Chicago Cubs All-Time Leaders in Home Runs
2. player. 9. Career Home Runs with Cubs: 512. Shortstop/First Base. 1953-1971. Ernie Banks
Williams, Santo and the others on this list put up impressive home run totals. But when it comes to raw power numbers, none of them compare to the top two home run hitters in Chicago Cubs history. Up first is Mr. Cub himself, Ernie Banks.
Banks hit 512 career home runs, playing all 19 of his MLB seasons with the North Siders. He is a career .274/.330/.500 hitter who also has the second-most hits (2,583) and RBIs (1,636) in Cubs history.
Banks’ first big season with the Cubs came in 1955. That season, Mr. Cub hit an incredible .295/.345/.596 with 44 home runs and 117 RBI. His numbers dropped a bit in 1956, but he still his 28 home runs on the year. Banks then went on a stretch from 1957-1960 where he hit 43,47,45 and 41 home runs respectively.
The 47 home runs that he hit in 1958 led the National League and helped earn him the National League MVP. He won the award again in 1959, hitting 45 home runs and a league-leading 143 RBI. Banks’ 41 home runs in 1960 also led the National League.
He is not only one of the best offensive players of his era, he is one of the best hitters in the history of the sport. Banks’ number 14 has been retired by the Chicago Cubs and he was an easy first-ballot Hall of Fame selection in 1977.