May 21st
On this day in May, lets first roll the clock back 28 years and land in the year 1996.
There have been thousands of Major League Baseball players throughout the history of the league. Only 7 have ever hit 200 home runs before the age of 26.
Ken Griffey Jr. became the 8th youngest player in MLB history to belt 200 home runs when he did it at the age of 26.
In the fourth inning, Ken Griffey Jr. stepped up to the plate to face Vaughn Eshelman. With 2 runners on base, and 1 out, in historic Fenway Park, Griffey “The Kid” Jr. took Eshelman deep for a three run blast, his 11th of the season and 200th of his career. Griffey was 3-6 on the day with a double, a homer, and 5 rbi.
Who were the 7 players to reach 200 home runs before turning 26? Well, we’re glad you asked, because we would love to tell you.
Frank Robinson - 200 (586 career)
Albert Pujols - 201 (703 career)
Mickey Mantle - 207 (536 career)
Mel Ott - 211 (511 career)
Alex Rodriguez - 216 (696 career)
Jimmie Foxx - 222 (534 career)
Eddie Mathews - 222 (512 career)
Griffey would go on to hit 630 career home runs, settling in at number 7 all time.
Fast forward one year, sticking with the trend of 200, there was a pitcher by the name of Roger Clemens who made history on May 21st. It was in 1997, when “The Rocket” was 34 years old, pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays, that he became the 94th pitcher to win 200 games.
He would do it against his future team, the New York Yankees. This win gave Clemens an 8-0 record on the young season, and he would go on to win the Cy Young Award that year after a 21-7 record with 292 strikeouts.
On the day, Clemens went 8 innings giving up just 4 hits and striking out 12.
Roger Clemens would go on to win a total of 354 games in his career, making him the 9th winningest pitcher of all time.
Here are the pitchers who are ahead of him:
8. Greg Maddux - 355
7. Kid Nichols - 362
6. Warren Spahn - 363
5. Pud Galvin - 365
Christy Mathewson - 373
3. Grover Alexander - 373
2. Walter Johnson - 417
1. Cy Young - 511
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