Market Share Homeruns
by
Asher B. Chancey,
BaseballEvolution.com
May 8, 2006
The recent nation-wide increases in gas prices has led to much discussion about "markets," and when markets should be allowed to dictate the price of consumable goods, and when the government should step and do something to manage the prices in order to help the consumers. This topic had my attention as I commuted an hour to work and school (both now over) not because I was concerned about gasoline (Toyota Corolla, 30+ miles per gallon), but because I listen to the radio in the car, and gas prices seem to be all they talk about on the radio.
One day as I motored down the road, all the talk about markets got to me in a strange way. Suddenly, I started thinking about everything in terms of market share. After I got home, I went and got a Coca-Cola from the pack of 32 on the back porch – I have one of the 32 Cokes, so the one I have is not particularly valuable. Then I went and grabbed the last of the Corn Pops from above the fridge. I have the last bowl of Corn Pops – this has become a very valuable bowl of cereal (of course I will soon be dead from my diet of Corn Pops and Coca-Cola, but that is a different issue).
Then I sat down to my computer and started looking at (yet) another article about Barry Bonds and Babe Ruth, and who was better, and why. And without even really thinking it was odd, I thought to myself, "Whose homeruns were more valuable, Bonds' in 2001, or Ruth's in 1927. I wonder who had the larger share of homeruns. Hmm."
So, I decided to figure it out. Which player had the larger share of his league's homeruns in the year in which he set the major league single season home run record. Actually, the calculation was very simple – individual homers divided by league homers multiplied by 100. An adjustment had to be made for the number of teams in the league, since there were 8 in 1927 and 16 in 2001, which means Bonds would automatically have a smaller share. So, each number is divided by number of teams.
And . . .
| Player | Player Homers | League Homers | Teams | Share |
| Barry Bonds 2001 | 73 | 2952 | 16 | 39.57 |
| Babe Ruth 1927 | 60 | 439 | 8 | 109.34 |
These numbers have no real signifigance except with respect to each other, and in context. It would seem, though I could be wrong, that we can think of these numbers as era-adjusted homerun totals, meaning a 2001 Bonds homerun would be worth 39/109 1927 Ruth homeruns. We could also think of it as, in an average year, Bonds would hit 2001 Bonds would hit 39 homeruns while 1927 Babe Ruth would hit 109 homeruns. Obviously, with a sample size of only two, it is hard to tell what this means. For the sake of reference, and context, I decided to check out the league leaders in homeruns for each year.
