A historic home run for Reggie Jackson

It was July 4th, 1979, top of the 9th, tie ballgame.  The crowd was into it. Mike Marshall was the Twins’ ace in the bullpen that year. He fanned the first two batters with a wicked screwball that had mystified hitters all year. The only problem was that the next batter was Reggie Jackson.

History of the Single-Season Home Run Record Reads Like a Who’s Who of 500 HRC Members

From the very beginning of MLB history, fans have cheered and revered those players capable of consistently hitting the ball into the stands more than all others.  While dominant pitchers and spectacular defensive players have more of an impact on a franchise’s winning percentage, it’s the “bottled enthusiasm” of a home run that bursts out to make a whole stadium full of fans jump to their feet in unison and celebrate like they’ve just hit the lottery.

June has always been a pivotal month for major league teams, and it was the month that three members of the 500 Home Run Club hit their pivotal long balls.

When Ken Griffey, Jr. (609+) hit home run #600 on June 9, 2008, to become the newest member of the vaulted 600 Home Run Club (and only the 6th player in MLB history to hit 600 or more home runs) “Junior” was honored to just have his name mentioned in the same sentence with players like Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660) and Sammy Sosa (609).

 In the mid-1990s, home run production increased dramatically. Many news stories, congressional hearings and water cooler conversations have tied this increase to the use of steroids and other drugs. However, science does not support this conclusion and there are many possible reasons for the increase in the home run production rate at the end of the 20th century.

While the 2008 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa sports bike is the fastest production motorcycle on the planet, the Seattle Mariner’s Suzuki (Ichiro) started out fast and has continued to fine-tune his game during his seven years in major league baseball.

What began almost 80 years ago as a crispy whole-wheat cereal flake with a catchy ad slogan “The Breakfast of Champions” has grown into one of America's most celebrated sports icons.  The legendary cereal flake in the orange box was the first breakfast product to venture into the world of sports marketing, when in 1933. General Mills featured the first usage of the “Breakfast of Champions” tag line on the left field wall at old Nicollet Park in south Minneapolis.

While the first month of each new MLB season is loaded with excitement and full of promise for every major league player, April couldn’t come soon enough for MLB Home Run King Henry “Hank” Aaron, who ended the previous season on the brink of the game’s most legendary home run achievement.

Hank Aaron, Willie Mays & Barry Bonds honored for their amazing achievement

After reaching a career home run total of 495, Barry Bonds went on an unprecedented tear, going deep in five consecutive games to reach the magical 500 home run plateau.

Here’s what 500 Home Run Club members said when asked the question:

What did it feel like to finally hit your 500th home run?

Mike Schmidt was the personification of talent at the hot corner, possessing a combination of raw power, batting skill and defensive finesse. His brute strength enabled him to lead the league in homer eight times, and rack up more than 500 career home runs.

After living in the national TV spotlight for the second half of the 1998 season, as he joined in lock-step with St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire in their spectacular pursuit of New York Yankee great Roger Maris’ single season MLB home run record, one would think that Slammin’ Sammy Sosa would have been immune to the pressure of hitting landmark home runs. 

Amidst the unabated celebration and public hoopla that accompanied each 500th landmark home run blast by baseball’s greatest sluggers – the members of The 500 Home Run Club® - there was one person who least wanted to be part of the legendary event…the pitcher who gave up the 500th home run.

On September 16, 2007, a day when the White Sox handed out Jim Thome bobbleheads as a promotion, the Chicago DH was 0-for-4 when he came to bat with the game knotted at 7 in the bottom of the ninth. After Darin Erstad singled to start the inning, “The Thomenator” cracked a 3-2 pitch off Dustin Moseley for his 500th career homer, capping Chicago's rally from a 7-1 deficit.

"There are 499 other guys who gave one up," Moseley said. "Somebody had to do it and I can handle it."
 
Frank Thomas launched his 500th home run as a Toronto Blue Jay in the first-inning of a June 28, 2007 game in Minnesota. Batting in the DH spot “The Big Hurt” drilled a 1-2 pitch from Twins starting pitcher Carlos Silva an estimated 396 feet over the Metrodome’s left-center field fence for a three-run shot and a 4-0 Toronto lead in the first inning. 

