The Top 10 First Basemen in Baseball's Hall of Fame

I believe choosing the best first baseman in the Hall of Fame is probably the toughest choice of all the positions. I mean, look at who you have to choose between: Anson, Foxx, Gehrig, Greenberg, Mize, Sisler, Killebrew, Brouthers—and on and on we could go.

Some had extreme power with little left to offer (Killebrew), some had the best hitting statistics without power (Sisler), while some did it all well (Foxx).

Keep in mind I am not using awards such as MVP, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger since they were not available to all generations.

As always, there will be disappointments, disagreements, and outrage by the readers of this article.

I can hear you already, Modern Boy: “Why do you have guys in there before 1950? You know the game wasn’t as good back then.”

I can hear you as well, Mr. Sabr: “You can’t compare modern day players to dead-ball guys. You have to adjust for climate control, night games, artificial turf, retractable roofs, how many times the guy grounded out to kill a rally, etc.”

And I can hear you too, Mr. Racist: “You can’t bring guys into this discussion who played prior to 1947. After all, that was the age of social reprieve. How many black guys did he face? How many Latinos? Etc.”

So you see, I have already heard it all, and yet I continue.

For those of you who don’t like the pre-1900 guys, yet think Cy Young was the best thing ever, I say you are leading a double life. If you take Cy’s 1800s games from him, you leave him in 58th place all time in wins with 244.

Walter Johnson looks good all of a sudden, doesn’t he?

Let’s get the slideshow on the road!

10. Bill Terry

Bill Terry was one of the few guys since 1900 to bat .400. He accomplished this sterling feat in 1930, when no MVP was selected. He batted .401 and hit 23 HR with 129 RBI, 254 hits, and 139 runs.

He batted over .300 11 times (10 consecutively), had over 200 hits six times, drove in over 100 runs six times, and scored over 100 runs seven times.

In a six-year period from 1927 to 1932, Bill averaged 21 HR, 124 RBI, 230 hits, 122 runs, and batted .355.

Terry was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1954.

Here are his career statistics:

BA: .341
HR: 154
HR/162 G: 14
RBI: 1078
RBI/162 G: 101
OBP: .393
SLG: .506
OPS+: 136
TOTAL BASES: 3252
HITS: 2193
HITS/162 G: 206
RUNS: 1120
RUNS/162 G: 105
RUNS CREATED/162 G: 120
FLD PCT: .992

* = Led all First Basemen of the HOF

9. Harmon Killebrew

Harmon Killebrew seemed huge when I was a kid. I mean like 6’3”, 240 pounds huge. He was fearsome!

He was the MVP in the American League in 1969, batting .276 with 49 HR, 140 RBI, and 106 runs. He was also runner-up once and twice finished third in MVP voting.

“Killer” never was a .300 hitter in his 22-year career.

He hit over 40 HR eight times, drove in 100-plus runs nine times, and scored 100-plus runs twice.

He also led the league in HR six times, RBI three times, walks four times, OBP once, and in SLG once.

He was named to 13 All-Star teams and appeared in the 1965 World Series with the Minnesota Twins, where he hit .286 with one HR and two RBI.

Killebrew was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.

Here are his career statistics:

BA: .256
HR: 573*
HR/162 G : 38*
RBI: 1584
RBI/162 G: 105
OBP: .376
SLG: .509
OPS+: 143
TOTAL BASES: 4143
HITS: 2086
HITS/162 G: 139
RUNS: 1283
RUNS/162 G: 85
RUNS CREATED/162 G: 107
FLD PCT: .992

* = Led all First Basemen of the HOF

8. Roger Connor

Roger Connor enjoyed an 18-year career, all in the National League. He was a 19th century player, so some of you may wish to turn your monitors off at this point.

Connor’s best overall season was 1890 when he batted .349, hit a league-best 14 HR with 103 RBI, notched 169 hits, and scored 133 runs.

From 1887-90, based on 162 games, he averaged 18 HR, 129 RBI, batted .311, had 189 hits, and scored 145 runs.

In 1885, he led the league in batting with a .321 clip and hits with 169.

He led the league in RBI in 1889 with 130. He also had the league’s best OPS+ in 1888 with 176.

Connor was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1976 by the Veterans Committee.

Here are his career statistics:

BA: .317
HR: 138
HR/162 G : 11
RBI: 1322
RBI/162 G: 107
OBP: .397
SLG: .486
OPS+: 153
TOTAL BASES: 3788
HITS: 2467
HITS/162 G: 200
RUNS: 1620
RUNS/162 G: 131
RUNS CREATED/162 G: 122
FLD PCT: .978

* = Led all First Basemen of the HOF

7. Eddie Murray

Baseball Newbies and Super Modern Men stand up. One of your own made the list!

Eddie Murray was Rookie of the Year in 1977 with the Baltimore Orioles and was runner-up in MVP Voting in 1982-83.

In the strike-shortened season of 1981, Murray led the league with 22 HR and 78 RBI.

