St. Louis Cardinals' Lou Brock Sets MLB Career Stolen Base Record

On August 29, 1977, Hall of Famer and St. Louis Cardinals great Lou Brock eclipses Ty Cobb's 49-year-old career stolen base record of 892 steals. Brock’s record-breaking performance came as he achieved career stolen base 893 in the loss to the Padres, 4-3.

Brock would go on to steal 938 bases, leaving him as the stolen base leader until Rickey Henderson broke the feat. Currently Brock is still second on the list, more than 300 stolen bases above Juan Pierre who is third on the list with 614.

Brock’s 19-year career with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals saw him play in six All-Star games, including four consecutive appearances from 1971-1975. He was a two-time World Series Champion in 1964 and 1967, both with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Brock won several awards during his career, including the 1967 Babe Ruth Award, given to the player with the best performance in the postseason. The award, created by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) in honor of Babe Ruth, was first awarded in 1949 to the MVP of the World Series, one year after Ruth's death.

The award continued to be awarded exclusively for performances in the World Series until 2007, when the New York chapter of the BBWAA changed the award to cover the entire postseason. Though it precedes the World Series Most Valuable Player Award, which was not created until 1955, the Babe Ruth Award is considered less prestigious, as it is not sanctioned by MLB and is awarded several weeks after the World Series.

Brock also won the 1975 Robert Clemente Award, which 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.

He also won the 1977 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, which 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.

In 1979 Brock won two awards, the National League Comeback Player of the Year award given to the player who has the best season after an injury or dismal season. That same season Brock won the Hutch Award, which is given annually to an active Major League Baseball (MLB) player who "best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire" of Fred Hutchinson, by persevering through adversity.

Brock finished his career with a .293 batting average, with 3,023 hits, consisting of 486 doubles, 141 triples and 149 home runs. Brock also had 1,610 runs scores, 900 RBIs, and 706 walks in his career to go along with the 938 stolen bases. Eight times Brock led the league in steals with his highest single season total coming in 1974 with 118.

Although never an MVP, Brock was in the MVP conversation 10 times, with his highest finishing rank of second in 1974.

The St. Louis Cardinals retired his no. 20 jersey in 1979, and in 1985 Brock was elected into the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame with 79.75 percent of the vote on the first ballot in which he appeared.

Oakland Athletics' Rickey Henderson Breaks MLB Single Season Stolen Base Record

On August 27, 1982, Oakland Athletics outfielder and Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson steals base 119 of the season, breaking Lou Brock's single season mark of 118 stolen bases. 

Henderson would go on to steal 130 bases that season, setting the all time mark for the most stolen bases in a single season in the MLB. The record still stands to this day.

Henderson was a left fielder who played in Major League Baseball for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. 

Nicknamed "The Man of Steal", he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and base runner, holding the record for most career leadoff home runs with 81, and winning three Silver Slugger awards in 1981, 1985 and 1990. 

His 1,406 career steals are almost double the previous record of 938 by Lou Brock, and more than 700 above the current active leader in stolen bases, Juan Pierre, who has 614 as of Aug. 26, 2014.

Henderson is the all-time stolen base leader for the Oakland A’s and previously held the New York Yankees' franchise record from 1988-2011. That is now owned by Mr. November, Derek Jeter, who has 348 stolen bases in pinstripes. Henderson had 326.

But he was more than just a speed demon around the bases. Henderson holds the major league records for runs scored and unintentional walks. Henderson is also the only player in American League history to steal 100 bases in a season, having done so three times. 

A 12-time stolen base champion, Henderson led the league in runs scored five times and was among the league's top ten base stealers in 21 different seasons.

Henderson was named the AL's Most Valuable Player in 1990, and he was the leadoff hitter for two World Series champions: the 1989 Oakland A's and the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. 

At the time of his last major league game in 2003, the ten-time American League All-Star ranked among the sport's top 100 all-time home run hitters and was its all-time leader in base on balls. 

His 25-year career elevated Henderson to the top ten in several other categories, including career at bats, games, and outfield putouts and total chances. 

His high on-base percentage, power hitting, and stolen base and run totals made him one of the most dynamic players of his era.

He was further known for his unquenchable passion for playing baseball and a buoyant, eccentric and quotable personality that both perplexed and entertained fans. 

Once asked if he thought Henderson was a future Hall of Famer, statistician Bill James replied, "If you could split him in two, you'd have two Hall of Famers.

In 2009, he was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot appearance with 94.8 percent of the vote.

The Oakland Athletics also retired Henderson’s no. 24 jersey in 2009.

