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MLB Home Run Champs by Year

Name the players who have led the Major League in home runs for a single season.
Since the start of the live ball era in 1919
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: October 1, 2023
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First submittedOctober 4, 2012
Times taken35,005
Average score46.2%
Rating4.21
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Year
HR
Player
2023
54
Matt Olson
2022
62
Aaron Judge
2021
48
Salvador Perez
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
2020
22
Luke Voit
2019
53
Pete Alonso
2018
48
Khris Davis
2017
59
Giancarlo Stanton
2016
47
Mark Trumbo
2015
47
Chris Davis
2014
40
Nelson Cruz
2013
53
Chris Davis
2012
44
Miguel Cabrera
2011
43
Jose Bautista
2010
54
Jose Bautista
2009
47
Albert Pujols
2008
48
Ryan Howard
2007
54
Alex Rodriguez
2006
58
Ryan Howard
2005
51
Andruw Jones
2004
48
Adrian Beltre
2003
47
Alex Rodriguez
Jim Thome
2002
57
Alex Rodriguez
2001
73
Barry Bonds
2000
50
Sammy Sosa
1999
65
Mark McGwire
1998
70
Mark McGwire
1997
58
Mark McGwire
1996
52
Mark McGwire
1995
50
Albert Belle
1994
43
Matt Williams
1993
46
Barry Bonds
Juan Gonzalez
1992
43
Juan Gonzalez
1991
44
Jose Canseco
Cecil Fielder
1990
51
Cecil Fielder
1989
47
Kevin Mitchell
1988
42
Jose Canseco
Year
HR
Player
1987
49
Mark McGwire
Andre Dawson
1986
40
Jesse Barfield
1985
40
Darrell Evans
1984
43
Tony Armas
1983
40
Mike Schmidt
1982
39
Reggie Jackson
Gorman Thomas
1981
31
Mike Schmidt
1980
48
Mike Schmidt
1979
48
Dave Kingman
1978
46
Jim Rice
1977
52
George Foster
1976
38
Mike Schmidt
1975
38
Mike Schmidt
1974
36
Mike Schmidt
1973
44
Willie Stargell
1972
40
Johnny Bench
1971
48
Willie Stargell
1970
45
Johnny Bench
1969
49
Harmon Killebrew
1968
44
Frank Howard
1967
44
Harmon Killebrew
Carl Yastrzemski
1966
49
Frank Robinson
1965
52
Willie Mays
1964
49
Harmon Killebrew
1963
45
Harmon Killebrew
1962
49
Willie Mays
1961
61
Roger Maris
1960
41
Ernie Banks
1959
46
Eddie Mathews
1958
47
Eddie Mathews
1957
44
Hank Aaron
1956
52
Mickey Mantle
1955
51
Willie Mays
1954
49
Ted Kluszewski
1953
47
Eddie Mathews
1952
37
Ralph Kiner
Hank Sauer
Year
HR
Player
1951
42
Ralph Kiner
1950
47
Ralph Kiner
1949
54
Ralph Kiner
1948
40
Ralph Kiner
Johnny Mize
1947
50
Ralph Kiner
Johnny Mize
1946
44
Hank Greenberg
1945
28
Tommy Holmes
1944
33
Bill Nicholson
1943
34
Rudy York
1942
36
Ted Williams
1941
37
Ted Williams
1940
43
Johnny Mize
1939
35
Jimmie Foxx
1938
58
Hank Greenberg
1937
46
Joe DiMaggio
1936
49
Lou Gehrig
1935
36
Jimmie Foxx
Hank Greenberg
1934
49
Lou Gehrig
1933
48
Jimmie Foxx
1932
58
Jimmie Foxx
1931
46
Lou Gehrig
Babe Ruth
1930
56
Hack Wilson
1929
46
Babe Ruth
1928
54
Babe Ruth
1927
60
Babe Ruth
1926
47
Babe Ruth
1925
39
Rogers Hornsby
1924
46
Babe Ruth
1923
41
Cy Williams
Babe Ruth
1922
42
Rogers Hornsby
1921
59
Babe Ruth
1920
54
Babe Ruth
1919
29
Babe Ruth
+3
Level 79
Oct 4, 2013
Has anyone seen Sammy Sosa lately...freaky
+3
Level 90
Oct 26, 2013
44% got Gorman Thomas, I'd imagine most were thinking Frank Thomas.
+1
Level 62
Dec 14, 2019
Ha! I was guessing Frank Thomas
+1
Level 44
Jun 1, 2016
Fun home run quiz here: http://www.jetpunk.com/user-quizzes/103225/different-names-for-a-home-run
+1
Level 32
Jul 24, 2016
Mark McGwire hit 58 home runs in 1997 (more than Griffey).
+1
Level ∞
Jul 25, 2016
Can't believe no one had mentioned that before. You're right! In my defense, McGwire didn't lead either the NL or AL in home runs that year since he was traded halfway through. Incredibly short-sited of the A's to trade McGwire. At that point in his career he was almost a lock to break Roger Maris's record as long as he could stay healthy.
+5
Level 84
May 16, 2017
...and kept juicing.
+1
Level ∞
Oct 1, 2023
Nearly every single player on this list took some sort of PED.

