Oakland Athletics' Mark McGwire Hits First Major League Home Run

On August 25, 1986, Oakland Athletics first baseman Mark McGwire hits his first of 583 Major League home runs.

In 1987, McGwire aka “Big Mac” broke the single-season home run record for rookies, with 49. Throughout his career Mark McGwire hit 49 or more home runs five times en route to hitting 583 career home runs. Four times McGwire led the league in home runs. For his career, McGwire averaged a home run once every 10.61 at bats, the best at bats per home run ratio in baseball history (Babe Ruth is second at 11.76).

1n 1998 McGwire aka Big Mac and Sammy Sosa both encountered on a record-breaking home run season. McGwire and Sosa would both end up breaking Babe Ruth’s single season home run record of 61 home runs, as Sosa went on to hit 66 home runs and McGwire 70.

McGwire’s 70 home run season was a Major League record until 2002 when Barry Bonds broke the feat when he hit 72 home runs. McGwire is still one of only two players to hit 70 or more home runs in a season. The other, Bonds.

McGwire finished his career with a .263 career batting average, 1,626 hits, and 1,167 runs, 1,414 RBIs to go along with his 583 home runs. His career on base percentage was .394, his career slugging percentage was .588 and his on base plus slugging was .982.

McGwire was the 1987 American League Rookie of the Year, and was a 12-time All-Star including six-straight appearances twice, from 1987-1992 and from 1995-2000. He was a two-time World Series Champion, once as a player with the Oakland Athletics in 1989 and once as a coach with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. He won a Golden Glove at first base with the A’s in 1990 and won three Silver Slugger awards, two with the A’s in 1992 and 1996 and one with the Cardinals in 1998. McGwire also won the 1992 Home Run Derby and was given the Lou Gehrig Award in 1999.

Also in 1999 McGwire was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

McGwire played for Team USA in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 helping Team USA earn a Silver medal. McGwire also helped the United States in international play during the Pan American Games and Intercontinental Cup in 1983 helping the USA earn a Bronze and Silver medals respectively.

In 1999, The Sporting News released a list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. The list had been compiled during the 1998 season and included statistics through the 1997 season. McGwire was ranked at Number 91.

In 2005, The Sporting News published an update of their list and McGwire had been moved up to Number 84.

However, in the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 balloting for the Baseball Hall of Fame, McGwire failed to attain election receiving 128 of the 545 cast (23.5 percent of the vote) in 2007, 128 of 543 (23.6) in 2008, 118 of 539 (21.9) in 2009, 128 of 539 (23.7) in 2010, 115 of 581 (19.8) in 2011, 112 of 573 (19.5) in 2012, 96 of 569 (16.9) in 2013 and 63 of 571 (11.0) in 2014.

Currently McGwire is the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers, after being the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2010-2012.

McGwire had a Hall of Fame career based on his stats and accomplishments, but because of his trouble with performance enhancing drugs (PED) his call to the hall might come in to questioning.

Check out the video below that has McGwire's first Major League home run:

Major League Baseball Suspends Pete Rose For Life

On August 24, 1989, former Major League Baseball player and manager Pete Rose is suspended from baseball for life for gambling on the sport.

Rose had a long and storied career, which saw stints playing and coaching on the Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Rose would total 4,256 hits in his career with 3,215 singles.

Rose finished his career with a .303 batting average, 4,256 hits, 746 doubles, 135 triples, 160 home runs, 1,314 RBIs, 2,165 runs scored, 198 stolen bases and 1,566 walks.

Rose has 67 more hits than Ty Cobb who is the second ranked player on the list, and nearly 500 more hits than Hank Aaron who is ranked third all-time. Rose would also earn 17 more Major League records during his career, th

e most notable behind the hits record is most career games played, 3,562, which is 254 more than Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox who played in 3,308 games between 1961 and 1983. 

Over the course of his career Rose played every single game of the season eight times, and five times led the league in games played. Rose led the league in batting average three times, with his highest single season average being .348 in 1969. He led the league in hits seven times with his highest single season hit total 230, coming in 1973. He also led the league in runs scored four times. His highest single season total of runs scored came in 1976 with 130 runs scored.

Rose would win the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 1973 and was in the top 10 in MVP voting 10 times over his career. 1973 also was a season Rose was the National League batting champion. Rose was a three time World Series Champion in 1975, 1976 with the Reds and 1980 with the Phillies.

Rose won the Rookie of the Year award in 1963, was a Gold Glove winner twice, and a Silver Slugger once.

Rose would be selected to 17 All-Star games in his 24-season career. The most famous occurrence of Rose in an All-Star game came in 1970, when Rose smashed into then Cleveland Indians catcher Ray Fosse on a play at the plate. Rose would give Fosse a separated shoulder with the incident, but scored the winning run in the process.

Rose even though the all-time hit leader in MLB, and owner of over 17 Major League records has not been elected into Cooperstown the baseball Hall of Fame because of gambling on baseball.