Check out the video below of Henderson breaking Lou Brock's career stolen base record: 

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:

Atlanta Braves' Hank Aaron Breaks Stan Musial's Record

On August 18, 1973, Hank Aaron records career extra base hit 1,378 surpassing St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial’s record.

Aaron would go on to record 1,477 extra base hits. Only he and former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds have surpassed Musial’s total. However, Aaron still has the most extra bas hits as Bonds finished his career with 1,440.

Henry Aaron also known as "Hammerin' Hank Aaron," is a retired American baseball right fielder that played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1954 through 1976. Aaron spent 21 seasons with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) before playing for the Milwaukee Brewers of the American League (AL) for the final two years of his career. Aaron is considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Aaron fifth on their "100 Greatest Baseball Players" list.

After playing with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League and in the minor leagues, Aaron started his major league career in 1954. In his final season, he was the last Negro League baseball player on a major league roster. 

His most notable achievement was breaking the career home run record set by Babe Ruth. During his career, Aaron performed at a consistently high level for an extended period of time. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973, and is the only player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times.

Aaron made the All-Star team every year from 1955 through 1975 and won three Gold Glove Awards. In 1957, he won the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, while that same year, the Braves won the World Series.

Aaron's consistency helped him to establish a number of important hitting records. He holds the MLB records for the most career runs batted in (RBIs) (2,297), the most career extra base hits (1,477), and the most career total bases (6,856).

Aaron is also in the top five for career hits with 3,771 (third), behind only Detroit Tigers Ty Cobb (4,191) and Cincinnati Reds Pete Rose (4,256) and runs with 2,174, which is tied for fourth with Babe Ruth, and only behind San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds (2,227), Cobb (2,246) and Oakland Athletics Rickey Henderson (2,295).

Aaron is one of only four players to have at least seventeen seasons with 150 or more hits, the other three are New York Yankees Derek Jeter, Rose and Cobb.

He also is in second place in home runs (755), to Bonds (762) and at-bats (12,364) to Rose (14,053) and in third place in games played (3,298), behind only Red Sox Carl Yastrzemski (3,308) and Rose (3,562). At the time of his retirement, Aaron held most of the game's key career power hitting records outright, including most total bases with 6,856, most RBI’s with 2,297, extra-base hits 1,477.

Aaron is also the only player with 700 home runs and 3,000 hits, and one of only two players with 600 home runs and 3,000 hits, the other being Willie Mays. He is also one of only four players with 500 home runs and 3,000 hits, the others being Mays, Eddie Murray and Rafael Palmeiro.

Aaron finished his career with .305 batting average, 25 All-Star game appearances, and two NL Batting titles in 1956 and 1959, and was a four-time NL home run champ in 1957, 1963, 1966-1967.

The Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers retired his no. 44 jersey. He was named to Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999.

Aaron was inducted into the Cooperstown Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1982, on the first ballot in which he appeared, with 97.83 percent of the vote.

Mark McGwire Sets MLB Home Run Record

On August 15, 1990, Oakland Athletics slugger Mark McGwire becomes the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit 30 home runs in each of his first four-seasons.

The feat that McGwire notched has since only been tied by another former St. Louis Cardinals player and current Anaheim Angels slugger, Albert Pujols.

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).

In 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, 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, 96 of 569 (16.9) in 2013 and just 63 of 571 votes (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.

Oakland Athletics' Mark McGwire Sets Rookie Home Run Record

On Aug. 14, 1987, Mark McGwire of the Oakland Athletics broke the major league record for home runs by a rookie when he hit his 39th Friday night off California right-hander Don Sutton.

McGwire`s two-run home run in the sixth inning landed in the left-field seats and gave the 23-year-old first baseman sole possession of the mark previously held by Wally Berger of the Boston Braves in 1930 and Frank Robinson of the Cincinnati Reds in 1956.

McGwire went on to hit 49 home runs his rookie year, which also led the American League in 1987. 

Throughout his career Mark McGwire hit 49 or more home runs five times in route to hitting 583 career home runs. Four times McGwire led the league in home runs.

In 1998 McGwire 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 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 has come into questioning failing to be inducted in each of the last few years.

St. Louis Cardinals Hall Of Famer Enos Slaughter Passes

On August 12, 2002, was a day of mourning for the St. Louis Cardinals. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Enos Slaughter passed away at the age of 86. He was inducted in 1985 after playing 19 seasons in the major leagues, 13 with St. Louis he was a career .300 hitter. 

Slaughter also led the Cardinals to two World Series titles.

Overall, Slaughter was involved in five World Series with four wins in 1942, 1946, 1956 an 1958, the first two with the St. Louis Cardinals and the later two with the New York Yankees.

