Lou Gehrig Hits MLB Record Grand Slam

On Aug. 20, 1938, Hall of Famer and New York Yankees great Lou Gehrig hits his last grand slam of his career, a former Major League Baseball record, 23.

Since only one player has surpasses Gehrig’s feat, another current Yankee, Alex Rodriguez who has 24 in his career.

Of current players on the list with most all-time grand slams Rodriguez, 24, Jason Giambi, 15, Travis Hafner, 12, Raul Ibanez, 11, Robinson Cano, 8, Mark Teixeria, 8, Nick Swisher, 7, Lance Berkman, 6, Curtis Granderson, 6, Vernon Wells, 6, Eric Chavez, 5 are on or have played on the Yankees at one point in their career.

Of the players with more than 10 grand slams in their career Jorge Posada, 10, Dave Winfield, 11, Bernie Williams, 11, Tino Martinez, 11, Reggie Jackson, 11, Cecil Fielder, 11, Don Baylor, 13, Gary Sheffield, 13, Joe DiMaggio, 13, Babe Ruth, 16, Dave Kingman, 16 played on the Yankees.

Gehrig goes down as one of the greatest players to ever don the Yankee’s pin-stripes and the nickname “Iron Horse” for the consecutive games played streak had his career cut short by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disorder now commonly known in the United States and Canada as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Despite the debilitating disease Gehrig finished his career with 2,164 games played with a .340 batting average, with 2,721 hits, with 534 doubles, 163 triples, and 493 home runs. He also had 1,995 RBIs, 1,888 runs scored, 1,508 walks, 102 stolen bases and stuck out 790 times in his career.

Gehrig lead the league in games played seven times, including not missing a game for 13-consecutive seasons. He led the league in RBIs five times, with his highest single season total coming in 1931 with 184. He led the league in runs scored four times with his highest single season total coming in 1936 with 167. He also led the league in home runs three times, with his highest single season total coming in 1934 and 1936 when he hit 49 home runs. Gehrig also led the league in walks three times with his highest single season total coming in 1935 with 132 walks.

Gehrig led the league in doubles twice, with his highest single season total coming 1927 with 52. He led the league in triples once with his highest single season total coming in 1926 with 20.

Gehrig also led the league in batting average once, with his highest single season total coming in 1930 when he hit .379. However, he did not lead the league that year.

Gehrig was a seven-time All-Star, a six-time World Series Champion with the Yankees. He also won two MVP awards in 1927 and 1936. He was the Yankees captain from 1935 to 1938 and the Yankees retired his no. 4 jersey on July 4, 1939. He became the first baseball player to have his uniform number retired on January 6, 1940; his July 4, 1939 farewell to baseball speech, fans voted as the fifth-greatest moment in Major League Baseball history in 2002.

Gehrig won a triple crown in 1934 batting .363 with 49 home runs and 165 RBIs, but did not win the MVP award that year. He became the only player in MLB history to collect 400 total bases in five seasons as he did so in 1927, 1930, 1931, 1934 and 1936.

With St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial, Gehrig is only one of two players with at least 500 doubles, 150 triples and 450 home runs in his career. He is also only one of four players with Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Musial to end career with a minimum .330 batting average with 450 home runs and 1,800 RBIs. He is also only one of two players to hit 40 doubles and 40 home runs in the same season three separate times.

The Yankees dedicated a monument to Gehrig in center field at Yankee Stadium on July 6, 1941, the shrine lauding him as, "A man, a gentleman and a great ballplayer whose amazing record of 2,130 consecutive games should stand for all time." Gehrig's monument joined the one placed there in 1932 to Miller Huggins, which would eventually be followed by Babe Ruth's in 1949.

Gehrig's birthplace in Manhattan, at 1994 Second Avenue (near E. 103rd Street), is memorialized with a plaque marking the site, as is another early residence on E. 94th Street (near Second Avenue). (As of 26/12/2011, the first mentioned plaque is not present due to ongoing construction. The second mentioned plaque is present, but ascribes to his birthplace, not early residence.) The Gehrigs' white house at 5204 Delafield Avenue in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, where Lou Gehrig died, still stands today on the east side of the Henry Hudson Parkway and is likewise marked by a plaque.