Oakland Athletics Dave Stewart And Los Angeles Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela Throw No-Hitters

On June 29, 1990 Oakland Athletics Dave Stewart no-hits the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela no-hits the St. Louis Cardinals. 

It is the first time no-hitters were thrown in both leagues on the same day. 

The two were also teammates in 1981 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the last time the Dodgers won the World Series.

Stewart played 17 seasons in the MLB with the Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays.

Stewart ended his career with one All-Star nomination in 1989, a three-time World Series Champion in 1981 with the Dodgers, 1989 with the Athletics and in 1993 with the Blue Jays. In 1989 he was also the World Series MVP.

Stewart was a two time American League Championship Series (ALCS) MVP in 1990 and 1993, with the Athletics and Blue Jays respectively. In 1989 he won the Babe Ruth award and in 1990 he won the Roberto Clemente Award.

Stewart finished his career with 168 wins and 129 losses, a 3.95 ERA with 1,741 strikeouts in the regular season.

In the post season Stewart excelled. In 22 games he pitched 133 innings with 10 wins and six losses, posting a 2.77 ERA with 73 strikeouts while only allowing 13 home runs.

In the World Series, Stewart started eight games, and pitched in 10 for a total of 57 innings. He accumulated a 2-4 record with an ERA of 3.32 while striking out 33. Both of his World Series victories came with the Athletics against the San Francisco Giants in the 1989 Battle of the Bay World Series.

After retirement Stewart has served as pitching coach for the San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, and Toronto Blue Jays.

He was also assistant general manager for the Blue Jays, and for a time regarded as a candidate for GM.

He started a sports agency called Sports Management Partners, and currently represents Major League players such as Matt Kemp and Chad Billingsley of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Valenzuela played 18 seasons in the MLB with the Dodgers, California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Valenzuela ended his career with six All-Star nominations, one World Series Championship in 1981 with the Dodgers.

He was the 1981 Rookie of the Year and CY Young award winner, making the first time in history that a rookie had won both awards. He was a Gold Glove winner in 1986, a two-time Silver Slugger winner in 1981 and 1983.

Valenzuela finished his career with 173 wins and 153 losses, a 3.54 ERA and 2,074 strikeouts in the regular season.

In the post season Valenzuela was stellar. In nine games he pitched 63.2 innings with five wins and one loss, posting a 1.98 ERA and 44 strikeouts all while allowing just one home run.

In his only World Series appearance Valenzuela pitched a complete game, nine innings allowing four earned runs, striking out six for the win over the New York Yankees.

After retirement Valenzuela returned to the Dodgers organization in 2003 as the Spanish-language radio color commentator for National League West games, joining Jaime Jarrín and Pepe Ýñiguez in the Spanish-language booth.

Valenzuela also served on the coaching staff of Team Mexico during the 2006 World Baseball Classic, 2009 World Baseball Classic and 2013 World Baseball Classic.

He was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame on August 23, 2003, in a pregame on the field ceremony at Dodger Stadium.

In 2005, he was named one of three starting pitchers on Major League Baseball's Latino Legends Team.

Dodgers’ clubhouse manager Mitch Poole has unofficially kept Valenzuela's jersey number 34 out of circulation out of respect for him.

On October 26, 2010, ESPN broadcast a documentary commemorating Valenzuela's arrival with the Dodgers titled Fernando Nation as part of their 30 for 30 documentary series.

In 2013, he was enshrined into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame.

Angels' Nolan Ryan Ties MLB Record

On April 30, 1974, then California Angels starting pitcher and current Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan strikes out 19 Red Sox to tie the Major League Baseball record for most strike outs in a single game.

Ryan’s record tying feat of 19 strike outs in a single game, was equal to four others accomplishments including in 1884 when two players did it; Providence Grays Charlie Sweeney and Chicago Browns Hugh Daily. In 1969 St. Louis Cardinals Steve Carlton reached 19 in a single game and in 1970 New York Mets Tom Seaver also reached the record.

Nolan Ryan in 1974 after he was clocked throwing a 100.4 MPH pitch.

Since Ryan’s record tying performance two other pitchers have pitched 19 strikeout games including Seattle Mariners Randy Johnson twice, both during the 1997 season. The other was David Cone on the New York Mets in 1991.

But the 19 strikeout record that Ryan tied in 1974 would only last as an MLB record until 1986 when Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens would strike out 20 batters in a single game.

Clemens would again strike out 20 batters in a single game in 1996, again for the Red Sox, becoming the only person to strike out 20 batters, and doing it twice.

However, in 1998 Chicago Cubs Kerry Wood tied the record with 20 strikeouts.

Clemens and Woods hold the MLB record of strikeouts in a nine-inning game, but in September of 1962 Washington Senators starter Tom Cheney struck out 21 batters, but the game went 16 innings, in which Cheney took the mound for every one.

