American League
| Year | Leader | K | Team | Runner-up | K | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | Young, CyCy Young | 158 | Boston Americans | Patterson, RoyRoy Patterson | 127 | |
| 1902 | Waddell, RubeRube Waddell | 210 | Philadelphia Athletics | Young, CyCy Young | 160 | |
| 1903 | Waddell, RubeRube Waddell | 302 | Philadelphia Athletics | Donovan, BillBill Donovan | 187 | |
| 1904 | Waddell, RubeRube Waddell | 349 | Philadelphia Athletics | Chesbro, JackJack Chesbro | 239 | |
| 1905 | Waddell, RubeRube Waddell | 287 | Philadelphia Athletics | Plank, Eddie; Young, Cy !Eddie Plank Cy Young |
210 | |
| 1906 | Waddell, RubeRube Waddell | 196 | Philadelphia Athletics | Falkenberg, CyCy Falkenberg | 178 | |
| 1907 | Waddell, RubeRube Waddell | 232 | Philadelphia Athletics | Walsh, EdEd Walsh | 206 | |
| 1908 | Walsh, EdEd Walsh | 269 | Chicago White Sox | Waddell, RubeRube Waddell | 232 | |
| 1909 | Smith, FrankFrank Smith | 177 | Chicago White Sox | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 164 | |
| 1910 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 313 | Washington Senators | Walsh, EdEd Walsh | 258 | |
| 1911 | Walsh, EdEd Walsh | 255 | Chicago White Sox | Wood, JoeJoe Wood | 231 | |
| 1912 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 303 | Washington Senators | Wood, JoeJoe Wood | 258 | |
| 1913 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 243 | Washington Senators | Falkenberg, Cy; Gregg, Vean !Cy Falkenberg Vean Gregg |
166 | |
| 1914 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 225 | Washington Senators | Mitchell, WillieWillie Mitchell | 179 | |
| 1915 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 203 | Washington Senators | Faber, RedRed Faber | 182 | |
| 1916 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 228 | Washington Senators | Myers, ElmerElmer Myers | 182 | |
| 1917 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 188 | Washington Senators | Cicotte, EddieEddie Cicotte | 150 | |
| 1918 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 162 | Washington Senators | Shaw, JimJim Shaw | 129 | |
| 1919 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 147 | Washington Senators | Shaw, JimJim Shaw | 128 | |
| 1920 | Coveleski, StanStan Coveleski | 133 | Cleveland Indians | Williams, LeftyLefty Williams | 128 | |
| 1921 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 143 | Washington Senators | Shocker, UrbanUrban Shocker | 132 | |
| 1922 | Shocker, UrbanUrban Shocker | 149 | St. Louis Browns | Faber, RedRed Faber | 148 | |
| 1923 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 130 | Washington Senators | Bush, Joe; Shawkey, Bob !Joe Bush Bob Shawkey |
125 | |
| 1924 | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 158 | Washington Senators | Ehmke, HowardHoward Ehmke | 119 | |
| 1925 | Grove, LeftyLefty Grove | 116 | Philadelphia Athletics | Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 108 | |
| 1926 | Grove, LeftyLefty Grove | 194 | Philadelphia Athletics | Uhle, GeorgeGeorge Uhle | 159 | |
| 1927 | Grove, LeftyLefty Grove | 174 | Philadelphia Athletics | Walberg, RubeRube Walberg | 136 | |
