Spring Break
Chicks Dig the Long Ball
Griffey, Sosa, and Bonds Chase HR Milestones
Jake Williams
Issue date: 6/20/07 Section: Sports
In every corner of America, kids have dreamt of hitting a homerun in the major leagues. Thirty years ago, three of those kids were named Ken Griffey Jr., Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds. Today, all three are not only hitting homers, but chasing their own piece of HR history.
Ken Griffey Jr. has been a pro for 18 years now, and even though it seems like he's been injured for 20 of them, he has the eighth most homers in baseball history. The 37-year-old began his career in 1989 with the Seattle Mariners, but has played for the Cincinnati Reds since 2000. In his first seven seasons with the Reds, Griffey missed 435 games--two and a half seasons worth.
Despite hamstring injury woes, Griffey is just two long balls shy of tying Mark McGwire's mark of 583 and five shy of Jackie Robinson's sixth best all-time total of 586. Griffey's number 580 and 581 homers came on June 16 against Sammy Sosa's Texas Rangers.
Sosa failed to homer in the June 16 match-up, his first game since hitting career HR number 599. When Slammin' Sammy does hit his next one, he'll be just the fifth player ever with 600. Barring a sudden career-ending injury or undeniable evidence of steroid use, Sosa is a lock to join Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Barry Bonds in the 600 club.
Bonds has homered just once since last week's Globe. Number 748 of his career came June 17 against former Pittsburgh teammate and current Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield. It was Barry's first ever HR against Wakefield and the first time he's gone deep in Fenway Park, the oldest park in MLB. Bonds now trails Hank Aaron's all-time record by just seven.
The next week should be a historic one for the HR. With so many milestones less than eight homers away, the focus will surely be on the hitting aspect of America's pastime.
Steroids have become inseparable from any discussion of HR records. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds are all commonly mentioned during steroids debates. Conversely, Ken Griffey Jr. has enjoyed very little suspicion of steroid use, probably because his body build and weight have remained relatively small and constant when compared to the other three sluggers.
Ken Griffey Jr. has been a pro for 18 years now, and even though it seems like he's been injured for 20 of them, he has the eighth most homers in baseball history. The 37-year-old began his career in 1989 with the Seattle Mariners, but has played for the Cincinnati Reds since 2000. In his first seven seasons with the Reds, Griffey missed 435 games--two and a half seasons worth.
Despite hamstring injury woes, Griffey is just two long balls shy of tying Mark McGwire's mark of 583 and five shy of Jackie Robinson's sixth best all-time total of 586. Griffey's number 580 and 581 homers came on June 16 against Sammy Sosa's Texas Rangers.
Sosa failed to homer in the June 16 match-up, his first game since hitting career HR number 599. When Slammin' Sammy does hit his next one, he'll be just the fifth player ever with 600. Barring a sudden career-ending injury or undeniable evidence of steroid use, Sosa is a lock to join Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Barry Bonds in the 600 club.
Bonds has homered just once since last week's Globe. Number 748 of his career came June 17 against former Pittsburgh teammate and current Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield. It was Barry's first ever HR against Wakefield and the first time he's gone deep in Fenway Park, the oldest park in MLB. Bonds now trails Hank Aaron's all-time record by just seven.
The next week should be a historic one for the HR. With so many milestones less than eight homers away, the focus will surely be on the hitting aspect of America's pastime.
Steroids have become inseparable from any discussion of HR records. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds are all commonly mentioned during steroids debates. Conversely, Ken Griffey Jr. has enjoyed very little suspicion of steroid use, probably because his body build and weight have remained relatively small and constant when compared to the other three sluggers.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Lewis
posted 6/25/07 @ 1:55 AM MST
Junior and the Corker have both reached theirs.
Thanks for the five day and twelve hour warnings, respectively!
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