With the current set up of starting pitchers only going six or seven innings and having a pitch count limit them further on top of being relieved by pitchers in the bull pen it is hard to imagine a pitcher being able to get 20 strike outs in a game to tie the record.

However, just this past weekend Detroit Tigers Anibal Sanchez pitched eight innings and struck out 17 batters. He was pulled from the game due to a high pitch count of 121.

It would have been interesting to see if Tigers manager Jim Leyland would have let Sanchez go into the ninth inning if he would have been able to tie the record, or get close to it.

Red Sox Ace Roger Clemens Sets MLB Record

On April 29, 1986, that Roger Clemens became the first pitcher in MLB history to strikeout 20 batters in a nine inning major league game.  Clemens accomplished the feat against the Seattle Mariners in a game played at Fenway Park.

Roger Clemens during his 1986 start against the Seattle Mariners where he struck out a Major League record 20 batters.

Clemens would achieve this mark in only his third full season, at the young age of 23.  This was Roger’s breakthrough year as he finished the season with a league leading 24 wins to go along with his American League best 2.48 earned run average.  His spectacular campaign earned him both the American League M.V.P. as well as the Cy Young award.

“Rocket” Roger Clemens would reach the 20 strikeout plateau for the second time more than ten years later during a game against the Detroit Tigers, in what would end up being his third-to-last game as a member of the Boston Red Sox. 

Two men have since matched Clemens’ performance, with Kerry Wood striking out 20 in 1998 against the Houston Astros and Randy Johnson doing the same in 2001 against the Cincinnati Reds.

Cubs Win 116 Games

On Oct. 4, 1906, the Chicago Cubs picked up win 116 of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

The win moved the Cubs record to 116-36. That still stands as the best winning percentage ever. The Cubs failed to win the World Series, however, as they lost in six games. They would recover to win the World Series in 1907 and 1908.

Since 1906 only one team was reached as many wins as the Cubs, the 2001 Seattle Mariners who won 116 games but lost 46 compared to the 1906 Cubs who only lost 36. The reason for the discrepancy in games is because of the addition of more teams and more games to the regular season.

Since the record-tying performance with 116 wins by the Mariners in 2001, no team has gotten close to breaking the record. The 2004 St. Louis Cardinals have the most wins in the last decade with 105. In 2002 the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees tied for the leagues best record with 103 wins apiece.

Maris Ties Ruth

On Sept. 26, 1961 New York Yankees great Roger Maris hits home run 60 of the season off Jack Fisher, tying Babe Ruth's record for most home runs hit in a single season.

Maris would go on to break Ruth’s record later that season, finishing the season with a total of 61 home runs. The record Maris totaled would stand until 1998 when Chicago Cubs Sammy Sosa and St. Louis Cardinals Mark McGwire broke the record hitting 66 and 70 home runs respectively.

Over the course of his 12-year career, Maris played for four teams including the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals and Yankees.

Maris had an impressive career that saw him play in 1,463 games with 5,101 at-bats, where he put up a career batting average of .260. Maris totaled 1,325 hits, with 195 doubles, 42 triples and 275 home runs. He would also accumulate 850 RBIs and 826 runs scored with 652 walks and 21 stolen bases while striking out 733 times.

Maris led the league in RBIs twice, in 1960 and 1961, his first two years with the Yankees. His highest single season total of RBIs came in 1961, the year he broke Ruth’s home run record. Maris also led the league in runs scored and home runs in 1961 with 132 and 61 respectively, both of which were single season career highs for Maris.

Maris would rack up quite a few awards during his career including seven All-Star appearances, including two in each of the 1960, 1961 and 1962 seasons when MLB featured two All-Star Games during the season. He would win two American League MVP Awards in 1960 and 1961. He would also win two AL RBI Champion Awards in 1960 and 1961. In 1960 he won a Gold Glove and in 1961 he won the Home Run Champion award.

Maris would appear in seven World Series with the Yankees and Cardinals, and was on the winning end three times in 1960 and 1961 with the Yankees and in 1967 with the Cardinals.

The New York Yankees retired Maris’ No. 9 jersey on July 21, 1984, which was Old-Timers’ Day.

A new Roger Maris plaque was also dedicated in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. The plaque calls Maris, "A great player and author of one of the most remarkable chapters in the history of major league baseball." Maris participated in the ceremony wearing a Yankee number 9 uniform.

The United States Postal Service issued a "Roger Maris, 61 in 61" commemorative stamp on September 17, 1999. On September 22, 2011, the Yankees celebrated the 50-year anniversary of Roger Maris' single-season home run record at Yankee Stadium.

Although not elected to Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame, Maris is eligible to be identified as a Golden Era candidate in 2014: The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) appointed-Historical Overview Committee (10-12 representatives; BBWAA members) who will identify 10 Golden Era candidates from the 1947 to 1972 era, for possible election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2015.

Election of any of the 10 Golden Era ballot candidates in 2014 requires getting 75 percent of the 16-member Golden Era Committee vote during its winter meeting in December 2014.