He joined the New York Yankees later in his career and helped them to the promised land three years in a row from 1956 to 1950. In the storied history of the Cardinals, Slaughter was one of the most consistent hitters in the franchise's history.

Slaughter was also a 10 time All-Star selection, all 10 times coming with the St. Louis Cardinals. The St. Louis Cardinals retired his no. 9 jersey in 1996.

His career accomplishments are especially impressive considering that he missed three seasons beginning in 1943 (when he was 27) to serve in the military during World War II.

Philadelphia Phillies' Pete Rose Breaks Stan Musial's Hit Record

On August 10, 1981, Philadelphia Phillies great Pete Rose collects career hit number 3,631, breaking Stan Musial's National League hit record of 3,630 hits.

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, the 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.

Vince Coleman Throws Firecrackers At Fans

On July 24, 1993, Vince Coleman gets in trouble for throwing firecrackers at a group of fans outside of a ball game.

Coleman was one of the fastest base runners the game of baseball had ever seen, compiling multiple seasons with more than 100 stolen bases and even stealing a record 50 in a row in 1989.

After leading the league in stolen bases the first six seasons of his career, Coleman left the St. Louis Cardinals to sign a large deal with the New York Mets – where his productivity took a nosedive. He did not live up to his massive three million dollar salary and failed to even keep out of trouble.

He feuded with Jeff Torborg, scuffled with a batting coach, claimed that Shea Stadium's aesthetics were preventing him from being a Hall of Famer, cost Dwight Gooden a start when he accidentally wacked him with a golf club, and was even accused of a raping woman in 1991, although no charges were ever filed.

But his most infamous moment came after a 5-4 extra-inning loss in Los Angeles. Coleman and Bobby Bonilla were in the passenger's seat of a car, driven by teammate Eric Davis, when they pulled up in front of Dodgers Stadium, where a few hundred fans were exiting. Coleman, as a practical joke, hurled a firecracker into the throng of people before they drove away laughing. The citizens involved weren't laughing though; the explosion injured several people, including a 33 -year old woman, an 11 year-old boy and the eyesight, cheek, and finger of two year-old Amanda Santos.

Coleman would play in three more games before the Mets dismissed him for the rest of the season (albeit with pay). He was given three years probation, 200 hours of community service, and an additional $2,500 in fines. It took him several days to apologize, and when he did, he offered the following statement: "I'm a father first and an athlete second. Amanda stood out near a gate to catch a glimpse of a ballplayer. But today, I want her to catch a glimpse of a loving father and a helpful friend."

The next season, he was traded to the Kansas City Royals.

Philadelphia Phillies Reach 10,000 Losses

July 15, 2007, the St. Louis Cardinals crush the Philadelphia Phillies, 10-2, making the Phillies the first team in sports history to reach 10,000 franchise losses. The Phillies had been a terrible organization for decades and once went 98 years without a championship. At the moment, the city of Philadelphia was in a winless streak of its own, having not won a title since 1983. 

However, the Philadelphia fans appeared to embrace the lackluster distinction; they chanted "10,000" throughout the game and gave the club a standing ovation when they finally lost.

The Phillies' accomplishment had been 125 years in the making. They began play in 1883 as the Philadelphia Quakers and inauspiciously lost the first eight games of the season; in 1904, they became the first team to ever lose 100 games in a year; from 1918 to 1948, the Phillies had just one winning season and placed among the bottom three teams in the National League 28 times; in 1961, they lost a big league record 23 games in a row; in 1964, they blew a six-and-a-half game lead with 12 games to go in the season; in 1993, they lost the World Series on a game-winning home run to Joe Carter. They had even started a pitcher in 1940's (Hugh Mulcahy) who was so bad that he earned the nickname "Losing Pitcher."

But as they say, it's always darkest before the dawn. Philly fans basked in the sorrow that came with their 10,000 loss, but just one year later, they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to win their second World Series in franchise history. As Ed Barkowitz of the Philadelphia Daily News wrote after the title, "Phillies' 10,000 losses are a distant memory."

Check out a fan's view from the Phillies franchise loss 10,000: 

Philadelphia Phillies' Ed Delahanty Hits Four Home Runs

On July 13, 1896, Philadelphia Phillies Hall of Famer Ed Delahanty, becomes just the second major leaguer to hit four home runs in a game.

The feat now has been reached 16 times, with Josh Hamilton being the last to do so on May 8, 2012.

In chronological order of players hitting four home runs in a game: Bobby Lowe (1894), Delahanty (1896), Lou Gehrig (1932), Chuck Klein (1936), Pat Seerey (1948), Gil Hodges (1950), Joe Adcock (1954), Rocky Colavito (1959), Willie Mays (1961), Mike Schmidt (1976), Bob Horner (1986), Mark Whiten (1993), Mike Cameron (May 2, 2002), Shawn Green (May 23, 2002), Carlos Delgado (2003) and Hamilton (2012).