First, the American League:
| Year | League Homers | Teams | lgHR/Team | Player | HR | Share |
| 1920 | 369 | 8 | 46.125 | Babe Ruth* | 54 | 117.07 |
| 1927 | 439 | 8 | 54.875 | Babe Ruth* | 60 | 109.34 |
| 1921 | 477 | 8 | 59.625 | Babe Ruth* | 59 | 98.95 |
| 1919 | 240 | 8 | 30 | Babe Ruth* | 29 | 96.67 |
| 1924 | 397 | 8 | 49.625 | Babe Ruth* | 46 | 92.70 |
| 1918 | 96 | 8 | 12 | Ruth/Tilly Walker | 11 | 91.67 |
| 1928 | 483 | 8 | 60.375 | Babe Ruth* | 54 | 89.44 |
| 1926 | 424 | 8 | 53 | Babe Ruth* | 47 | 88.68 |
| 1923 | 442 | 8 | 55.25 | Babe Ruth* | 41 | 74.21 |
| 1906 | 137 | 8 | 17.125 | Harry Davis | 12 | 70.07 |
| 1916 | 144 | 8 | 18 | Wally Pipp | 12 | 66.67 |
| 1909 | 109 | 8 | 13.625 | Ty Cobb | 9 | 66.06 |
| 1932 | 707 | 8 | 88.375 | Jimmie Foxx | 58 | 65.63 |
| 1931 | 576 | 8 | 72 | Gehrig/Ruth | 46 | 63.89 |
| 1933 | 607 | 8 | 75.875 | Jimmie Foxx | 48 | 63.26 |
| 1929 | 595 | 8 | 74.375 | Babe Ruth* | 46 | 61.85 |
| 1907 | 104 | 8 | 13 | Harry Davis | 8 | 61.54 |
| 1913 | 159 | 8 | 19.875 | Frank Baker* | 12 | 60.38 |
| 1922 | 525 | 8 | 65.625 | Ken Williams* | 39 | 59.43 |
| 1930 | 673 | 8 | 84.125 | Babe Ruth* | 49 | 58.25 |
| 1943 | 473 | 8 | 59.125 | Rudy York | 34 | 57.51 |
| 1934 | 688 | 8 | 86 | Lou Gehrig* | 49 | 56.98 |
| 1903 | 184 | 8 | 23 | Buck Freeman | 13 | 56.52 |
| 1910 | 147 | 8 | 18.375 | Jake Stahl | 10 | 54.42 |
| 1917 | 133 | 8 | 16.625 | Wally Pipp* | 9 | 54.14 |
| 1942 | 533 | 8 | 66.625 | Ted Williams* | 36 | 54.03 |
| 1946 | 653 | 8 | 81.625 | Hank Greenberg | 44 | 53.91 |
| 1938 | 864 | 8 | 108 | Hank Greenberg | 58 | 53.70 |
| 1936 | 758 | 8 | 94.75 | Lou Gehrig* | 49 | 51.72 |
| 1912 | 156 | 8 | 19.5 | Baker/Speaker | 10 | 51.28 |
| 1904 | 156 | 8 | 19.5 | Harry Davis | 10 | 51.28 |
| 1902 | 258 | 8 | 32.25 | Socks Seybold | 16 | 49.61 |
| 1925 | 533 | 8 | 66.625 | Bob Meusel | 33 | 49.53 |
| 1901 | 228 | 8 | 28.5 | Nap Lajoie | 14 | 49.12 |
| 1914 | 148 | 8 | 18.5 | Frank Baker* | 9 | 48.65 |
| 1908 | 116 | 8 | 14.5 | Sam Crawford | 7 | 48.28 |
| 1937 | 806 | 8 | 100.75 | Joe DiMaggio | 46 | 45.66 |
| 1949 | 769 | 8 | 96.125 | Ted Williams* | 43 | 44.73 |
| 1945 | 430 | 8 | 53.75 | Vern Stephens | 24 | 44.65 |
| 1911 | 198 | 8 | 24.75 | Frank Baker* | 11 | 44.44 |
| 1948 | 710 | 8 | 88.75 | Joe DiMaggio | 39 | 43.94 |
| 1935 | 663 | 8 | 82.875 | Foxx/Greenberg | 36 | 43.44 |
| 1905 | 156 | 8 | 19.5 | Harry Davis | 8 | 41.03 |
| 1941 | 734 | 8 | 91.75 | Ted Williams* | 37 | 40.33 |
