruth 714	Mays 660	Bonds 658	Robinson 586	McGwire 583	Killebrew 573	Jackson 563	Schmidt 548	Sosa 539