Griffey Jr. Pinch-hits Home Run 400

On Sept. 19, 2000, Ken Griffey Jr. pinch-hits for home run number 400. Griffey Jr. becomes the first major leaguer to reach the mark of 400 home runs with a pinch-hit blast.

Griffey Jr. also known as “The Kid” goes down as one of the best ball players during the 1990’s and was elected to the All-Century team in 1999.

A 13-time All-Star, Griffey was one of the most prolific home run hitters in baseball history; his 630 home runs rank as the sixth-most in MLB history behind only Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and former teammate Alex Rodriguez. Jr. is also tied for the record of most consecutive games with a home run (8 games, tied with Don Mattingly and Dale Long).

Griffey was also an exceptional defender and won 10 Gold Glove Awards in center field over the course of his career.

Griffey Jr., also won seven Silver Slugger Awards, the 1997 American League MVP Award, the 1992 MLB All-Star Game MVP, the 2005 National League Comeback Player of the Year Award. Despite only winning one MVP award Jr. was in the conversation 10 times over the course of his career, being in the top five in voting five times.

He was a three-time Home Run Derby winner, a four time American League Home Run Champion, and the 1997 American League RBI Champion.

Griffey Jr. would finish his career with a .284 average, 2,781 hits consisting of 524 doubles, 38 triples and 630 home runs. He would also have 1,836 RBIs, 1,662 runs scored, 1,312 walks, 184 stolen bases. He struck out 1,779 times.

Four times Griffey led the league in home runs with his highest single season total coming in 1997 and 1998 when he hit 56 home runs each season.

Junior’s career had some stellar moments including playing with his father Ken Griffey Sr. in 1990 and 1991.

On September 14, the pair hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the first, off of California Angels pitcher Kirk McCaskill, becoming the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs. The duo played a total of 51 games together before Griffey Sr. retired in June 1991.

Griffey Jr. is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have appeared in Major League games in four different calendar decades.

On Jan. 22, 2013, the Mariners announced Griffey would be the seventh person inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.

Banks Hits Fifth Grandslam Of Season

On Sept. 19, 1955, Chicago Cubs slugger Ernie Banks hits his fifth grand slam of season, setting a new Major League record.

Banks would finish the season with five grand slams, which was a record until 1987 when New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly hit six grand slams. In 2006 Cleveland Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner would also hit six.

Banks five grand slams are still a National League record though, only being matched in 2009 by former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols.

Banks would finish his career with 12 grand slams, which is good enough to be tied for twenty-seventh all-time, however, at the time of his retirement Banks was ranked no. 10 all-time in most career grand slams.

At the end of his 19-year career, Banks compiled a .274 batting average in 2,528 games with 9,421 at-bats. He totaled 2,583 hits with 407 doubles, 90 triples, 512 home runs. He would also total 1,636 RBIs, 1,305 runs, 763 walks and 50 stolen bases while striking out 1,236 times.

Six times Banks led the league in games played, with his highest single season total coming in 1960 with 156 games played which led the league. The 156-games was the amount all teams would play in a season without going to a tiebreaker. He led the league in home runs twice, with his highest single season total coming 1958 with 47 home runs. He led the league that year. He also led the league in RBIs twice, with his highest single season total coming in 1959 with 143, which led the league. He also led the league in at-bats in 1958 with 617, which also was his highest single season total.

Banks enjoyed a great career with the Chicago Cubs, filled with awards as he was a 14-time All-Star, including 11 consecutive appearances, with two All-Star appearances coming in 1959, 1960 and 1962, when the league had two All-Star Games a year.

Banks might have had one of the best two-year runs in baseball when he was awarded back-to-back National League MVP Awards in 1958 and 1959. Those same two years he was the National League Home Run Champion and RBI Champion.

Banks was in the MVP voting nine more times, including his rookie year when he was second in Rookie of the Year voting, and sixteenth in MVP voting.

In 1960 Banks won the Gold Glove award and in 1967 he won the Lou Gherig Memorial Award.

In 1977 Banks elected into the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame with 83.8 percent of the vote on the first ballot in which he appeared.

The Chicago Cubs retired Banks iconic no. 14 jersey in 1982.

Gooden Sets A New Strikeout Record

On Sept. 12, 1984, New York Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden sets the rookie strike out record at 251. He would finish with 276 strikeouts in his rookie year, which led the National League. His 276 strikeouts as a rookie is still a major league record to this day.

Gooden, nicknamed "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s. He would enjoy a successful career in the major leagues. He had a 16 season career that saw him play for the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Over his career Gooden would earn four All-Star appearances, including three consecutive from 1984-1986. He would earn three World Series Championship rings with the New York Mets, and New York Yankees. He would earn two National League strikeout championships in 1984 and 1985, during his rookie and sophomore campaigns. He would win the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1984, in 1985 he would earn the pitching Triple Crown, given for the pitcher with the most strikeouts, wins, and lowest ERA, his totals that year were 268 strikeouts, 24 wins and a 1.53 ERA.