Gehrig was named a member of the MLB All-Century team in 1999, MLB All-Time team in 1997 and was inducted into Cooperstown’s Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 through a special election.

Also in 1999, editors at Sporting News ranked Lou Gehrig sixth on their list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players."

Gehrig was also the first athlete ever to appear on a box of Wheaties.

San Francisco Giants' Willie Mays Hits Final Home Run Of Career

On August 17, 1973, Willie Mays hits his final home run of his career, number 660 off of Don Gullett of the Cincinnati Reds.

Since Mays hit his last home run only two players have passed him on the all-time home run list. One is a currently active player, although on suspension, New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez and the other is another former San Francisco Giants outfielder, Barry Bonds. Bonds finished his career with the most all-time home runs with 762.
 

“The Say Hey Kid,” Mays is considered by many to be the greatest all-around baseball players that ever played. The ultimate five-tool player, Mays could hit for average and power, had incredible speed and base running abilities and could throw and play defense at a gold glove caliber level.

Mays finished his career as one of the all-time greats with eye-popping stats. He had a lifetime .302 batting average, 3,283 hits, with 523 doubles, 140 triples and 660 home runs. He also had 2,062 runs scored, 1,903 RBIs, 1,464 walks, 338 stolen bases and 1,526 strikeouts.

Four-times Mays led the league in home runs, with his highest single season total coming in 1965 with 52. Mays also led the league in stolen bases four times, with his highest single season total coming in 1956 with 40. He led the league in triples three times with his highest single season total coming in 1957 with 20. He led the league in runs scored twice with his highest single season total coming in 1962 with 130, although he did not lead the league that year. 

Mays led the league in hits once, in 1960 he had 190 hits, although his highest single season total came in 1958 when he had 208 hits, however he did not lead the league that day. Mays led the league in batting average once with his highest single total coming in 1958 with a .347 average, although he did not lead the league that year. He also led the league in walks once, in 1971 he has 112 walks, that was his highest single season total of his career.

Mays hit over 50 home runs in 1955 and 1965, representing the longest time span between 50-plus home run seasons for any player in Major League Baseball history.

His numbers would have been more outrageous but he left baseball in 1953 to serve his country part of the military.

Mays would also finish his career as one of MLB’s most decorated athletes earning 24 All-Star selections including 24 consecutive appearances from 1954 to 1973 including two in 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1962 when the All-Star game was played twice a season, once at the start of the season and once in the now traditional All-Star break. He was a two-time All-Star game MVP in 1963 and 1968.

Mays was also a 12-time Golden Glove winner including 12 consecutive times from 1957 to 1968. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1951, and a two-time National League MVP in 1954 and 1965. 12-times Mays was also in the top 10 in MVP voting. He was also a part of the World Series Champion New York Giants.

In 1971 he was given the Roberto Clemente award, and in 1979 Mays was inducted into Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979 with 94.9 percent of the vote on the first ballot in which he was on.

Mays was also elected to the MLB All-Time and All-Century teams in 1997 and 1999 respectively.

The San Francisco Giants have retired his no. 24 jersey.

San Farncisco Giants' Barry Bonds Breaks MLB Home Run Record

On August 7, 2007, San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron’s career record for home runs, with his 756th.

It took Bonds 21 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants to Break Aaron’s record, which stood for 33 years. Bonds would finish his career with 762 home runs, and is still the all-time leader in MLB history for most career home runs. Part of Bonds’ success came from the fact that he is the all-time leader with consecutive seasons of 30 or more home runs, in which he has 13, from 1992-2004.

Bonds also leads the MLB in home runs in a season with 73, career walks with 2,558 and career intentional walks with 688.

Bonds was also a seven time National League MVP. His seven MVP awards are four more than the next player.

In the American League former Martinez native and Yankee slugger Joe DiMaggio earned three MVP’s. Two of DiMaggio’s teammates also earned three MVP’s, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle. Current Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez also has three MVP’s.