| 1928 | Grove, LeftyLefty Grove | 183 | Philadelphia Athletics | Pipgras, GeorgeGeorge Pipgras | 139 | |
| 1929 | Grove, LeftyLefty Grove | 170 | Philadelphia Athletics | Earnshaw, GeorgeGeorge Earnshaw | 149 | |
| 1930 | Grove, LeftyLefty Grove | 209 | Philadelphia Athletics | Earnshaw, GeorgeGeorge Earnshaw | 193 | |
| 1931 | Grove, LeftyLefty Grove | 175 | Philadelphia Athletics | Earnshaw, GeorgeGeorge Earnshaw | 152 | |
| 1932 | Ruffing, RedRed Ruffing | 190 | New York Yankees | Grove, LeftyLefty Grove | 188 | |
| 1933 | Gomez, LeftyLefty Gomez | 163 | New York Yankees | Hadley, BumpBump Hadley | 149 | |
| 1934 | Gomez, LeftyLefty Gomez | 158 | New York Yankees | Bridges, TommyTommy Bridges | 151 | |
| 1935 | Bridges, TommyTommy Bridges | 163 | Detroit Tigers | Rowe, SchoolboySchoolboy Rowe | 140 | |
| 1936 | Bridges, TommyTommy Bridges | 175 | Detroit Tigers | Allen, JohnnyJohnny Allen | 165 | |
| 1937 | Gomez, LeftyLefty Gomez | 194 | New York Yankees | Newsom, BoboBobo Newsom | 166 | |
| 1938 | Feller, BobBob Feller | 240 | Cleveland Indians | Newsom, BoboBobo Newsom | 226 | |
| 1939 | Feller, BobBob Feller | 246 | Cleveland Indians | Newsom, BoboBobo Newsom | 192 | |
| 1940 | Feller, BobBob Feller | 261 | Cleveland Indians | Newsom, BoboBobo Newsom | 164 | |
| 1941 | Feller, BobBob Feller | 260 | Cleveland Indians | Newsom, BoboBobo Newsom | 175 | |
| 1942 | Hughson, Tex; Newsom, Bobo !Tex Hughson Bobo Newsom |
113 | Boston Red Sox Washington Senators |
Benton, Al; Marchildon, Phil !Al Benton Phil Marchildon |
110 | |
| 1943 | Reynolds, AllieAllie Reynolds | 151 | Cleveland Indians | Newhouser, HalHal Newhouser | 144 | |
| 1944 | Newhouser, HalHal Newhouser | 187 | Detroit Tigers | Trout, DizzyDizzy Trout | 144 | |
| 1945 | Newhouser, HalHal Newhouser | 212 | Detroit Tigers | Potter, NelsNels Potter | 129 | |
| 1946 | Feller, BobBob Feller | 348 | Cleveland Indians | Newhouser, HalHal Newhouser | 275 | |
| 1947 | Feller, BobBob Feller | 196 | Cleveland Indians | Newhouser, HalHal Newhouser | 176 | |
| 1948 | Feller, BobBob Feller | 164 | Cleveland Indians | Lemon, BobBob Lemon | 147 | |
| 1949 | Trucks, VirgilVirgil Trucks | 153 | Detroit Tigers | Newhouser, HalHal Newhouser | 144 | |
| 1950 | Lemon, BobBob Lemon | 170 | Cleveland Indians | Reynolds, AllieAllie Reynolds | 160 | |
| 1951 | Raschi, VicVic Raschi | 164 | New York Yankees | Wynn, EarlyEarly Wynn | 133 | |
| 1952 | Reynolds, AllieAllie Reynolds | 160 | New York Yankees | Wynn, EarlyEarly Wynn | 153 | |
| 1953 | Pierce, BillyBilly Pierce | 186 | Chicago White Sox | Trucks, VirgilVirgil Trucks | 149 | |
| 1954 | Turley, BobBob Turley | 185 | Baltimore Orioles | Wynn, EarlyEarly Wynn | 155 | |
| 1955 | Score, HerbHerb Score | 245 | Cleveland Indians | Turley, BobBob Turley | 210 | |
| 1956 | Score, HerbHerb Score | 263 | Cleveland Indians | Pierce, BillyBilly Pierce | 192 | |
| 1957 | Wynn, EarlyEarly Wynn | 184 | Cleveland Indians | Bunning, JimJim Bunning | 182 | |
| 1958 | Wynn, EarlyEarly Wynn | 179 | Chicago White Sox | Bunning, JimJim Bunning | 177 | |