Of the players who hit four home runs in one game Delahanty, Gehrig, Klein, Mays and Schmidt are in the Hall of Fame, and only Hamilton is still an active player.

The gap of time between Cameron’s four home run day and Green’s four home run day is the shortest being only 21 days apart, while the gap between Delahanty and Gehrig, 36 years is the longest between such feats.

Almost every player who hit four home runs in one game on this list helped their team win except for Delahanty, as his Phillies lost to the Chicago Colts 9-8, and Homer’s Atlanta Braves lost to the Montreal Expos 11-8.

Of the players to hit four home runs in a single game Lowe has the lowest career total for home runs with 71, follower by Seerey, 86, and Delahanty 101. The most home runs on the list for a player to hit four home runs in one game is Mays with 660, followed by Schmidt with 548, and Gehrig with 493.

While Delahanty was not the first player to complete the feat he was just the second, and had a Hall of Fame career in doing so. Delahanty, nicknamed "Big Ed", was a Major League Baseball player from 1888 to 1903 for the Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Infants and Washington Senators, and was known as one of the game's early power hitters. Delahanty won a batting title, batted over .400 three times, and has the fifth-highest batting average in MLB history with a .346 average, behind only Ty Cobb (.366), Rogers Hornsby (.359), Joe Jackson (.356). and Lefty O'Doul (.349).

Delahanty led the league in batting average twice in 1899 with a .410 average, and in 1902 with a .376 average. He led the league in home runs twice, in 1893 with 19 home runs, and in 1896 with 13 home runs. Of those 13 home runs, four of those came in a single game. He led the league in RBIs three times, 1893 with 146, 1896 with 126 and 1899 with 137. Delahanty also led the league in stolen bases once with 56 in 1898.

Delahanty finished his career with a life time .346 batting average, 2,597 hits, 522 doubles, 186 triples, 101 home runs, 741 walks, 1464 RBIs, 1600 runs, 455 stolen bases, and a career on base percentage of .411.

He was elected to the Cooperstown Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945 by

A fun fact in Delahanty’s career was that he was also the victim behind one of "The Most Shameful Home Runs of All Time" according to the third edition of Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo's series, "The Baseball Hall of Shame."

In July 1892, when Delahanty's Phillies hosted Cap Anson's Chicago White Stockings at Philadelphia's Huntingdon Street Grounds (aka National League Park), Anson hit a fly ball to center in the top of the eighth inning. The ball hit a pole and landed right in the "doghouse," a feature unbeknownst to everyone then until that moment; it was used to store numbers for the manually run scoreboard.

Delahanty tried to get the ball (it was still in play) by first reaching over the doghouse, then crawling down into it, but on the latter attempt, he got stuck, and by the time teammate Sam Thompson had freed Delahanty from the area, Anson crossed home plate on what the "Baseball Hall of Shame" book calls an "inside-the-doghouse home run."

Atlanta Braves' Tony Cloninger Hits Two Grand Slams

On July 3, 1966, in the Atlanta Braves 17-3 rout of the San Francisco Giants, Tony Cloninger hits two grand slams and collects nine RBI's at Candlestick Park. 

The Braves' pitcher is the first National league player to hit two home runs with the bases full in the same game.

Only 12 other players have hit two grand slams in one game, with four players doing it before Cloninger. 

Tony Lazzeri did it for the New York Yankees in 1936. Jim Tabor did it for the Boston Red Sox on July 4, 1939. Rudy York also did it for the Boston Red Sox, in 1946, and Jim Gentile did it for the Baltimore Orioles in 1961.

The following players completed the feat after Cloninger. In 1968 Jim Northup did it for the Detroit Tigers. Frank Robinson did it for the Baltimore Orioles in 1970. In 1995 Robin Ventura did it while a member of the Chicago White Sox. Later Ventura became the only player to hit a grand slam in each game of a doubleheader, while playing for the New York Mets in 1999.

Chris Hoiles did it as a member of the Baltimore Orioles in 1998. 
 
In 1999 Fernando Tatis hit two grand slams in one inning as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. Tatis was also the first National League player to complete the feat since Cloninger. Tatis also holds the record for most RBIs in a single inning.

Also in 1999, Nomar Garciaparra did it as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Garciaparra was the only player on the list to hit two grand slams in one game, to be playing on the home team. He also hit another home run that day finishing the day with 10 RBIs.

Former Giants third baseman Bill Mueller did it in 2003 with the Boston Red Sox and in 2009 Josh Willingham did it as a member of the Washington Nationals.

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.