| 1968 | 1104 | 10 | 110.4 | Frank Howard | 44 | 39.86 |
| 1961 | 1534 | 10 | 153.4 | Roger Maris* | 61 | 39.77 |
| 1990 | 1796 | 14 | 128.2857143 | Cecil Fielder | 51 | 39.76 |
| 1953 | 879 | 8 | 109.875 | Al Rosen | 43 | 39.14 |
| 1956 | 1075 | 8 | 134.375 | Mickey Mantle | 52 | 38.70 |
| 1944 | 459 | 8 | 57.375 | Nick Etten* | 22 | 38.34 |
| 1978 | 1680 | 14 | 120 | Jim Rice | 46 | 38.33 |
| 1972 | 1175 | 12 | 97.91666667 | Dick Allen | 37 | 37.79 |
| 1947 | 679 | 8 | 84.875 | Ted Williams* | 32 | 37.70 |
| 1940 | 883 | 8 | 110.375 | Hank Greenberg | 41 | 37.15 |
| 1967 | 1197 | 10 | 119.7 | Harmon Killebrew | 44 | 36.76 |
| 1966 | 1365 | 10 | 136.5 | Frank Robinson | 49 | 35.90 |
| 1969 | 1649 | 12 | 137.4166667 | Harmon Killebrew | 49 | 35.66 |
| 1939 | 796 | 8 | 99.5 | Jimmie Foxx | 35 | 35.18 |
| 1915 | 160 | 8 | 20 | Braggo Roth | 7 | 35.00 |
| 1976 | 1122 | 12 | 93.5 | Graig Nettles* | 32 | 34.22 |
| 1992 | 1776 | 14 | 126.8571429 | Juan Gonzalez | 43 | 33.90 |
| 1957 | 1024 | 8 | 128 | Roy Sievers | 42 | 32.81 |
| 2002 | 2464 | 14 | 176 | Alex Rodriguez | 57 | 32.39 |
| 1995 | 2164 | 14 | 154.5714286 | Albert Belle | 50 | 32.35 |
| 1952 | 794 | 8 | 99.25 | Larry Doby* | 32 | 32.24 |
| 1958 | 1057 | 8 | 132.125 | Mickey Mantle | 42 | 31.79 |
| 1997 | 2477 | 14 | 176.9285714 | Ken Griffey* | 56 | 31.65 |
| 1964 | 1551 | 10 | 155.1 | Harmon Killebrew | 49 | 31.59 |
| 1994 | 1774 | 14 | 126.7142857 | Ken Griffey* | 40 | 31.57 |
| 1991 | 1953 | 14 | 139.5 | Canseco/Fielder | 44 | 31.54 |
| 1951 | 839 | 8 | 104.875 | Gus Zernial | 33 | 31.47 |
| 1979 | 2006 | 14 | 143.2857143 | Gorman Thomas | 45 | 31.41 |
| 1998 | 2499 | 14 | 178.5 | Ken Griffey* | 56 | 31.37 |
| 1980 | 1844 | 14 | 131.7142857 | Reggie Jackson* | 41 | 31.13 |
| 1954 | 823 | 8 | 102.875 | Larry Doby* | 32 | 31.11 |
| 1993 | 2074 | 14 | 148.1428571 | Juan Gonzalez | 46 | 31.05 |
| 1988 | 1901 | 14 | 135.7857143 | Jose Canseco | 42 | 30.93 |
| 1962 | 1552 | 10 | 155.2 | Harmon Killebrew | 48 | 30.93 |
| 1955 | 961 | 8 | 120.125 | Mickey Mantle | 37 | 30.80 |
| 1959 | 1091 | 8 | 136.375 | Colavito/Killebrew | 42 | 30.80 |
| 1950 | 973 | 8 | 121.625 | Al Rosen | 37 | 30.42 |
| 1984 | 1980 | 14 | 141.4285714 | Tony Armas | 43 | 30.40 |
| 1970 | 1746 | 12 | 145.5 | Frank Howard | 44 | 30.24 |
| 1963 | 1489 | 10 | 148.9 | Harmon Killebrew | 45 | 30.22 |
| 1975 | 1465 | 12 | 122.0833333 | Reggie Jackson* | 36 | 29.49 |
| 1960 | 1086 | 8 | 135.75 | Mickey Mantle | 40 | 29.47 |
| 1989 | 1718 | 14 | 122.7142857 | Fred McGriff* | 36 | 29.34 |
| 2001 | 2506 | 14 | 179 | Alex Rodriguez | 52 | 29.05 |