In the National League, St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial earned three MVP awards in his career. Former Brooklyn Dodger Roy Campanella earned three MVP’s. Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt and another Cardinal in Albert Pujols also earned three MVP awards.

On top of being on of the most decorated hitters of all time, Bonds also was an outstanding outfielder in his younger years as he racked up eight Gold Glove awards from 1990-1998.

  
He is also tied with his father Bobby for the most seasons of 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases with five. Bonds would continue his terror on the base paths throughout his career and managed to become the only member of the 400/400 club, hitting over 400 home runs and stealing over 400 bags. He would then further himself from the rest of baseball when he entered the 500/500 club in 2004 when he swiped his 500th stolen base.

Bonds’ was also just a season shy from joining the elusive 3,000 hit club, as he finished his career with 2,935 hits.

Bonds’ stats indicate he should be a first ballot Hall of Famer into Cooperstown, however, with the steroid issues and Balco perjury scandals it is unlikely that Bonds will be nominated into Cooperstown.

Check out the video below of Bonds' 756th home run: 

2001 MLB All-Star Game

On July 10, 2001, the MLB All-Star game took place and the Seattle Mariners were well represented. Eight members of the team that would win a record 116 games played at hometown Safeco Field, yet it was Cal Ripken Jr. who stole the show. Before the game, Ripken was offered his old shortstop position by Alex Rodriguez (Ripken had been a third basemen for several years). Then, in the third inning, Ripken sailed the first pitch he saw from Chan Ho Park over the left-field wall for a home run, making him the oldest player (40) to hit a homer in an All-Star game.

The American League won 4-1 and Ripken Jr. was named the MVP. It was both he and Tony Gwynn's final season, and the two were honored after the game. For Ripken it was the perfect sign off for what was a tremendous career in Baltimore. Gwynn had been named as an honorary All-Star and was unable to play in the game, to the disappointment of many.

Also making headlines was honorary third base coach Tommy Lasorda, the former Dodgers manager. In the sixth inning, Vladimir Guerrero's shattered bat flew out of his hands and right at Lasorda. It knocked the former Dodger to the ground, where he tumbled on his back. Initially, everyone was nervous when the old man hit the grass, but the masses erupted in laughter when they saw he was okay.

The humor in seeing Lasorda fall on his backside was that he was an explosive manager who, among other things, was not timid when it came to dropping obscenities.

Toronto Blue Jays Frank Thomas Hits 500th Home Run

Frank Thomas hitting home run 500.

On June 28, 2007, former MVP slugger Frank Thomas is the first of three players to hit their 500th career home run in 2007.

Thomas' blast came in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The longtime White Sox player had been ungracefully cut by Chicago after they won the championship in 2005. Thomas then bounced to Oakland and then to Toronto; in 2008, he returned to Oakland after being waived by the Jays.

The fan who caught the home run ball, 24 year-old Todd Eisenlohr, gave the ball back to Thomas in exchange for a chance to meet him.

Jim Thome launching his 600th home run.

Thomas got his 500-ball and awarded Eidenlohr with an autographed bat, ball, and jersey. It would have been a perfect story ... except that Thomas argued a call in the ninth inning and was promptly ejected, earning him the distinction as the first player to get ejected in a game where he hit his 500th homer.




The other two players to hit their 500th home run in the 2007 season were Jim Thome and Alex Rodriguez.

Alex Rodriguez hitting his 500th home run.

Thome would go on to finish his career with 612 home runs, while Rodriguez currently has 654 home runs, although he will have to wait until next season to see if he can add on to his total due to a season long suspension.

San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds Sets MLB Record

On May 4, 2002, Barry Bonds hits his 400th home run as a San Francisco Giant, leading his team to a 3-0 win over Cincinnati. Bonds is the first player to hit 400 homers for one team and 100 with another (Pittsburgh Pirates). Bonds would finish his career as Major League Baseball's All-Time home run leader with 762 home runs.

Barry Bonds hitting his 400th home run as a San Francisco Giant.