| 1959 | Bunning, JimJim Bunning | 201 | Detroit Tigers | Pascual, CamiloCamilo Pascual | 185 | |
| 1960 | Bunning, JimJim Bunning | 201 | Detroit Tigers | Ramos, PedroPedro Ramos | 160 | |
| 1961 | Pascual, CamiloCamilo Pascual | 221 | Minnesota Twins | Ford, WhiteyWhitey Ford | 209 | |
| 1962 | Pascual, CamiloCamilo Pascual | 206 | Minnesota Twins | Bunning, JimJim Bunning | 184 | |
| 1963 | Pascual, CamiloCamilo Pascual | 202 | Minnesota Twins | Bunning, JimJim Bunning | 196 | |
| 1964 | Downing, AlAl Downing | 217 | New York Yankees | Pascual, CamiloCamilo Pascual | 213 | |
| 1965 | McDowell, SamSam McDowell | 325 | Cleveland Indians | Lolich, MickeyMickey Lolich | 226 | |
| 1966 | McDowell, SamSam McDowell | 225 | Cleveland Indians | Kaat, JimJim Kaat | 205 | |
| 1967 | Lonborg, JimJim Lonborg | 246 | Boston Red Sox | McDowell, SamSam McDowell | 236 | |
| 1968 | McDowell, SamSam McDowell | 283 | Cleveland Indians | McLain, DennyDenny McLain | 280 | |
| 1969 | McDowell, SamSam McDowell | 279 | Cleveland Indians | Lolich, MickeyMickey Lolich | 271 | |
| 1970 | McDowell, SamSam McDowell | 304 | Cleveland Indians | Lolich, MickeyMickey Lolich | 230 | |
| 1971 | Lolich, MickeyMickey Lolich | 308 | Detroit Tigers | Blue, VidaVida Blue | 301 | |
| 1972 | Ryan, NolanNolan Ryan | 329 | California Angels | Lolich, MickeyMickey Lolich | 250 | |
| 1973 | Ryan, NolanNolan Ryan | 383 | California Angels | Blyleven, BertBert Blyleven | 258 | |
| 1974 | Ryan, NolanNolan Ryan | 367 | California Angels | Blyleven, BertBert Blyleven | 249 | |
| 1975 | Tanana, FrankFrank Tanana | 269 | California Angels | Blyleven, Bert; Perry, Gaylord !Bert Blyleven Gaylord Perry |
233 | |
| 1976 | Ryan, NolanNolan Ryan | 327 | California Angels | Tanana, FrankFrank Tanana | 261 | |
| 1977 | Ryan, NolanNolan Ryan | 341 | California Angels | Leonard, DennisDennis Leonard | 244 | |
| 1978 | Ryan, NolanNolan Ryan | 260 | California Angels | Guidry, RonRon Guidry | 248 | |
| 1979 | Ryan, NolanNolan Ryan | 223 | California Angels | Guidry, RonRon Guidry | 201 | |
| 1980 | Barker, LenLen Barker | 187 | Cleveland Indians | Norris, MikeMike Norris | 180 | |
| 1981 | Barker, LenLen Barker | 127 | Cleveland Indians | Burns, BrittBritt Burns | 108 | |
| 1982 | Bannister, FloydFloyd Bannister | 209 | Seattle Mariners | Barker, LenLen Barker | 187 | |
| 1983 | Morris, JackJack Morris | 232 | Detroit Tigers | Bannister, FloydFloyd Bannister | 193 | |
| 1984 | Langston, MarkMark Langston | 204 | Seattle Mariners | Stieb, DaveDave Stieb | 198 | |
| 1985 | Blyleven, BertBert Blyleven | 206 | Cleveland Indians Minnesota Twins |
Bannister, FloydFloyd Bannister | 198 | |
| 1986 | Langston, MarkMark Langston | 245 | Seattle Mariners | Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens | 238 | |
| 1987 | Langston, MarkMark Langston | 262 | Seattle Mariners | Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens | 256 | |
| 1988 | Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens | 291 | Boston Red Sox | Langston, MarkMark Langston | 235 | |
| 1989 | Ryan, NolanNolan Ryan | 301 | Texas Rangers | Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens | 230 | |
