Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox led the league with 44 home runs. It was the second time in his career that Williams led the league in home runs. Bill Nicholson of the Athletics was second with 40 homers. Ernie Lombardi made his debut on the career home run list in 18th place, with Les Bell (193) dropping off the list.
Two Yankees on the list called it quits, with Lou Gehrig and Tony Lazzeri both retiring. Lou Gehrig retired with 482 career home runs, currently second on the all-time list. Gehrig was on pace when an ankle injury sidelined him in 1938, and despite sticking around for another 7 seasons, hit just 3 home runs in 174 at-bats during those seven seasons. Gehrig had back to back 50 home runs seasons, hitting 51 in 1929 and 54 in 1930. He also had three additional seasons with at least 30 home runs and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In real life Gehrig blasted 493 home runs and elected into the Hall of Fame.
Another Yankee, Tony Lazzeri retired with 246 home runs in 13th place. Another dual Hall of Famer, Lazzeri had a season best 24 home runs in 1930, but consistently reached double digit home run totals. In real life Lazzeri hit 178 home runs in 14 seasons with a season high of 18 home runs, reached 4 separate seasons.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Milestone Watch:
Jimmy Foxx needs 6 home runs to pass Lou Gehrig for second place on the all-time list, 23 home runs to pass 500 for his career, and 24 home runs to pass Babe Ruth for the all-time home run lead.
Bill Dickey needs 21 home runs to pass 400 for his career.
Hal Trosky needs 5 home runs to pass 300 for his career.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 400 Club:
Players who reached the 400 club in OOTP and in real life(3):
Babe Ruth - 500 (715), Lou Gehrig - 482 (493), Jimmy Foxx - 477 (534)
Players who reached the 400 club in real life, but not OOTP(1):
Mel Ott - 150 (511)
Active players of the 400 club and where they stand:
Ted Williams - 201 (521)
Stan Musial - 30 (475)
Players who have not debuted yet:
38
Members of my 400 club who didn't hit 400 in real life (1):
Chuck Klein - 431 (300)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1943 Home Run Leaders
1) Ted Williams - BOS - 44
2) Bill Nicholson - PHA - 40
3) Johnny Mize - STL - 37
4) Jimmy Foxx - PHA - 29
5) Hal Trosky - CLE - 27
6) Joe Gordon - NYY - 25
7) Bill Dickey - NYY - 23
8) Hank Greenberg - DET - 23
9) Ernie Lombardi - BRO - 23
10) Charlie Keller - NYY - 22
1943 Rookie Home Run Leader:
Gene Hermanski - BRO - 11
1943 Team Home Run Leader:
Philadelphia Athletics - 152
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single Season Home Run Leaders
1) Babe Ruth - NYY - 82 (1921)
2) Bill Nicholson - PHA - 62 (1940)
3) Chuck Klein - PHI - 56 (1929)
4) Babe Ruth - NYY - 55 (1922)
5) Babe Ruth - NYY - 53 (1925)
6) Lou Gehrig - NYY - 53 (1930)
7) Ted Williams - BOS - 53 (1941)
8) Babe Ruth - NYY - 51 (1923)
9) Lou Gehrig - NYY - 51 (1929)
10) Babe Ruth - NYY - 50 (1920)
Rookie Home Run Record - Single Season
1) Chuck Klein - PHI - 47 (1928)
2) Ted Williams - BOS - 38 (1939)
3) Joe Hauser - PHA - 34 (1922)
4) Don Hurst - PHI - 32 (1928)
5) Wally Berger - BSN - 27 (1930)
6) Dale Alexander - DET - 25 (1929)
7) Bob Johnson - PHA - 25 (1933)
8) Ken Keltner - CLE - 25 (1937)
9) Jim Bottomley - STL - 24 (1922)
10) Mandy Brooks - CHN - 24 (1925)
11) Hal Trosky - CLE - 24 (1933)
12) Sam Chapman - PHA - 24 (1938)
Single Season Team Home Run Leaders
1) New York Yankees - 174 (1938)
2) New York Yankees - 171 (1930)
3) Philadelphia Athletics - 169 (1940)
4) New York Yankees - 168 (1928)
5) New York Yankees - 166 (1936)
6) New York Yankees - 162 (1929)
7) Philadelphia Athletics - 160 (1942)
8) New York Yankees - 159 (1921)
9) Philadelphia Phillies - 156 (1930)
10) St. Louis Cardinals - 155 (1939)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career Home Run Leaders
1) Babe Ruth - 500 (1914-1931)
2) Lou Gehrig - 482 (1924-1942)
3) Jimmy Foxx - 477 (1926-1943)
4) Chuck Klein - 431 (1928-1943)
5) Bill Dickey - 379 (1928-1943)
6) Jim Bottomley - 339 (1922-1939)
7) Joe Hauser - 330 (1922-1936)
8) Rogers Hornsby - 305 (1915-1936)
9) Al Simmons - 301 (1924-1939)
10) Hal Trosky - 295 (1933-1943)
11) Hack Wilson - 267 (1923-1939)
12) Babe Herman - 265 (1926-1938)
13) Tony Lazzeri - 246 (1926-1942)
14) Gabby Hartnett - 244 (1922-1938)
15) Johnny Mize - 244 (1936-1943)
16) Bob Meusel - 233 (1920-1934)
17) Don Hurst - 232 (1928-1940)
18) Ernie Lombardi - 216 (1931-1943)
19) Ed Morgan - 213 (1928-1942)
20) Joe DiMaggio - 212 (1936-1943)