| 1981 | 1062 | 14 | 75.85714286 | Four Players | 22 | 29.00 |
| 1983 | 1903 | 14 | 135.9285714 | Jim Rice | 39 | 28.69 |
| 1974 | 1369 | 12 | 114.0833333 | Dick Allen | 32 | 28.05 |
| 2005 | 2437 | 14 | 174.0714286 | Alex Rodriguez | 48 | 27.57 |
| 1977 | 2013 | 14 | 143.7857143 | Jim Rice | 39 | 27.12 |
| 1971 | 1484 | 12 | 123.6666667 | Bill Melton | 33 | 26.68 |
| 1996 | 2742 | 14 | 195.8571429 | Mark McGwire | 52 | 26.55 |
| 2003 | 2499 | 14 | 178.5 | Alex Rodriguez | 47 | 26.33 |
| 1982 | 2080 | 14 | 148.5714286 | Reggie Jackson* | 39 | 26.25 |
| 1987 | 2634 | 14 | 188.1428571 | Mark McGwire | 49 | 26.04 |
| 1985 | 2178 | 14 | 155.5714286 | Darrell Evans* | 40 | 25.71 |
| 1999 | 2635 | 14 | 188.2142857 | Ken Griffey* | 48 | 25.50 |
| 1973 | 1552 | 12 | 129.3333333 | Reggie Jackson* | 32 | 24.74 |
| 2000 | 2688 | 14 | 192 | Troy Glaus | 47 | 24.48 |
| 1986 | 2290 | 14 | 163.5714286 | Jesse Barfield | 40 | 24.45 |
| 1965 | 1370 | 10 | 137 | Tony Conigliaro | 32 | 23.36 |
| 2004 | 2605 | 14 | 186.0714286 | Manny Ramirez | 43 | 23.11 |
And now the National League
| Year | League HR | Teams | lgHR/Teams | National League | HR | Share |
| 1915 | 225 | 8 | 28.125 | Gavvy Cravath | 24 | 85.33 |
| 1906 | 126 | 8 | 15.75 | Tim Jordan* | 12 | 76.19 |
| 1908 | 151 | 8 | 18.875 | Tim Jordan* | 12 | 63.58 |
| 1922 | 530 | 8 | 66.25 | Rogers Hornsby | 42 | 63.40 |
| 1923 | 538 | 8 | 67.25 | Cy Williams* | 41 | 60.97 |
| 1914 | 267 | 8 | 33.375 | Gavvy Cravath | 19 | 56.93 |
| 1907 | 141 | 8 | 17.625 | Dave Brain | 10 | 56.74 |
| 1901 | 227 | 8 | 28.375 | Sam Crawford* | 16 | 56.39 |
| 1943 | 432 | 8 | 54 | Bill Nicholson* | 29 | 53.70 |
| 1911 | 316 | 8 | 39.5 | Frank Schulte* | 21 | 53.16 |
| 1981 | 719 | 12 | 59.91666667 | Mike Schmidt | 31 | 51.74 |
| 1931 | 493 | 8 | 61.625 | Chuck Klein* | 31 | 50.30 |
| 1930 | 892 | 8 | 111.5 | Hack Wilson | 56 | 50.22 |
| 1940 | 688 | 8 | 86 | Johnny Mize* | 43 | 50.00 |
| 1927 | 483 | 8 | 60.375 | Cy Williams* | 30 | 49.69 |
| 1925 | 636 | 8 | 79.5 | Rogers Hornsby | 39 | 49.06 |
| 1913 | 310 | 8 | 38.75 | Gavvy Cravath | 19 | 49.03 |
| 1902 | 98 | 8 | 12.25 | Tommy Leach | 6 | 48.98 |
| 1933 | 460 | 8 | 57.5 | Chuck Klein* | 28 | 48.70 |
| 1903 | 151 | 8 | 18.875 | Jimmy Sheckard* | 9 | 47.68 |
| 1917 | 202 | 8 | 25.25 | Gavvy Cravath | 12 | 47.52 |
| 1938 | 611 | 8 | 76.375 | Mel Ott* | 36 | 47.14 |
| 1932 | 651 | 8 | 81.375 | Chuck Klein* | 38 | 46.70 |
| 1919 | 207 | 8 | 25.875 | Gavvy Cravath | 12 | 46.38 |
| 1980 | 1243 | 12 | 103.5833333 | Mike Schmidt | 48 | 46.34 |
| 1949 | 935 | 8 | 116.875 | Ralph Kiner | 54 | 46.20 |
| 1947 | 886 | 8 | 110.75 | Ralph Kiner | 51 | 46.05 |
