Monday, June 10, 2013

On This Date in MLB History: The Day of the Home Run


By Adam Lowenstein

Many important home runs were hit on June 10, including a special day in 1962. It is one of the only dates in Major League Baseball history when at least 50 home runs were hit. MLB players hit an impressive 54 home runs in 20 games on June 10, 1962. That remained the MLB record for several decades, but has been since broken.

Moreover, there are many other impressive dingers on June 10. In 1880, Boston Red Caps outfielder Charles Jones became the first professional player to hit two home runs in one inning. Both homers came off the same pitcher and were part of the Red Caps’ 19-3 blowout of the Buffalo Bisons.

Then in 1921, Babe Ruth officially became the home run king with his 120th career jack. After his third-inning homer against the Cleveland Indians, Ruth held the record for more than 50 years.

A few decades later, New York Giants outfielder Bill Taylor hit his first career home run. This particular dinger in 1954 marked the first time in history that a pinch-hit solo homer accounted for all the scoring in an MLB game. Taylor’s 10th-inning home run propelled the Giants to a 1-0 victory over the Milwaukee Braves.

What could the ‘Day of the Home Run’ be without a four-homer game? Well, Indians outfielder Rocky Colavito is one of just six MLB players all-time to hit four home runs in consecutive plate appearances in one game. He accomplished the feat in 1959 in an 11-8 win against the Baltimore Orioles.

Fewer than two years before Hank Aaron surpassed Ruth for the most home runs in MLB history, Aaron passed Willie Mays for second place on the famous list. On June 10, 1972, Aaron jacked a grand slam against the Philadelphia Phillies as home run No. 649. For now, that is the final, extraordinary home run moment on June 10. However, something unique could potentially be added to this article later today.

For more MLB coverage, follow Adam Lowenstein on Twitter at @StatsAdam.