Hearkening back to historic home runs
As Bonds sets milestone, we catalog other important round-trippers
John Franklin Baker becomes "Home Run" Baker by hitting homers on consecutive days in the 1911 World Series.
"The Athletics tied the score when Baker, their brilliant third baseman, who won Monday's game with a home run, drove one of Christy Mathewson's benders into the far reaches of the right field stand for a homer in the ninth. They won out in the eleventh on three safe hits, helped out by two Giant errors. ... When New York forged ahead in the third, the echoes were awakened by a big uproar. But when Baker, in the ninth, hit out his homer, the din was deafening."
— Sporting News, Oct. 26, 1911
Babe Ruth hits 54 home runs in 1920, breaking his record of 29, set the year before.
"On this trip through the West, Mr. Ruth has been busy shaking down an old record every day or so. The age of the record depends upon the date of Mr. Ruth's last home run. Mr. Ruth is in the jolly old position of having nobody but himself to beat. He sets up home run records so he can smash them. He smashes them and sets a new mark for himself to shoot at the following day. Such is life for Mr. George Herman Ruth, one shattered record after another."
— Sporting News, Aug. 12, 1920
Mickey Mantle hits a Griffith Stadium home run estimated at 565 feet.
"Chuck Stobbs got a strike on Mantle and then threw a fastball. Mickey took the giant swing. The ball struck the football scoreboard, now converted into a sign boosting a beer, some 60 feet above the field level and about 500 feet from the plate. The leather caromed off, out of sight. It developed that it had flown clear over Fifth Street, which is right behind the left field wall, and had landed in a back yard at 434 Oakdale Street. There the ball was retrieved by 10-year-old Don Dunnaway, a surprised and delighted Negro lad."
— Sporting News, April 29, 1953
Willie Mays hits his 512th home run and becomes the National League's all-time home run champ.
"The home run, struck off a high, outside change-up, created the greatest ovation in the long history of baseball on the shores of San Francisco. It was bedlam that lasted for only a little more than 5 minutes on this evening, but its echo will last a long time. ... Not a person was in his seat as Mays took the long run. And nobody sat down for more than 5 minutes. They screamed, 'We want Willie!' Shortly afterward, Mays was engulfed by his teammates at the lip of the Giant dugout back of first base. He answered the chant of the crowd by re-emerging and tipping his cap and waving."
— Sporting News, May 21, 1966
Henry Aaron hits home run No. 715.
"The date was April 8, the time 9:07 p.m. The fabled Braves' star flicked his famous wrists and propelled an Al Downing fastball over the left field fence and into the Braves' bullpen, where relief pitcher Tom House made the catch. Well, sir, Atlanta Stadium turned into instant pandemonium. They danced in the stands and stood and cheered. Dusty Baker jumped up and down and embraced Ralph Garr. Two unidentified teenagers bolted from the stands and gave Aaron an escort from second base to third. Almost as soon as Aaron touched home plate, guided by Garr, a black lady threw a strong embrace on the grinning Braves' star and would not let go. Later, Aaron said, 'I didn't know how strong my mother was.'"
— Sporting News, April 27, 1974
Mark McGwire hits home run No. 62.
"Last week, when Cubs righthander Steve Trachsel threw a fastball low and inside, McGwire's bat lashed out with its odd combination of ferocity and control. No. 62 climbed on a frozen rope over the left field wall at Busch Stadium and dropped 341 feet from home plate, under the stands and into the hands of 22-year-old groundskeeper Tim Forneris. For an instant, we were uncertain. Then our hearts skipped a beat and goosebumps covered our flesh."
— Sporting News, Sept. 21, 1998
Barry Bonds hits home run No. 73.
"During the season's last week, Bonds was in such a groove that his 70th, 71st and 72nd home runs came in consecutive plate appearances on a total of four swings. ... Over his final six games and 25 plate appearances last week, Bonds made only six outs. He hit four home runs and four singles. He walked 10 times and was hit by a pitch once. The man wasn't missing. ... Though Sunday's season finale at Pac Bell Park, in which Bonds hit No. 73 off a 3-and-2 knuckleball from Dodgers righthander Dennis Springer, probably was his last game in a Giants uniform, nobody with the team is ready to admit that just yet."
— Sporting News, Oct. 15, 2001
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