| 1918 | 139 | 8 | 17.375 | Gavvy Cravath | 8 | 46.04 |
| 1920 | 261 | 8 | 32.625 | Cy Williams* | 15 | 45.98 |
| 1944 | 575 | 8 | 71.875 | Bill Nicholson* | 33 | 45.91 |
| 1929 | 754 | 8 | 94.25 | Chuck Klein* | 43 | 45.62 |
| 1941 | 597 | 8 | 74.625 | Dolph Camilli* | 34 | 45.56 |
| 1942 | 538 | 8 | 67.25 | Mel Ott* | 30 | 44.61 |
| 1998 | 2565 | 16 | 160.3125 | Mark McGwire | 70 | 43.66 |
| 1936 | 606 | 8 | 75.75 | Mel Ott* | 33 | 43.56 |
| 1924 | 499 | 8 | 62.375 | Jack Fournier* | 27 | 43.29 |
| 1934 | 656 | 8 | 82 | Ripper Collins | 35 | 42.68 |
| 1971 | 1379 | 12 | 114.9166667 | Willie Stargell* | 48 | 41.77 |
| 1989 | 1365 | 12 | 113.75 | Kevin Mitchell | 47 | 41.32 |
| 1904 | 175 | 8 | 21.875 | Harry Lumley* | 9 | 41.14 |
| 1935 | 662 | 8 | 82.75 | Wally Berger | 34 | 41.09 |
| 1976 | 1113 | 12 | 92.75 | Mike Schmidt | 38 | 40.97 |
| 1928 | 610 | 8 | 76.25 | Jim Bottomley* | 31 | 40.66 |
| 1968 | 891 | 10 | 89.1 | Willie McCovey* | 36 | 40.40 |
| 1979 | 1427 | 12 | 118.9166667 | Dave Kingman | 48 | 40.36 |
| 1945 | 557 | 8 | 69.625 | Tommy Holmes* | 28 | 40.22 |
| 1916 | 239 | 8 | 29.875 | Dave Robertson* | 12 | 40.17 |
| 1921 | 460 | 8 | 57.5 | George Kelly | 23 | 40.00 |
| 1937 | 624 | 8 | 78 | Joe Medwick | 31 | 39.74 |
| 2001 | 2952 | 16 | 184.5 | Barry Bonds* | 73 | 39.57 |
| 1905 | 182 | 8 | 22.75 | Fred Odwell* | 9 | 39.56 |
| 1965 | 1318 | 10 | 131.8 | Willie Mays | 52 | 39.45 |
| 1994 | 1532 | 14 | 109.4285714 | Matt Williams | 43 | 39.30 |
| 1912 | 287 | 8 | 35.875 | Heinie Zimmerman | 14 | 39.02 |
| 1964 | 1211 | 10 | 121.1 | Willie Mays | 47 | 38.81 |
| 1926 | 439 | 8 | 54.875 | Hack Wilson | 21 | 38.27 |
| 1977 | 1631 | 12 | 135.9166667 | George Foster | 52 | 38.26 |
| 1948 | 845 | 8 | 105.625 | Ralph Kiner | 40 | 37.87 |
| 1978 | 1276 | 12 | 106.3333333 | George Foster | 40 | 37.62 |
| 1910 | 214 | 8 | 26.75 | Fred Beck* | 10 | 37.38 |
| 1909 | 151 | 8 | 18.875 | Red Murray | 7 | 37.09 |
| 1975 | 1233 | 12 | 102.75 | Mike Schmidt | 38 | 36.98 |
| 1969 | 1470 | 12 | 122.5 | Willie McCovey* | 45 | 36.73 |
| 1988 | 1279 | 12 | 106.5833333 | Darryl Strawberry* | 39 | 36.59 |
| 1963 | 1215 | 10 | 121.5 | Hank Aaron | 44 | 36.21 |
| 1999 | 2893 | 16 | 180.8125 | Mark McGwire | 65 | 35.95 |
| 1967 | 1102 | 10 | 110.2 | Hank Aaron | 39 | 35.39 |
| 1972 | 1359 | 12 | 113.25 | Johnny Bench | 40 | 35.32 |
| 1954 | 1114 | 8 | 139.25 | Ted Kluszewski* | 49 | 35.19 |
| 1939 | 649 | 8 | 81.125 | Johnny Mize* | 28 | 34.51 |
| 1983 | 1398 | 12 | 116.5 | Mike Schmidt | 40 | 34.33 |
| 1950 | 1100 | 8 | 137.5 | Ralph Kiner | 47 | 34.18 |
| 1982 | 1299 | 12 | 108.25 | Dave Kingman | 37 | 34.18 |