From 1980-85 Murray averaged .303, 33 HR, 119 RBI, 184 hits, 104 runs, and an OPS+ of 151.

Murray was an eight time All-Star, won three Gold Glove Awards, and collected three Silver Slugger Awards.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

Here are his career statistics:

BA: .287
HR: 504
HR/162 G : 27
RBI: 1917
RBI/162 G: 103
OBP: .359
SLG: .476
OPS+: 129
TOTAL BASES: 5397*
HITS: 3255
HITS/162 G: 174
RUNS: 1627
RUNS/162 G: 87
RUNS CREATED/162 G: 104
FLD PCT: .993*

* = Led all First Basemen of the HOF

6. Johnny Mize

Johnny Mize played in the big leagues for 15 years. He was runner-up twice in MVP voting and third in voting once.

Mize’s best season was 1940 when he batted .314 and hit league bests in HR with 43 and RBI with 137. He also got 182 hits and scored 111 runs.

He led the league in batting in 1939 with a .349 average.

He led the league in RBI three times, in HR four times, and in runs scored once. He also led the league in SLG four times, in OPS three times, in OPS+ twice, and in total bases three consecutive seasons.

From 1937-48, Mize averaged .323 with 35 HR, 127 RBI, 196 hits, 112 runs, and 357 total bases.

Mize was a 10-time All-Star and was in five consecutive World Series, where he batted .286 with three HR and nine RBI in 18 games.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981 by the Veterans Committee.

Here are his career statistics:

BA: .312
HR: 359
HR/162 G : 31
RBI: 1337
RBI/162 G: 115
OBP: .419
SLG: .600
OPS+: 158
TOTAL BASES: 3621
HITS: 2011
HITS/162 G: 173
RUNS: 1118
RUNS/162 G: 96
RUNS CREATED/162 G: 123
FLD PCT: .992

*= Led all First Basemen of the HOF

5. Hank Greenberg

Hank Greenberg was a two-time Most Valuable Player in the American League and came in third in voting twice.

Greenberg had so many fantastic years it is too hard to pick the best, depending on whether you place more weight on AVG, HR, or RBI. It is easier just to cite his best in each category: .340 AVG, 58 HR, 183 RBI, 203 hits, and 144 runs.

He hit over 30 HR six times, over 100 RBI seven times, had 200-plus hits three times, and scored over 100 runs six times.

Greenberg led the league in HR four times, in RBI four times, in runs once, in walks twice, in SLG and OPS once, and in total bases twice.

From 1937-40 he averaged .327, 47 HR, 161 RBI, 197 hits, 142 runs, and an OPS+ of 167.

He was a five-time All-Star and was in four World Series with the Detroit Tigers, batting .318 with five HR, amassing 22 RBI, and scoring 17 runs in 23 games.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1956.

Here are his career statistics:

BA: .313
HR: 331
HR/162 G : 38*
RBI: 1276
RBI/162 G: 148
OBP: .412
SLG: .605
OPS+: 158
TOTAL BASES: 3142
HITS: 1628
HITS/162 G: 189
RUNS: 1051
RUNS/162 G: 122
RUNS CREATED/162 G: 150
FLD PCT: .991

*= Led all First Basemen of the HOF

4. Cap Anson

Cap Anson played baseball almost as long as Christ walked the Earth: 27 seasons.

He was the first 3,000 hit man in baseball history. There is discussion as to how many hits he really had, but that is not relevant here.

He was also a big-time bigot and racist, but he was a helluva player.

Anson hit .415 in 1872, which was third in the league, and .398 in 1873. He also batted a league-best .399 in 1881 and .344 in 1888.

He led the National League in RBI eight times, in hits once, in OBP four times, in OPS twice, and in OPS+ once.

From 1884-88 Anson averaged .342, 15 HR, 146 RBI, 223 hits, 143 runs, and an OPS+ of 165.

Anson appeared in two World Series with the Chicago Colts (ancestors of the Cubs) where he batted .340 in 13 games.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939 by the Veterans Committee.

Here are his career statistics:

BA: .333
HR: 97
HR/162 G: 6
RBI: 2076*
RBI/162 G: 133
OBP: .393
SLG: .445
OPS+: 141
TOTAL BASES: 4574
HITS: 3418*
HITS/162 G: 219
RUNS: 1996*
RUNS/162 G: 128
RUNS CREATED/162 G: 115
FLD PCT: .972

*= Led all First Basemen of the HOF

3. Dan Brouthers

Brouthers, another Revolutionary War Guy, won five batting titles in his 19 years in the bigs.

He won two HR titles, led the league in RBI twice, in hits three times, and in runs scored twice. He batted over .300 17 times, had 100+ RBI five times, and scored 100+ runs eight times.

From 1889-92, Brouthers had the following averages: .347 BA, five HR, 137 RBI, 214 hits, and 140 runs scored. His OPS+ over that period was 166.

He led the league in OPS and OPS+ six consecutive times, the highest being 1.026 and 206, respectively.