That performance was enough to give Gooden his only Cy Young Award for his career, as well earn the NL Wins Champion award and NL ERA Champion award. In 1992 Gooden was awarded the Silver Slugger award and in 1996 he pitched a no-hitter, the only one of his career.

Gooden never won a postseason game, going 0–4 in the course of nine postseason starts over eight series. In the 1986 National League Championship Series, however, he had an earned run average of only 1.06 after starting two games and allowing just one earned run in 17 innings pitched.

Gooden retired in 2001 after he was cut by the Yankees in spring training, ending his career with a record of 194–112. More than half of those wins came before age 25.

Gooden finished his career with 194 wins and 112 losses and three saves in 430 games with 410 starts. He totaled a 3.51 ERA with 2,293 strikeouts and 954 walks over 2,800.2 innings pitched. He would total 68 complete games in his career with 24 shutouts.

Gooden led the league in strikeouts twice, his first two years in the league, with his highest single season total coming in his rookie season with 276. He led the league in wins and ERA once, his 1985 Cy Young season with 24 wins and a 1.53 ERA.

Though he never won an MVP award, Gooden was in the conversation three times, with his highest voting coming in 1985 with the fourth most MVP votes.

Yastrzemski Joins The 3,000 Hit Club

On Sept. 12, 1979, Boston Red Sox great and Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, becomes the fifteenth player to get 3,000 hits with his hit on this in day history.

Yastrzemski joined 14 players including Cap Anson, Honus Wagner, Nap Lajoie, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Eddie Collins, Paul Waner, Stan Musial, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Al Kaline, Pete Rose and Lou Brock in the 3,000 hit club.

Since Yastrzemski got hit 3,000, 13 players have joined the 3,000 hit club including Rod Carew, Robin Yount, George Brett, Dave Winfield, Eddie Murray, Paul Molitor, Tony Gwynn, Wade Boggs, Cal Ripken Jr., Rickey Henderson, Rafael Palmeiro, Craig Biggio and Derek Jeter.

Yastrzemski played his entire 23-year baseball career with the Boston Red Sox (1961–1983). He was primarily a left fielder, with part of his later career played at first base and as a designated hitter.

Yastrzemski is an 18-time All-Star, and the 1970 All-Star Game MVP. He is the possessor of seven Gold Gloves, including three consecutive from 1967-1969. He is a member of the 3000 hit club, and the first American League player in that club to also accumulate over 400 home runs.

Since then Cal Ripken Jr. has matched the feat.

He is second on the all-time list for games played, and third for total at-bats.

He is the Red Sox' all-time leader in career RBIs, runs, hits, singles, doubles, total bases, and games played, and is second on the team's list for home runs behind another Red Sox great, Ted Williams, his predecessor in left field.

In 1967, Yastrzemski achieved a peak in his career, leading the Red Sox to the American League pennant for the first time in over two decades, in that season being voted the American League MVP, and was the last winner of the Triple Crown for batters in the major leagues until Miguel Cabrera achieved the feat in 2012.

Sports Illustrated named Yastrzemski the Sportsman of the Year after winning the Triple Crown.
Yastrzemski retired in 1983 at the age of 44, although he stated in his autobiography Yaz that he was initially planning on playing the 1984 season, until he tired from a long midseason slump. He also stated that had he known how good Roger Clemens would have been as a pitcher, he would have played in 1984 to have a chance to play with him.

Yastrzemski would finish his career with a .285 career batting average with 3,419 hits, 452 home runs and 1,844 RBIs.

Yastrzemski was inducted into the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989 with 94.63 percent of the vote on the first ballot in which he appeared.

In 1999, Yastrzemski ranked number 72 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. That same season, he was named a finalist to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

As of the 2008 baseball season, on the all-time lists for Major League baseball, Yastrzemski ranks at number one for games played for one team, a record shared with Baltimore Orioles great and Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson.

Yastrzemski is number two for games played with 3,308, number three for at-bats, number six for hits with 3,419, number six for bases on balls with 1,845, number eight for total bases, number eight for doubles with 646, number nine with 1,157 extra base hits and 12 for RBIs with 1,844.

In addition, Yastrzemski only trails Ty Cobb in hits collected with a single team, and trails only Cobb and Tris Speaker in hits collected playing in the American League, both of whom played before World War II.

Bonds Walked 200 Times

On Sept. 11, 2004, San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds is walked three times in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. With the three walks Bonds became the first player to ever be walked 200 times in one season.

That season Bonds would set two different walk records in a single season, most walks in a single season with 232, most intentional walks with 120. He would also set a record for the best on-base percentage with .609. He would be named the MVP, for the fourth year in a row, in part to his seventh MVP award, also the most all time.