| 1990 | Ryan, NolanNolan Ryan | 232 | Texas Rangers | Witt, BobbyBobby Witt | 221 | |
| 1991 | Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens | 241 | Boston Red Sox | Johnson, RandyRandy Johnson | 228 | |
| 1992 | Johnson, RandyRandy Johnson | 241 | Seattle Mariners | Perez, MelidoMélido Pérez | 218 | |
| 1993 | Johnson, RandyRandy Johnson | 308 | Seattle Mariners | Langston, MarkMark Langston | 196 | |
| 1994 | Johnson, RandyRandy Johnson | 204 | Seattle Mariners | Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens | 168 | |
| 1995 | Johnson, RandyRandy Johnson | 294 | Seattle Mariners | Stottlemyre, ToddTodd Stottlemyre | 205 | |
| 1996 | Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens | 257 | Boston Red Sox | Finley, ChuckChuck Finley | 215 | |
| 1997 | Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens | 292 | Toronto Blue Jays | Johnson, RandyRandy Johnson | 291 | |
| 1998 | Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens | 271 | Toronto Blue Jays | Martinez, PedroPedro Martínez | 251 | |
| 1999 | Martinez, PedroPedro Martínez | 313 | Boston Red Sox | Finley, ChuckChuck Finley | 200 | |
| 2000 | Martinez, PedroPedro Martínez | 284 | Boston Red Sox | Colon, BartoloBartolo Colón | 212 | |
| 2001 | Nomo, HideoHideo Nomo | 220 | Boston Red Sox | Mussina, MikeMike Mussina | 214 | |
| 2002 | Martinez, PedroPedro Martínez | 239 | Boston Red Sox | Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens | 192 | |
| 2003 | Loaiza, EstebanEsteban Loaiza | 207 | Chicago White Sox | Martinez, PedroPedro Martínez | 206 | |
| 2004 | Santana, JohanJohan Santana | 265 | Minnesota Twins | Martinez, PedroPedro Martínez | 227 | |
| 2005 | Santana, JohanJohan Santana | 238 | Minnesota Twins | Johnson, RandyRandy Johnson | 211 | |
| 2006 | Santana, JohanJohan Santana | 245 | Minnesota Twins | Bonderman, JeremyJeremy Bonderman | 202 | |
| 2007 | Kazmir, ScottScott Kazmir | 239 | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | Santana, JohanJohan Santana | 235 | |
| 2008 | Burnett, A. J.A. J. Burnett | 231 | Toronto Blue Jays | Santana, ErvinErvin Santana | 214 | |
| 2009 | Verlander, JustinJustin Verlander | 269 | Detroit Tigers | Greinke, ZackZack Greinke | 242 | |
| 2010 | Weaver, JeredJered Weaver | 233 | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Hernandez, FelixFélix Hernández | 232 | |
| 2011 | Verlander, JustinJustin Verlander | 250 | Detroit Tigers | Sabathia, CCCC Sabathia | 230 | |
| 2012 | Verlander, JustinJustin Verlander | 239 | Detroit Tigers | Scherzer, MaxMax Scherzer | 231 |
Read more about this topic: List Of Major League Baseball Strikeout Champions
Famous quotes containing the words american and/or league:
“An American cannot converse, but he can discuss, and his talk falls into a dissertation. He speaks to you as if he was addressing a meeting; and if he should chance to become warm in the discussion, he will say “Gentlemen” to the person with whom he is conversing.”
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)
“Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward the Light Brigade!”
—Alfred Tennyson (1809–1892)