There are few plays more exciting in baseball than stealing a base. The impact is enormous, with a player going from a basic non-threat to being one hit away from scoring a run.
Other than a home run, few plays have the potential to have an impact on the outcome as much as a stolen base can.
That said, who is the best in the history of the game at swiping the extra base?
FOX Sports Research compiled a list of players who have stolen the most bases in MLB history.
10 Players With the Most Steals in MLB History
10. Honus Wagner: 723
Hall of Famer Honus Wagner (also known as John Peter or The Flying Dutchman), player for the Pittsburgh Pirates and National League baseball team at West Side Grounds in Chicago in 1903. (Photo by Chicago Sun-Times/Chicago Daily News collection/Chicago History Museum/Getty Images)
Wagner may be the most famous player on this list when you include his famous baseball card value, and he was also a serious threat on the bases, leading the league in steals five separate times in his career. In the middle of his career, he was able to earn 40 or more steals in eight consecutive seasons. He would finish his career with the second-most steals in Pittsburgh Pirates franchise history.
9. Max Carey: 738
Max Cary, Hall of Fame outfielder, in the outfield in 1923 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. (Photo Reproduction by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)
The franchise steals leader for the Pirates, Carey led the league in steals a whopping 10 times over his career. Overall, he finished with 50 or more steals six times, with his best coming in 1916 when he earned 63 thefts.
8. Arlie Latham: 739
Illustrated portrait of American baseball player Arlie Latham of the St. Louis Browns in October 1888. (Photo by Stock Montage/Getty Images)
One of the more memorable seasons in terms of steals belongs to Latham, who earned the all-time third-most steals in a single season when he posted 129 steals in 1887. That would be the first of two straight 100-steal seasons and the third of four consecutive 60-steal campaigns.
7. Eddie Collins: 745
Eddie Collins, Major League Baseball Player for the Athletics in 1913. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
One of the longer careers on this list, Collins played parts in 25 big league seasons, with his best season on the bases coming in 1910 when he swiped 81 bags. Overall, he led the league in steals four separate times, while stealing 50 or more bases six times.
6. Vince Coleman: 752
Cardinals outfielder Vince Coleman rounds the bases during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1985 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Photo by St. Louis Cardinals, LLC/Getty Images)
Coleman wasted no time showing off his wheels with an incredibly electric start. His first three seasons saw him post 100 or more steals each campaign, leading the league in each. He ended up leading the league in his first six seasons. To put in perspective how eye-popping his 326 steals are throughout his first three seasons, Houston Astros star Jose Altuve has fewer than that in his whole career.
5. Tim Raines: 808
Tim Raines of the Chicago White Sox steals second base during an MLB game at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Raines played for the White Sox from 1991 to 1995. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Raines took no time to get going on base as a pro. The Hall of Fame left fielder led the league in steals in each of his first four pro seasons and had 70-plus steals in each of his first six full pro seasons. When all was said and done, he finished with eight seasons of 50 or more swipes over the course of his 23-year career.
4. Ty Cobb: 892
Ty Cobb slides safely into third base during a game at Highlander Park in 1911 in NYC. (Photo Reproduction by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)
One of the most electric players in the game’s long history, Cobb showed off his wheels. He delivered 100 or more steals in four of his first six full seasons as a pro, with him coming up just short of a fifth at 91 steals. In total, he led the league in thefts four times and finished with seven seasons of 100-plus steals.
3. Billy Hamilton: 912
Not to be confused with the Reds outfielder, Hamilton, nicknamed “Sliding Billy”, had an incredible 14-year career, posting four separate seasons with 100 or more stolen bases, including three in his first four seasons. Overall, he led the league in stolen bases five different times and posted six seasons with 80-plus steals.
2. Lou Brock: 938
Lou Brock of the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Brock played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1964-79. (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images)
The long-time Cardinal, Brock started slowly and didn’t post a 50-plus steal season until his fifth full year as a pro. However, after that, his career took off as a baserunner. He would then lead the league in steals in eight of the next nine seasons, with all that culminating in a 118-steal season in 1974, his best in the big leagues.
1. Rickey Henderson: 1406
Rickey Henderson before the Athletics’ MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals at the Coliseum in Oakland, California on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)
Rickey was one of the fastest, most daring and strategic baserunners in the game’s history. In his career, he led the league in steals 12 different times. On top of that, he swiped 130 bags in 1982, the most since 1900. To this day, he’s the only player to ever top 1,000 steals, finishing well above that with 1,406.
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