 It took Bonds 21 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants to Break Aaron’s record of 756 home runs, which stood for 33 years. Bonds would finish his career and is still the all-time leader in MLB history for most career home runs. Part of Bonds’ success came from the fact that he is the All-Time leader with consecutive seasons of 30 or more home runs, in which he has 13, from 1992-2004.

Bonds also leads the MLB in home runs in a single season with 73, career walks with 2,558 and career intentional walks with 688.

Bonds was also a seven time National League MVP. His seven MVP awards are four more than the next player. 

In the American League, former Yankee slugger Joe DiMaggio earned three MVP’s. Two of DiMaggio’s teammates also earned three MVP’s, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle. Current Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez also has three MVP’s.

In the National League, St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial earned three MVP awards in his career. Former Brooklyn Dodger Roy Campanella earned three MVP’s. Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt and another former Cardinal in Albert Pujols also earned three MVP awards.

On top of being on of the most decorated hitters of all time, Bonds also was an outstanding outfielder in his younger years as he racked up eight Gold Glove awards from 1990-1998. As of 2009, Bonds was the Left Fielder to win a Gold Glove in the National League.

He is also tied with his father Bobby for the most seasons of 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases with five. Bonds would continue his terror on the base paths throughout his career and managed to become the only member of the 400/400 club, hitting over 400 home runs and stealing over 400 bags. He would then further himself from the rest of baseball when he entered the 500/500 club in 2004 when he swiped his 500^th stolen base.

Bonds’ was also just a season shy from joining the elusive 3,000 hit club, as he finished his career with 2,935 hits.

Bonds’ stats indicate he should have been a first ballot Hall of Famer into Cooperstown, however, with the steroid issues and Balco perjury scandals it is unlikely that Bonds will be nominated into Cooperstown ever

Barry Bonds Hits 500th Home Run

On April 17, 2001, in the eighth inning of a game in San Francisco, Giants outfielder Barry Bonds sends a pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers releiver Terry Adams over the right field wall into McCovey Cove.

 Barry Bonds hitting his 500th home run off of Terry Adams.

The home run was a milestone, it was Bonds' 500th home run of his career. It was also the sixth he had hit since the start of the season, which would go on to be another mark in another milestone.

Bonds would hit another 67 homers that year, finishing with a Major League record of 73, ultimately winning him the National League MVP award.

Bonds eventually became the Major League Home Run King

Bonds would finish his career as the All-Time home run leader with 762 home runs which still stands today.

Barry Bonds (left) with Alex Rodriguez (right) in 2007 at the MLB All-Star Game in San Francisco.

However, there has been speculation that New York Yankee’s slugger Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez would break Bonds’ record, but with the steroid allegations and a season long suspension this year and his declining power numbers over the past few years, the All-Time home run record might be over his head.

Currently Rodriguez has 654 home runs, just under 120 short of breaking the record. In the past four years Rodriguez has failed to hit more than 30 home runs in a single season, and two years ago in an injury plagued season, in which he only played 99 games, he only hit 16 home runs. If Rodriguez were going to break the record he would have to play for at least five more years, or until he is 42 years old. Which would actually make him the youngest player to record over 750 home runs.

Hank Aaron Ties Home Run Record

On April 4, 1974, Hall of Famer Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth's home-run record by hitting his 714th home run.

 

Hank Aaron with his record breaking 715th home run ball he would hit on April 8th, 1974.

"Hammerin' Hank," 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 (RBI) (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 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 with 97.83 percent of the vote.

Berra Wins MVP

On Nov. 8, 1951, Yogi Berra of the New York Yankees picked up his first MVP award. 

Berra hit .294 that season and hit 27 home runs. Berra was an All-Star catcher 18 times, every year from 1948 through 1962. 

There were two All-Star games in 1959, 1960, and 1961, in which Berra was a selected to be a part of both.

He would also in the MVP award in 1954 and 1955.

His three MVP awards are tied second All-Time with Philadelphia Athletics great Jimmie Foxx, St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial, former New York Yankee teammate and Martinez native Joe DiMaggio, another former teammate and Yankee great Mickey Mantle, Brooklyn Dodgers catcher great Roy Campanella, former Philadelphia Phillies great Mike Schmidt, former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols and current New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez. 

