Which Baseball Player Has The Most Career Home Runs?
We all know that Babe Ruth is the king of home runs, but which other players come close to his record? Check out this list of the top 10 home run hitters in baseball history.
Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He played for 22 seasons, and during that time he hit 714 home runs. That record stood for almost 40 years until it was broken by Hank Aaron. Ruth was a slugger who could also pitch, and he was one of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Born in 1895 in Baltimore, Maryland
George Herman Ruth, Jr., better known as Babe Ruth and nicknamed “the Bambino” and “the Sultan of Swat”, was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Ruth established many MLB batting records, including career home runs (714), runs batted in (RBIs) (2,213), bases on balls (2,062), slugging percentage (.690), and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (1.164); the latter two still stand as of 2019. Ruth is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time. In 1936, Ruth was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its “first five” inaugural members.
Played for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Boston Braves
George Herman “Babe” Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 to 1935. Nicknamed “The Bambino” and “The Sultan of Swat”, he began his MLB career as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees. Ruth established many MLB batting (and some pitching) records, including career home runs (714), runs batted in (RBIs) (2,213), bases on balls (2,062), slugging percentage (.689), and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (1.164); the latter two still stand as of 2019. Ruth is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time.
In 1936, Ruth was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its “first five” inaugural members. At his request, Ruth’s number 3 was retired by the Yankees in 1948; it remains out of circulation to this day.
Career home run total of 714
Babe Ruth is most remembered for his amazing home run hitting prowess, a record that stood for almost 40 years. The Sultan of Swat not only hit more home runs than any other player in history, but he did so by a wide margin. Ruth’s 714 career homers were 140 more than the second-place figure of 574 held by his longtime rival, Hank Aaron.
Hank Aaron
Hank Aaron is a former professional baseball player who has the most career home runs of any baseball player. He played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves from 1954 to 1976. Aaron also holds the record for the most hits in a career with 3,771.
Born in 1934 in Mobile, Alabama
Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron (born February 5, 1934), nicknamed “Hammer”, or “Hammerin’ Hank”, is a retired American Major League Baseball (MLB) right fielder who serves as the senior vice president of the Atlanta Braves. He played 21 seasons for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) and two seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League (AL), from 1954 through 1976. Aaron holds the MLB records for the most career hits (3,771), runs batted in (RBIs) (2,297), extra-base hits (1,477), and total bases (6,856).
Played for the Milwaukee Braves and Atlanta Braves
Hank Aaron was a professional baseball player who played for the Milwaukee Braves and Atlanta Braves from 1954 to 1976. In his 23-year career, he hit 755 home runs, which is still the record for most career home runs. He also held the records for most career RBIs (2,297), most career hits (3,771), and most career games played (3,298).
Career home run total of 755
Hank Aaron is a retired American baseball right fielder who has held numerous Major League Baseball (MLB) records over his career. Aaron was born and raised in and around Mobile, Alabama. He played in the Negro American League (NAL) for the Indianapolis Clowns in 1952 and 1953, and began his MLB career with the Milwaukee Braves in 1954. He was traded to the Atlanta Braves before the start of the 1966 season, a move that helped spur the Braves to their first-ever World Series championship that year. In 1975, Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth’s career home run total of 714 with his 715th home run. He reached the 3,000 hit mark in his last season, 1976. After four more seasons with Atlanta, he retired as a player after the 1976 season but remained with the organization as vice president and senior vice president until his retirement in 1989.
Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds is a retired American baseball left fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He holds the MLB records for most career home runs, most career walks, and most career intentional walks.
Born in 1964 in Riverside, California
Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24, 1964) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He received a record seven NL MVP awards, eight Gold Glove awards, a record 12 Silver Slugger awards, and 14 All-Star selections. He is considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
Played for the San Francisco Giants
Barry Bonds is a former American baseball outfielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Bonds received seven NL MVP awards and 14 All-Star selections, and is considered to be the most decorated player in MLB history. He finished his career with 2,935 hits, 1,996 RBIs, 350 home runs, and a .298 batting average.
During his Major League career, Barry Bonds played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1986-1992 and then for the San Francisco Giants from 1993-2007. He was drafted by the Pirates in the first round of the 1985 MLB draft out of high school, and made his MLB debut on May 30, 1986. He played with the Pirates until he was traded to the Giants midway through the 1992 season. He spent 15 seasons with the Giants, before retiring after the 2007 season.
Career home run total of 762
Former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds holds the all-time career home run record with 762 round-trippers. He is also the single-season home run king, having launched 73 out of the park in 2001. In his 22-year career, Bonds was a 14-time All-Star, eight-time Gold Glove winner, and 12-time Silver Slugger. He was also the National League MVP a record seven times.
Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez, nicknamed “A-Rod”, is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), as well as a season of Winter League Baseball. He has also been a broadcaster and an investor in real estate. Rodriguez is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
Born in 1975 in New York City, New York
Alex Rodriguez, nicknamed “A-Rod”, is a former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees. Rodriguez began his professional career as one of the sport’s most highly touted prospects and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
Played for the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and New York Yankees
Rodriguez was the number one overall pick in the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft by the Seattle Mariners. He debuted in the major leagues at age 18 in 1994. In 1996, he became the Mariners’ starting shortstop, won the American League batting title, and led the AL in home runs for the first of seven times. Rodriguez joined the Texas Rangers for $252 million prior to the 2001 season, winning two additional batting titles and another home run crown with 52 homers in 2003. A free agent after the 2003 season, he signed a 10-year contract worth $275 million with the New York Yankees. Prior to his fourth season with New York in 2007, Rodriguez admitted to using steroids and other performance-enhancing substances from 2001 to 2003 while playing for Texas.
Career home run total of 696
As of the start of the 2020 Major League Baseball season, Rodriguez is ranked fourth in career home runs, seventh in career slugging percentage, and tenth in career OPS. He has won three American League Most Valuable Player Awards (MVP), ten Silver Slugger Awards, and two Gold Glove Awards. Rodriguez is the career record holder for grand slams with 25.