Existing comment:
A Sampling of Annual Salary Leaders
Al Spalding, Chicago White Stockings --
$4,000 -- 1876
Paul Cook, Louisville Colonels --
$2,000 -- 1891
Ty Cobb, Detroit Tigers --
$15,000 -- 1914
Babe Ruth, New York Yankees --
$80,000 -- 1930
Joe DiMaggio, New York Yankees --
$100,000 -- 1949
Willie Mays, San Francisco Giants --
$105,000 -- 1963
Hank Aaron, Milwaukee Brewers --
$240,000 -- 1975*
Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies --
$560,000 -- 1976
Nolan Ryan, Houston Astros --
$1,000,000 -- 1980
Albert Belle, Chicago White Sox --
$10,000,000 -- 1997
Alex RodrÃguez, Texas Rangers --
$22,000,000 -- 2001
Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels --
$34,000,000 -- 2018
*The free agency era began in 1975.
These figures are actual salaries not adjusted for inflation. |