The three MVP awards won by Berra are only behind Barry Bonds, who has seven, and won four straight from 2001 to 2004.

Berra was part of the Yankees from 1946 to 1963 as a player; in 1963 he was a player and coach for the Bronx Bombers. In 1964 he served his first term as manager for the team. 

After managing the team for one year he would jump back into coaching from 1976 to 1983. He would take his second stint as manager in 1984 through 1985. 

During his time with the Yankees, Berra helped the elder New York franchise to 13 World Championships as a player, manager and coach in 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1977 and 1978.

Berra would also play, coach and manager for the other New York team, the Mets. He would help the New York “Miracle” Mets to a World Series title in 1969.

Berra would have his no. 8 jersey retired by the Yankees on July 22, 1972 and would be inducted into Cooperstown Baseballs Hall of Fame in 1972, with 85.61 percent of the vote. It was the first time he was on the ballot.

Since his time from baseball, Berra has written several books including:

Yogi: It Ain't Over (1989). The Yogi Book: 'I Really Didn't Say Everything I Said' (1998). When You Come to a Fork in the Road, Take It! Inspiration and Wisdom from One of Baseball's Greatest Heroes (2001). What Time Is It? You Mean Now?: Advice for Life from the Zennest Master of Them All (2002). Ten Rings: My Championship Seasons (2003). Let's Go, Yankees! (2006). You Can Observe a Lot by Watching (2011).

Bonds Hits 73

On Oct. 7, 2001, San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds records home run 73 of the season against Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Dennis Springer.

Barry Bonds would finish the 2001 season with 73 home runs, a new major league record, breaking Mark McGwire’s record of 70 home runs that was set just a few years earlier in 1998. Bonds received the Babe Ruth award in 2001 for leading the MLB in home runs.

Bonds would never reach the plateau of 70 home runs again, but his record still stands today. The 2001 season was the fourth season in which Bonds was named the National League MVP, the first as a San Francisco Giant. The three previous MVP awards came while he was on the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 2001 MVP award was also the first of four consecutive MVP awards Bonds would receive while playing for the Giants as he also won the award in 2002, 2003 and 2004. No other player has won four MVP awards, let alone four consecutive MVP awards.

The 2001 season also saw Bonds draw in a few more records besides home runs, including 177 walks, and had .515 on-base percentage, a feat which had not been seen since Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams over forty years earlier. Bonds’ slugging percentage in 2001 was also a major league record, which still stands, as he hit an astounding .863.

Earlier in the 2001 season Bonds had also hit home run 500 putting him in great company, at the time only 16 other players were in the 500 home run club. Since Bonds reached the feat eight other players have reached 500 home runs.

Bonds is not yet a member of the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame but should be  in my opinion. Whether or not you believe steroids helped Bonds reach the home run feats, he was still a great player in the batters box or on defense. Bonds won an unprecedented seven MVP awards in his career, four more than the next players on the list, which include Hall of Famers, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, and Mike Schmidt. Two active players also have three MVP awards, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and Anaheim Angels first baseman Albert Pujols.

Bonds also holds 17 MLB records including most walks in a season, and a career, and shares a piece of four other records including most seasons (five) with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, which tied his father Bobby. Barry and Bobby are also the only father and son duo to be in the 30-30 club.

Bonds' Joins 40-40 Club

On Sept. 26, 1996, San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds becomes just the second player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a single season, joining the 40-40 club.

Bonds joined only former Oakland Athletics slugger Jose Canseco who completed the feat for the first time in MLB history in 1988 with 42 home runs and 40 stolen bases.

Bonds would end the 1996 season with 42 home runs and 40 stolen bases, tying Canseco.

Since Bonds completed the feat in 1996, it has been achieved twice more. Former Seattle Mariners short stop Alex Rodriguez in 1998 with 42 home runs and 46 stolen bases and in 2006 by former Washington Nationals outfielder Alfonso Soriano with 46 home runs and 41 stolen bases.