Even though it was well known that Thomas was sitting one home run away from his 500th career long ball, Silva said he had other thoughts on his mind -- like not walking the designated hitter to load the bases with only one out in the inning.

"To be honest with you, I didn't pay attention to if he hit 500," Silva said. "I just tried to make my pitches and to have a good game. That's what I tried to do. I didn't want to walk him."

Silva certainly didn't walk Thomas. Instead, he served up a slider that hung over the plate long enough for “Big Frank” to pound out of the parks for entry into into baseball’s most exclusive club – The 500 Home Run Club.    

Silva didn’t relish watching Thomas’ massive frame rounding the bases with a boyish grin on his face and fist pumping in the air, but he couldn’t contain a smile of his own when talking to the media after the game.

"What can I say?" Silva said with a smile. "He got 500. I'm happy for him, and happy right now, because we won the game. There's really nothing I can say. It's a homer. He hit 500, but it's only one to me, you know?"
 
When the Atlanta Braves traded Kyle Davies to Kansas City in the summer of 2007, he was looking for a fresh start with the Royals. Unfortunately for Davies, on August 4th he ran into a red-hot Alex Rodriguez in his first inning as a Royals pitcher, and served up A-Rod’s 500th home run.

Despite finding himself in the baseball equivalent of hapless defender in a Michael Jordon slam-dunk poster, Davies says he’s  happier than he's been in a long time.  "I saw a picture that my Dad took of me smiling during that game. You know the last time I saw a picture of me smiling during in a game I was pitching?" he said. "After my third start in the major leagues, which was two years ago. ... And [this one] was after my first start in Yankee Stadium after I got my (butt) kicked."

"A week later, it was kind of cool," Davies said. "He sent me over a bat. He signed it. It said 'To Kyle, it was a really good pitch. Sorry. Home run No. 500 to a good sport. A-Rod.' "

A day after serving up Manny Ramirez's historic 500th home run on May 31, 2008, Orioles right-hander Chad Bradford was not in the mood to speak with the media. A right-handed submariner who had allowed just five home runs since the beginning of the 2005 season, and no homers to a right-handed hitter (like Manny) since May 2006. Bradford left the clubhouse before reporters were allowed inside, 

His manager Dave Trembley, however, had nothing but praise for Manny Being Manny.  "Congratulations to Ramirez on his 500th," said Trembley. "That's a tremendous milestone for his career and for baseball. "Obviously, he will go down as one of the greatest power hitters of all time."

As it’s name exclaims, Sports Illustrated is an iconic weekly American sports magazine that chronicles the best in U.S. sports for the world to see.  And, of course, the members of the 500 Home Run Club are amongst the most dynamic and photo-worthy of all athletes playing “America’s Game.”

Just as he had the game of baseball, “Mr. Cub®” Ernie Banks approached life after baseball with his trademark enthusiasm and commitment to being the best. And, just as he had during his 11-year playing career, Banks has remained loyal and actively involved with the Chicago Cubs for more than 54 years.

After hanging up his glove in 1973, Willie Mays remained for a time with the Mets organization, before becoming a public relations executive with Bally's Resorts and Colgate-Palmolive.

When viewed in retrospect, Jackie Robinson's achievements (both on and off the field) are monumental in both their scope and significance to "America's Game," as well as our society as a whole.

A campaign to build the Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center

Buck O’Neil earned his place as one of America’s great teachers. He used his remarkable life as an open book to inspire and to motivate. He taught us about the unsung heroes of the Negro Leagues. He taught us humility; how to handle disappointment; and the prevailing power of the human spirit.

It's hard to pinpoint which team was the first to train in warm weather as a precursor to their season. There's a reference to the Chicago White Stockings stopping off in Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1886 to "boil out the alcoholic microbes…” yea right!

Year-Round Strength/Conditioning Training Add Up To More Long Balls

While some of baseball’s most accomplished stars attained greatness despite having less-than-great eating habits and others achieved legendary status despite lackadaisical fitness routines; today’s major league diamond dwellers know that eating smart and regular workouts can help them avoid injury and achieve their ultimate potential.