Never before had a player been intentionally walked more than 68 times, which Bonds did two years prior on 2002. To measure how outstanding being intentionally walked 120 times in a single season is here are the top five players and their amount of intentional walks in a single season. 1 – Bonds, 120, 2004. 2 – Bonds, 68, 2002. 3 – Bonds, 61, 2003. 4 – McCovey, 45, 1969. 5 – Pujols, 44, 2009. This stat was first kept in 1955, so Babe Ruth might have been on the list in front of McCovey or Pujols, but there was no official stat for being intentionally walked then.

Of the top 27 most intentionally walked players in a single season Bonds hits the list 11 times, while the next closest player is Albert Pujols with three. But all three of Pujols’ seasons that are on the top 27 still wouldn’t amount to what Bonds was intentionally walked in 2004. Pujols’ three seasons of intentional walks accumulate to 116, Bonds had four more than that in one season.

In his career Bonds was walked more than any other player with 2,558 walks, all of which came in the National League, for the Pirates and Giants. Babe Ruth, who owns the American League record for walks in a career, had 2,042 walks. Rickey Henderson is the number two player all time in walks with 2,129 walks, but his came in both the American and National Leagues.

McGwire Has Another 50 Home Run Season

On Sept. 10, 1997, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire joins Babe as only players to hit 50 home runs in two consecutive years.

McGwire had his first of two back-to-back 50 plus home run seasons in 1996 with the Oakland Athletics as he hit 52 home runs to lead the American League in home runs. In 1997 he started the year with the Athletics, and had hit 34 home runs in 105 games but was traded to the Cardinals, where he finished off another 50 plus home run season, with 58 total. He had hit an amazing 24 home runs in 51 games with the Cardinals down the stretch.

McGwire would go on to collect four consecutive 50 plus home runs seasons as in 1998 with the Cardinals he would hit 70 home runs, and in 1999 again with the Cardinals he would hit 65 home runs.

McGwire is only tied with former Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa, as Major Leaguers who had four consecutive years of 50 plus home runs.

McGwire finished his career with a .263 career batting average, 1,626 hits, and 1,167 runs, 1,414 RBIs to go along with his 583 home runs. His career on base percentage was .394, his career slugging percentage was .588 and his on base plus slugging was .982.

McGwire was the 1987 American League Rookie of the Year, and was a 12-time All-Star including six-straight appearances twice, from 1987-1992 and from 1995-2000. He was a two-time World Series Champion, once as a player with the Oakland Athletics in 1989 and once as a coach with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. He won a Golden Glove at first base with the A’s in 1990 and won three Silver Slugger awards, two with the A’s in 1992 and 1996 and one with the Cardinals in 1998.

McGwire also won the 1992 Home Run Derby and was given the Lou Gehrig Award in 1999.
Also in 1999 McGwire was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

McGwire also played for Team USA in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 helping Team USA earn a Silver medal. McGwire also helped the United States in international play during the Pan American Games and Intercontinental Cup in 1983 helping the USA earn a Bronze and Silver medals respectively.

In 1999, The Sporting News released a list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. The list had been compiled during the 1998 season and included statistics through the 1997 season. McGwire was ranked at Number 91.

In 2005, The Sporting News published an update of their list and McGwire had been moved up to Number 84.

However, in the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 balloting for the Baseball Hall of Fame, McGwire failed to attain election receiving 128 of the 545 cast (23.5 percent of the vote) in 2007, 128 of 543 (23.6) in 2008, 118 of 539 (21.9) in 2009, 128 of 539 (23.7) in 2010, 115 of 581 (19.8) in 2011, 112 of 573 (19.5) in 2012, and 96 of 569 (16.9) in 2013.

Currently McGwire is the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers, after being the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2010-2012.

McGwire had a Hall of Fame career based on his stats and accomplishments but because of his trouble with performance enhancing drugs (PED) his call to the hall might come in to questioning.

Murray Blasts 500

On this day in 1996, Eddie Murray hit career home run 500.

Murray was playing with the Baltimore Orioles at the time. Murray's bomb came against the Detroit Tigers. He would play just one more season and end his career with 504 home runs.

Murray was just the fourteenth player to reach the milestone of 500 home runs. 

 There have been 10 players to reach the 500 home run mark after him. Murray is now ranked no. 25 on the all-time list of home run hitters. 

Murray ended his career as an eight time All-Star, including six consecutive selections from 1981-1986. He won all three of his Gold Gloves consecutively from 1982-1984 and won three Silver Slugger awards in 1983, 1984 and 1990.

Murray was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1977 and was part of the Baltimore Orioles team that won the 1983 World Series.

Murray’s career also saw playing time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians and Anaheim Angels to go along with his time with the Mets and Orioles.

Murray would finish his career with a .287 batting average, 3,255 hits, 504 home runs, 1,917 RBIs and 1,627 runs scored. He is one of only four players to have 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. The other three are Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Willie Mays as well as another famous Orioles slugger Rafael Palmeiro.

