The following is a chronology of the top ten leaders in lifetime home runs in Major League Baseball. This includes any home runs hit by a player during official regular season games (i.e., excluding playoffs or exhibition games) in the National Association (1871–1875), National League (since 1876), the American Association (1882–1891), the Union Association (1884), the Players' League (1890), the American League (since 1901), and the Federal League (1914–1915). The list helps contextualize the evolution of one of the most prized achievements in United States sports. In the early 1930s, Babe Ruth had almost 400 more home runs than the next player, his longtime teammate Lou Gehrig; when Joe DiMaggio retired in 1951, he was fifth on the all-time list.

Career home run leaders by year

Leadership dates

Starting with Harry Stovey passing Charley Jones in August 1885, there have been seven changes of the career home run leader. Stovey held the title twice, having lost it to Dan Brouthers in June 1887 and then regaining it from Brouthers in August 1889. In the modern era—since the formation of the American League in 1901—there have only been four players who have held the title.