| 1973 | 1550 | 12 | 129.1666667 | Willie Stargell* | 44 | 34.06 |
| 1962 | 1449 | 10 | 144.9 | Willie Mays | 49 | 33.82 |
| 1984 | 1278 | 12 | 106.5 | Dale Murphy | 36 | 33.80 |
| 1974 | 1280 | 12 | 106.6666667 | Mike Schmidt | 36 | 33.75 |
| 1992 | 1262 | 12 | 105.1666667 | Fred McGriff* | 35 | 33.28 |
| 1993 | 1956 | 14 | 139.7142857 | Barry Bonds* | 46 | 32.92 |
| 1951 | 1024 | 8 | 128 | Ralph Kiner | 42 | 32.81 |
| 1946 | 562 | 8 | 70.25 | Ralph Kiner | 23 | 32.74 |
| 1952 | 907 | 8 | 113.375 | Ralph Kiner | 37 | 32.64 |
| 1955 | 1263 | 8 | 157.875 | Willie Mays | 51 | 32.30 |
| 1987 | 1824 | 12 | 152 | Andre Dawson | 49 | 32.24 |
| 1970 | 1683 | 12 | 140.25 | Johnny Bench | 45 | 32.09 |
| 1966 | 1378 | 10 | 137.8 | Hank Aaron | 44 | 31.93 |
| 1991 | 1430 | 12 | 119.1666667 | Howard Johnson | 38 | 31.89 |
| 1958 | 1183 | 8 | 147.875 | Ernie Banks | 47 | 31.78 |
| 1959 | 1159 | 8 | 144.875 | Eddie Mathews* | 46 | 31.75 |
| 1997 | 2163 | 14 | 154.5 | Larry Walker* | 49 | 31.72 |
| 2005 | 2580 | 16 | 161.25 | Andruw Jones | 51 | 31.63 |
| 1990 | 1521 | 12 | 126.75 | Ryne Sandberg | 40 | 31.56 |
| 1960 | 1042 | 8 | 130.25 | Ernie Banks | 41 | 31.48 |
| 1953 | 1197 | 8 | 149.625 | Eddie Mathews* | 47 | 31.41 |
| 1985 | 1424 | 12 | 118.6666667 | Dale Murphy | 37 | 31.18 |
| 1961 | 1196 | 8 | 149.5 | Orlando Cepeda | 46 | 30.77 |
| 2002 | 2595 | 16 | 162.1875 | Sammy Sosa | 49 | 30.21 |
| 1957 | 1178 | 8 | 147.25 | Hank Aaron | 44 | 29.88 |
| 1996 | 2220 | 14 | 158.5714286 | Andres Galarraga | 47 | 29.64 |
| 1995 | 1917 | 14 | 136.9285714 | Dante Bichette | 40 | 29.21 |
| 1986 | 1523 | 12 | 126.9166667 | Mike Schmidt | 37 | 29.15 |
| 1956 | 1219 | 8 | 152.375 | Duke Snider* | 43 | 28.22 |
| 2003 | 2708 | 16 | 169.25 | Jim Thome* | 47 | 27.77 |
| 2004 | 2846 | 16 | 177.875 | Adrian Beltre | 48 | 26.99 |
| 2000 | 3005 | 16 | 187.8125 | Sammy Sosa | 50 | 26.62 |
Truth be told, this doesn't rise to the level of "a new stat," and it doesn't significantly change the way I look at Barry Bonds and Babe Ruth.
However, this does provide some measure for looking at homerun success as a product of era, or more specifically, season. And it is rather clear that Babe Ruth had a stronger hold on the home run market in 1927 than Barry Bonds did in 2001, for what its worth.
Oh, and one more thing - it also makes it clear that Mike Schmidt deserves a lot more props than he tends to get.
View list in chronological order.
Disagree with something? Got something to add? Wanna bring up something totally new? Asher resides in Alexandria, VA, and can be reached at asher@baseballevolution.com.