His 504 home runs are the most of a player who never hit more than 33 home runs in a season, the second most by a switch hitter to that only of New York Yankees great Mickey Mantle, who hit 536 in his career. They also rank Murray twenty-fifth in all-time home runs.

At the time of his retirement he was tied with Chili Davis for the most games in which he hit a home run from both sides of the plate, 11. In 2011 New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeria broke the record with 12.

A record not shown on the stat book but valuable is that Murray is the record holder for sacrifice flies with 128.

The Baltimore Orioles retired Murray’s jersey number 33 in 1998.

In 1999, Murray ranked Number 77 on The Sporting News list of Baseball's Greatest Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

Murray was also inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003 with 85.3 percent of the vote on the first ballot in which he appeared.

Murray served as the hitting coach for the Cleveland Indians from 2002 to 2005.

On June 14, 2007, Murray was fired as hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers, after just months on the job.

In 2012 a Bronze statue of Eddie Murray's left handed hitting stance unveiled at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Ripken Breaks Gehrig's Record

On Sept. 5, 1995, Baltimore Orioles legend and Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. played in consecutive game 2,131 for his career, setting a new Major League record. Ripken Jr. was given the nickname “Ironman” for the feat.

After the Angels’ half of the fifth inning, the game was considered official and Cal had broken the record.

Ripken eclipsed the mark that was previously held by Lou Gehrig, whose legendary record of 2,130 consecutive games had stood for 56 years.

Before Gehrig, Everett Scott, who played in 1,307 consecutive games over his career, held the record. Scott was a shortstop with the Red Sox and Yankees whose streak ended in 1925, less than a month before Gehrig's began.

As the moment was announced over the public address system Ripken Jr. did a lap around the stadium, shaking the hands of fans that had watched him play throughout the years.

To make the record breaking game even more memorable, Ripken hit a fourth inning home run off of California Angels starter Shawn Boskie. The home run was later voted as Major League Baseball’s “Most Memorable Moment” of all-time by fans.

Ripken would go on to play in an additional 502 straight games (2,632 total), before voluntarily pulling himself from the line-up in the Orioles final home game of 1998. 

His streak spanned over an incredible 17 years, as it started in May of 1982.

To this day Ripken is still the holder of the most games played consecutively.

A notable recent streak was compiled by Miguel Tejada of the Oakland A's and Baltimore Orioles, who played in 1,152 consecutive games from 2000 to 2007. As of Sept. 3, 2013, the current player with the longest active Major League consecutive games streak is Prince Fielder of the Detroit Tigers with 475.

Ripken would go on to have a fine career after his consecutive games streak was over playing in six more seasons for the Orioles before his retirement.

During his 21-season career Ripken would earn 19 All-Star appearances, all consecutively from 1983-2001. He would be honored with the All-Star Game MVP twice, in 1991 and 2001. He would earn eight Silver Slugger Awards, including four consecutive awards from 1983-1986. He would earn two Gold Glove Awards in 1991 and 1992. In 1982 Ripken was named the American League Rookie of the Year.

Ripken was also a two-time MVP of the American League in 1983 and 1991. In 1983 Ripken helped the Orioles to win the World Series, Ripken’s only title of his career. Although he was only awarded two MVP awards during his career Ripken was in the conversation for MVP 10 times, being in the top five in voting three times.

In 1991 Ripken won the Home Run Derby Crown at the Skydome in Toronto, the home of the Bluejays. In 1992 Ripken was awarded the Robert Clemente Award, as well the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award.

The Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team", as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. It is named for Hall of Fame outfielder Roberto Clemente. Originally known as the Commissioner's Award, it has been presented by the MLB since 1971. In 1973, the award was renamed after Clemente following his death in a plane crash while delivering supplies to victims of the Nicaragua earthquake.

The Gehrig Award is given annually to a Major League Baseball (MLB) player who best exhibits the character and integrity of Lou Gehrig, both on the field and off it. The award was created by the Phi Delta Theta fraternity in honor of Gehrig, who was a member of the fraternity at Columbia University. It was first presented in 1955. The award's purpose is to recognize a player's exemplary contributions in "both his community and philanthropy." The bestowal of the award is overseen by the headquarters of the Phi Delta Theta in Oxford, Ohio, and the name of each winner is inscribed onto the Lou Gehrig Award plaque in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. It is the only MLB award conferred by a fraternity.

Ripken finished his 21-year career with 3,001 games played a .276 batting average and 3,184 hits consisting of 603 doubles, 44 triples and 431 home runs. He also had 1,695 RBIs, 1,647 runs scored, 1,129 walks, 36 stolen bases and struck out 1,305 times.

Ripken Jr. led the league in runs, hits, and doubles once, all in 1983 when he won his first of two MVP awards and helped the Orioles win the World Series. His run total of 121, hit total of 211 and doubles total of 47 were all single season career highs for Ripken Jr.