Bonds would finish his career with 762 home runs, and is still the all-time leader in MLB history for most career home runs. Part of Bonds’ success came from the fact that he is the all-time leader with consecutive seasons of 30 or more home runs, in which he has 13, from 1992-2004.

Bonds also leads the MLB in home runs in a single season with 73, career walks with 2,558 and career intentional walks with 688.

Bonds was also a seven time National League MVP. His seven MVP Awards are four more than the next best player.

To put it in better perspective, Bonds who won four consecutive MVP Awards from 2001-2004, would be the leader in MVP Awards if he never won another outside of the span.

In the American League, former Martinez native and Yankee slugger, Joe DiMaggio earned three MVP Awards. As well, two of DiMaggio’s teammates also earned three MVP Awards, catcher Yogi Berra and outfielder Mickey Mantle. Current Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez also has three MVP’s. Former Philadelphia Athletics slugger Jimmy Foxx also won three MVP Awards during his career.

In the National League, St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial earned three MVP Awards in his career. Former Brooklyn Dodger Roy Campanella earned three MVP Awards. Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt and another former Cardinal, Albert Pujols also earned three MVP Awards.

On top of being on of the most decorated hitters of all time, Bonds was also an outstanding outfielder in his younger years as he racked up eight Gold Glove awards from 1990-1998. As of 2009, Bonds was the most awarded Left Fielder to win a Gold Glove Awards in the National League.

Barry is also tied with his father Bobby for the most seasons of 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases with five. Bonds would continue his terror on the base paths throughout his career and managed to become the only member of the 400 home run and 400 stolen base club. He would then further himself from the rest of baseball when he entered the 500-500 club in 2004 when he swiped his career stolen base 500.

Bonds’ was also just a season shy from joining the elusive 3,000 hit club as he finished his career with 2,935 hits.

Bonds would finish his 22-year career with 2,986 games played and 9,847 at-bats. He would accumulate a career .298 batting average, a .444 on-base percentage, a .607 slugging percentage for a 1.051 on-base plus slugging percentage. He totaled 2,935 hits, consisting of 1,495 singles, 601 doubles, 77 triples and 762 home runs. He would also total 2,227 runs scored with 1,996 RBIs, 515 stolen bases, 2,558 walks with 688 intentional walks, while striking out just 1,539 times.

Bonds would lead the league in walks and intentional walks 12 times over the course of his career with his highest single season totals coming in 2004 with 232 walks and 120 intentional walks. Bonds led the league in on-base percentage 10 times, with his highest single season percentage coming in 2004 with a .609 mark. Bonds would lead the league in slugging percentage seven times, with highest single season percentage coming in 2001 with a .863 mark. Bonds would lead the league in home runs twice with his highest single season total coming in 2001 with 73. Bonds also led the league in runs scored and RBIs once with his highest single season totals coming in 1992 and 1993 respectively, with 109 runs scored, and 123 RBIs, although neither of those were single season career highs, which he set in 2001 with 129 RBIs (he reached 129 RBIs four times over his career) and 137 runs scored.

Bonds’ stats indicate he should be a first ballot Hall of Famer into Cooperstown, however, with the steroid issues, the Mitchell Report incident and Balco perjury scandals it is unlikely that Bonds will be nominated into Cooperstown, although he was one of the bests to ever play the game.

Sosa Hits 60 Home Runs Again

On Sept. 18, 1999, Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa records hits home run number 60 of the season. The home run also marked the first time a player had reached 60 home runs in back-to-back seasons, 1998 and 1999.

Sosa would hit 60 home runs again 2001, but would never hit that many again after that season. He would finish his career with 609 home runs, putting him in the top six of all-time at the time of his retirement. Since than Alex Rodriguez and Jim Thome have passed him, and now Sosa is currently ranked eighth all time.

Sosa won the MVP in 1998, the year he hit 66 home runs, was a seven time All-Star, and six time Silver Slugger in the National League.

Thought Sosa has so many home runs and was the first player and only player to hit back-to-back 60 home run seasons, his name was drug through the steroid issues of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Along with an issue of using a corked bat, Sosa will likely not make Cooperstown’s Baseball Hall of Fame.