List Of Major League Baseball All-time Leaders In Home Runs By Pitchers
In baseball, a home run (HR) is typically a fair hit that passes over an outfield fence or into the stands at a distance from home base of 250 feet or more, which entitles the batter to legally touch all bases and score without liability. Atypically, a batter who hits a fair ball and touches each base in succession from 1st to home, without an error being charged to a defensive player, is credited with an inside-the-park home run. If, during a play, defensive or fan interference is called, and the awarded bases allow the batter to cross home plate, the batter is credited with a home run.
Wes Ferrell holds the all-time Major League Baseball record for home runs hit while playing the position of pitcher. He hit 37 as a pitcher. Baseball Hall of Famers Bob Lemon and Warren Spahn are tied for second with 35 career home runs apiece. Red Ruffing, Earl Wilson, and Don Drysdale are the only other pitchers to hit at least 25 home runs. Jack Stivetts hit a total of 35 home runs in his playing career, 21 as a pitcher. Carlos Zambrano, with 24 home runs, holds the lead among all active pitchers.
Ferrell also holds the single-season record for home runs by a pitcher, with nine, a mark that he reached in 1931. The record had previously been held by Stivetts, who had hit seven in 1890. Since 1931, six different pitchers have hit seven home runs in a season: Ferrell, Lemon, Don Newcombe, Don Drysdale (twice), Wilson, and Mike Hampton.
The most home runs by a pitcher in a single game is three. Guy Hecker accomplished this feat in 1886, and Jim Tobin equaled the mark in 1942.
Read more about List Of Major League Baseball All-time Leaders In Home Runs By Pitchers: Single-season, Single-game
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