Ripken was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999. The players were chosen by popular vote of fans. To select the team, a panel of experts first compiled a list of the 100 greatest Major League Baseball players from the past century. Over two million fans then voted on the players using paper and online ballots.

The Baltimore Orioles retired Ripken’s no. 8 jersey in September of 2001.

In 2007 Ripken Jr. was inducted into Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame with 98.53 percent of the vote on the first ballot in which he appeared. Only New York Mets great Tom Seaver 98.84 percent and Texas Rangers, Houston Astros and California Angels great Nolan Ryan 98.79 topped Ripken Jr. for the percentage of votes cast to be inducted into Cooperstown.

A's Win 20

On Sep. 4, 2002, the Oakland A’s set an American League record with their twentieth straight win.

The A’s gave up an 11-run lead against the Kansas City Royals that day, however Scott Hatteberg homered in the bottom of the ninth for the win to cap off the 20-game win streak for the Oakland franchise.

The 20-game win streak went on to be immortalized in the movie “Moneyball” which portrayed Billy Beane’s philosophy of baseball and the 2002 Athletics club.

The 2002 A’s club went on to win 103 games. However, they were bounced from the playoffs in the first round after losing to the Minnesota Twins.

Fernandez Hits For The Cycle

On September 3, 1995, New York Yankees Tony Fernandez hits for the cycle against the Oakland Athletics.

Fernandez became just the tenth Yankee to hit for the cycle joining greats like Bert Daniels, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Joe Gordon, Tony Lazzeri, Mickey Mantle, Bob Meusel, Bobby Murcer and Buddy Rosar.

Only DiMaggio, Gehrig and Meusel hit for more than one cycle during their careers with the Yankees, and Meusel was the only player who hit for the cycle in pin stripes more than twice, completing the feat three times in 1921, 1922 and 1928.

Fernandez would finish his 17-year career that saw him play 2,158 games with the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers with a .288 batting average, 2,276 hits consisting of 414 doubles, 92 triples and 94 home runs. He also had 1,057 runs scores, 844 RBIs, 690 walks, 246 stolen bases and struck out 784 times.

Fernandez was a five-time All-Star, including back-to-back appearances in 1986 and 1987. He was a four-time Gold Glove winner, including four-consecutive awards from 1986-1989. He was a World Series Champion in 1993 with the Toronto Blue Jays and has been honored by the Blue Jays in their “Level of Excellence.”

The 1989 season also saw Fernandez set a nine-year record for shortstops with a .992 fielding percentage.

Since Fernandez hit for the cycle in 1995 only one Yankee has accomplished the feat. In 2009 Melky Cabrera hit for the cycle.

A total of 234 cycles were hit before Hernandez hit for his in 1995, with two others coming that season by Gregg Jefferies of the Philadelphia Phillies and Rondell White of the Montreal Expos.
Since Fernandez hit for the cycle in 1995 the feat has been achieved 68 times, with the most recent cycle coming by Houston Astros Brandon Barnes on July 19, 2013.

The most cycles hit by a single player is three, achieved by three players; Babe Herman twice in 1931, and once in 1933; Meusel in 1921, 1922 and 1928; and John Reilly, twice in 1883, and once in 1890.

Babe Herman is the only three-cycle player to accomplish the feat for two different teams—the Brooklyn Robins (May 18 and July 24, 1931) and the Chicago Cubs (September 30, 1933).

The only players to hit for more than one cycle in the same season include chronologically; Reilly, 1883; Tip O’Neill, 1887; Herman, 1931; Aaron Hill, 2012.

The shortest span between the two cycles in one season came off the bat of O’Neill, who hit his cycles just seven days apart on April 30, 1187 and May 7, 1887.

Most recently Hill hit his cycles just 11 days apart on June 18, 2012 and June 29, 2012.

Two players, John Olerud and Bob Watson, have hit for the cycle in both the National and American Leagues.

Family pairs to hit for the cycle include father and son Gary and Daryle Ward, who accomplished the feat in 1980 and 2004, respectively; and grandfather and grandson Gus and David Bell, the elder of whom hit for the cycle in 1951, and the younger in 2004.

The most cycles hit in a single major league season is eight, which has occurred twice: first in the 1933 season, and then again in the 2009 season; all eight cycles in each of those seasons were hit by different players.

Cycles have occurred on the same day twice in Major League Baseball history: on September 17, 1920, hit by Bobby Veach of the Detroit Tigers and George Burns of the New York Giants; and again on September 1, 2008, when the Arizona Diamondbacks' Stephen Drew and the Seattle Mariners' Adrián Beltré each completed the four-hit group.

Conversely, the longest period of time between two players hitting for the cycle was five years, one month, and 10 days, a drought lasting from Bill Joyce's cycle in 1896 to Harry Davis' in 1901.

Two current teams in Major League Baseball have never had a player hit for the cycle: the Miami Marlins and the San Diego Padres. The Padres are also the only active major league franchise to have never had a pitcher throw a no-hitter.