Brouthers played in the 1887 World Series with the Detroit Wolverines.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1945 by the Veterans Committee.

Here are his career statistics:

BA: .342*
HR: 106
HR/162 G: 10
RBI: 1296
RBI/162 G: 125
OBP: .423
SLG: .519
OPS+: 170
TOTAL BASES: 3484
HITS: 2296
HITS/162 G: 222*
RUNS: 1523
RUNS/162 G: 147*
RUNS CREATED/ 162 G: 140
FLD PCT: .971

*= Led all First Basemen of the HOF

2. Jimmie Foxx

Maybe it is just me, but I don’t think Jimmie Foxx gets near the love and respect he deserves. The man was a stud!

He was a three-time Most Valuable Player in the American League and was runner-up once.

He won two batting titles and four HR titles, and he led the league in RBI three times and runs scored once.

He batted over .300 13 times, hit 30-plus HR 12 consecutive years, knocked in 100-plus runs 13 consecutive seasons, had over 200 hits twice, and scored over 100 runs 11 times, nine of which were consecutively.

Foxx’s best year was 1932 when he batted .364 with 58 HR, 169 RBI, 213 hits, and 151 runs scored. The next season, he won the Triple Crown with a batting average of .356, 48 HR, and 163 RBI.

In an 11-year span (1929-39), Foxx averaged .337, 45 HR, 152 RBI, 203 hits, 137 runs, an OPS of 1.091, and an OPS+ of 173.

Foxx was a nine time All-Star and played in three World Series with the Philadelphia Athletics, where he batted .344 with four HR and 11 RBI in only 18 games.

He also pitched in two different seasons. In 1939, with the Boston Red Sox, he pitched one inning, facing three batters, retiring them all with one strikeout.

In 1945 he pitched in a total of nine games with the Athletics. His career record as a hurler is 1-0 with a sparkling 1.52 ERA, striking out 62 in 134 innings and allowing only 74 hits.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1951.

Here are his career statistics:

BA: .325
HR: 537
HR/162 G: 37
RBI: 1922
RBI/162 G: 134
OBP: .428
SLG: .609
OPS+: 163
TOTAL BASES: 4956
HITS: 2646
HITS/162 G: 185
RUNS: 1751
RUNS/162 G: 122
RUNS CREATED/162 G: 149
FLD PCT: .992

*= Led all First Basemen of the HOF

1. Lou Gehrig

I shouldn’t think there would be many gasps or groans from reading Lou’s name at the top of this list. I have never heard one negative thing about the man in over 50 years of following baseball.

I don’t even know where to start describing his illustrious career. He was a two-time MVP in the American League and was runner-up two other times.

In 1934, Gehrig won the Triple Crown, batting .363 with 49 HR and 165 RBI. He also had 210 hits and scored 128 runs. Unbelievably, he came in fifth in MVP voting.

Mickey Cochrane won it that year with .320, two HR, and 76 RBI. Charlie Gehringer came in second with .356, 11 HR, and 127 RBI. Pitcher Lefty Gomez was third (26-5, 2.33 ERA), and Schoolboy Rowe was fourth (24-8, 3.45 ERA).

Go figure!

From 1927-36 Gehrig averaged .350, 41 HR, 160 RBI, 212 hits, 149 runs, an OPS of 1.118, and an OPS+ of 191.

Gehrig batted over .300 in 14 of his 17 years, hit over 40 HR five times, had 100-plus RBI 13 consecutive times, had 200-plus hits eight times, and scored over 100 runs 13 consecutive times.

He led the league in OBP five times, SLG twice, OPS three times, and OPS+ three times.

He was a seven-time All-Star and played in seven World Series with the New York Yankees, batting .361 with 10 HR and 35 RBI in only 34 games.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939.

Here are his career statistics:

BA: .340
HR: 493
HR/162 G: 37
RBI: 1995
RBI/162 G: 149*
OBP: .447*
SLG: .632*
OPS+: 179*
TOTAL BASES: 5060
HITS: 2721
HITS/162 G: 204
RUNS: 1888
RUNS/162 G: 141
RUNS CREATED/162 G: 167*
FLD PCT: .991

*= Led all First Basemen of the HOF

The leaders in each of the categories are as follows:

BA: .342 – Dan Brouthers
HR: 573 – Harmon Killebrew
HR/162 G : 38 – Killebrew, Hank Greenberg
RBI: 2076 – Cap Anson
RBI/162 G: 149 – Lou Gehrig
OBP: .447 – Gehrig
SLG: .632 – Gehrig
OPS+: 179 – Gehrig
TOTAL BASES: 5397 – Eddie Murray
HITS: 3418 – Anson
HITS/162 G: 222 – Brouthers, George Sisler
RUNS: 1996 – Anson
RUNS/162 G: 141 - Gehrig
RUNS CREATED/162 G: 167 – Gehrig
FLD PCT: .993 – Murray

*= Led all members of the HOF