Babe Ruth supposedly tried to inject himself with sheep testicle extract.

Through baseball history from the early beginnings to the present, stimulant use has been nearly universal, whether we're talking about greenies, chewing tobacco, or Adderall.

The default assumption for all modern players is that they are taking some sort of testosterone supplements, keeping close eye on their test results to avoid triggering a suspension.

Testing will prevent the worst abuses.

+1
Level 63
Sep 30, 2020
I believe the A's traded him thinking his trade value was at its highest because his injury history showed he could always break down and he was 33 years old.

Of course, the A's have always had a shoestring budget and he was due for a raise from his $7,000,000 and the A's owners ordered Sandy Alderson to slash payroll

But the return was terrible. So Alderson moved to the MLB headquarters and his protege, Billy Beane took over.

+1
Level 56
Feb 2, 2018
The Mark McGwire and Jeff Bagwell trades illustrate the two sides of trading for prospects. The players the Cardinals traded to the Athletics did not develop into useful major leaguers. The Astros traded Larry Andersen to the Red Sox, and got a Hall of Famer in return. Jeff Bagwell had not played above Class A when he went to Houston.
+1
Level 89
Jun 26, 2018
Don't mention the Red Sox and trades.
+3
Level 56
Jul 20, 2018
They aren't all bad. In 1997, the Sox traded Heathcliff Slocumb to Seattle and got Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek in return.
+1
Level 63
Sep 30, 2020
Although they'd like a do-over, the Red Sox got exactly what they wanted in the Bagwell trade.....until the ALCS. They needed to shore up their bullpen and Larry Andersen was outstanding the rest of the season.

22 innings in 15 games, a WHIP of 0.955, an ERA+ of 338.

They had a terrible September, but Andersen helped salvage the AL East.

However, he coughed it up in the ALCS against the A's Bash Brothers.

+1
Level 90
Jun 29, 2020
Amazing how obscure the War era (1943-45) players are. 6 all star game appearances and only one top 10 finish in the MVP voting outside of the the time period.
+1
Level 81
Mar 26, 2022
They had 8 (maybe 9, Holmes' b-ref page is confusing) all-star appearances outside 1943-45.

York and Nicholson were both Top 20/30ish players in their prime outside 1943-45 so not exactly obscure (at the time) but certainly a lower caliber than a lot of the others on the list.

I imagine Luke Voit will go down in history with a far bigger asterisk than any of these guys.

+1
Level 82
Jun 30, 2020
Andruw Jones and Khris Davis?
+1
Level 67
Jul 5, 2020
Andruw Jones is from Curacao, so the spelling of his name might owe to some Dutch origin (or maybe some other language in Curacao of which I'm unaware). There was also a player active until a few years ago named Jhonny (not a misspelling) Peralta.
+1
Level 63
Sep 30, 2020
They should receive a lifetime ban from baseball. How dare they.
+3
Level ∞
Sep 29, 2020
I love how both Chris Davis and Khris Davis both led the major leagues in home runs.
+2
Level 63
Sep 30, 2020
Do you suppose one ever calls the other and asks, "Now, was that MY year or YOURS?"
+4
Level ∞
Sep 29, 2020
Khris Davis is also interesting in that he batted .247 four years in a row. He might be the only player ever to have the same batting average four years in a row with so many at bats.
+2
Level 63
Sep 30, 2020
95% got Cy Williams......lucky for that other guy.
+1
Level 66
Oct 7, 2020
Forgot to try Hank Aaron, but I did get Armas (thank you RBI Baseball) and Kingman (thank you Topps).
+3
Level 58
Jun 4, 2021
Amazing that Griffey never lead MLB for a season.
+2
Level 57
Aug 9, 2022
Voit is that one guy who's so weird to see on this list and was recent enough so it's somehow hard to forget about him.
+2
Level 43
Aug 31, 2022
Please include earlier years, I want credit for knowing Home Run Baker and Lip Pike
+2
Level 64
Feb 23, 2023
Was shocked not to see Bartolo Colon on this list
+1
Level 67
Apr 2, 2023
Disappointed that I missed Hammerin' Hank, but absolutely shocked that he only won the HR title once in his career. He must have been remarkably consistent in hitting 30-40 per season, but rarely more.
+1
Level 25
Oct 3, 2023
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