500 home run club

An African American man in a white baseball uniform with "GIANTS" on the chest takes a left-handed baseball swing as a catcher kneels behind him to receive the pitch.
Barry Bonds joined the 500 home run club in 2001 and set a new career home run record of 762 in 2007.

In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 500 home run club is a group of batters who have hit 500 or more regular-season home runs in their careers. On August 11, 1929, Babe Ruth became the first member of the club. Ruth ended his career with 714 home runs, a record which stood from 1935 until Hank Aaron surpassed it in 1974.[1] Aaron's ultimate career total, 755, remained the record until Barry Bonds set the current mark of 762 during the 2007 season.[1] Twenty-seven players are members of the 500 home run club. At .344, Ted Williams holds the highest batting average among the club members while Harmon Killebrew holds the lowest at .256.

Of these 27 players, 14 were right-handed batters, 11 were left-handed, and 2 were switch hitters. The San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox are the only franchises to see four players reach the milestone while on their roster: for the Giants, Mel Ott while the team was in New York, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and most recently Bonds, and, for the Red Sox, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, and more recently Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. Five 500 home run club members—Aaron, Mays, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmeiro, and Alex Rodriguez—are also members of the 3,000 hit club. Gary Sheffield's 500th home run was his first career home run with the New York Mets, the first time that a player's 500th home run was also his first with his franchise.[2] Alex Rodriguez, at 32 years and 8 days, was the youngest player to reach the milestone while Ted Williams, at 41 years and 291 days, was the oldest.[2][3]The most recent player to reach 500 home runs is David Ortiz, who hit his 500th home run on September 12, 2015.[4]

Membership in the 500 home run club is sometimes described as a guarantee of eventual entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame, although some believe the milestone has become less meaningful in recent years.[5][6][7][8] Five eligible club members—Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Gary Sheffield and Sammy Sosa—have not been elected to the Hall. Bonds and Sosa made their first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2013; Bonds received only 36.2% and Sosa 12.5% of the total votes, with 75% required for induction.[9] Eligibility requires that a player has "been retired five seasons" or be deceased for at least six months,[10] disqualifying three retired living players who have been active within the past five seasons -- Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. Some believe the milestone has become less important with the large number of new members; 10 players joined the club from 1999 to 2009.[5] Additionally, several of these recent members have had ties to performance-enhancing drugs.[5][8][11] Some believe that by not electing McGwire to the Hall the voters were establishing a "referendum" on how they would treat players from the "Steroid Era".[12][13] On January 8, 2014, Rafael Palmeiro became the first member of the 500 Home Run Club to be removed from the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot. As the BBWAA announced the selections for the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2014, Palmeiro appeared on just 4.4% of the ballots. Players must be named on at least of 5.0% of ballots to remain on future ballots.[14]

Two players on the 500 club are still active: Rodriguez and Albert Pujols. Of these, Rodriguez is active leader in home runs with 696.[15]

Key

Player Name of the player
HR Career home runs
Date Date of the player's 500th home run
Team The batter's team at the time of his 500th home run
Seasons The seasons this player played in the major leagues
dagger Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
double-dagger Denotes player who is still active

Members

A man in full baseball attire wears a pinstriped jersey and a hat with overlapping white "N" and "Y". Looking to the left of the camera, he is holding a baseball bat upward.
Babe Ruth was the first player to reach 500 home runs and set a career home run mark of 714 that stood until 1974.
A dark-skinned man in a black baseball jersey and gray pants takes a right handed baseball swing with a crowd in the background, several people wearing red.
David Ortiz is the most recent player to hit 500 home runs, one of 12 to reach the milestone from 1999 to 2015.
Player HR Date Team Seasons played Ref(s)
Bonds, BarryBarry Bonds 762April 17, 2001San Francisco Giants1986–2007[16]
Aaron, HankHank Aarondagger 755July 14, 1968Atlanta Braves1954–1976[17]
Ruth, BabeBabe Ruthdagger 714August 11, 1929New York Yankees1914–1935[18]
Rodriguez, AlexAlex Rodriguezdouble-dagger 696August 4, 2007New York Yankees1994–2013, 2015–2016[3][19]
Mays, WillieWillie Maysdagger 660September 13, 1965San Francisco Giants1951–1952, 1954–1973[20]
Griffey Jr., KenKen Griffey Jr.dagger 630June 20, 2004Cincinnati Reds1989–2010[21]
Thome, JimJim Thome 612September 16, 2007Chicago White Sox1991–2012[6][22]
Sosa, SammySammy Sosa 609April 4, 2003Chicago Cubs1989–2005, 2007[23]
Pujols, AlbertAlbert Pujolsdouble-dagger 591April 22, 2014Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim2001–present[24]
Robinson, FrankFrank Robinsondagger 586September 13, 1971Baltimore Orioles1956–1976[25]
McGwire, MarkMark McGwire 583August 5, 1999St. Louis Cardinals1986–2001[26]
Killebrew, HarmonHarmon Killebrewdagger 573August 10, 1971Minnesota Twins1954–1975[27]
Palmeiro, RafaelRafael Palmeiro 569May 11, 2003Texas Rangers1986–2005[28]
Jackson, ReggieReggie Jacksondagger 563September 17, 1984California Angels1967–1987[29]
Ramirez, MannyManny Ramirez 555May 31, 2008Boston Red Sox1993–2011[30][31]
Schmidt, MikeMike Schmidtdagger 548April 18, 1987Philadelphia Phillies1972–1989[32]
Ortiz, DavidDavid Ortiz 541September 12, 2015Boston Red Sox1997–2016[33]
Mantle, MickeyMickey Mantledagger 536May 14, 1967New York Yankees1951–1968[34]
Foxx, JimmieJimmie Foxxdagger 534September 24, 1940Boston Red Sox1925–1942, 1944–1945[35]
McCovey, WillieWillie McCoveydagger 521June 30, 1978San Francisco Giants1959–1980[36]
Thomas, FrankFrank Thomasdagger 521June 28, 2007Toronto Blue Jays1990–2008[37][38]
Williams, TedTed Williamsdagger 521June 17, 1960Boston Red Sox1939–1942, 1946–1960[39]
Banks, ErnieErnie Banksdagger 512May 12, 1970Chicago Cubs1953–1971[40]
Mathews, EddieEddie Mathewsdagger 512 July 14, 1967Houston Astros1952–1968[41]
Ott, MelMel Ottdagger 511August 1, 1945New York Giants1926–1947[42]
Sheffield, GaryGary Sheffield 509April 17, 2009New York Mets1988–2009[2][43]
Murray, EddieEddie Murraydagger 504September 6, 1996Baltimore Orioles1977–1997[44]

See also

References

General
Specific
  1. 1 2 "Progressive Leaders & Records for Home Runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Ghiroli, Brittany (April 18, 2009). "Sheffield joins elite club with No. 500". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  3. 1 2 Hoch, Bryan (August 4, 2007). "A-Rod belts historic 500th homer". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  4. ↑ "500 Home Run Club". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 Passan, Jeff (April 18, 2009). "500 home run club losing its cachet". Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo!. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  6. 1 2 Curry, Jack (April 27, 2008). "500 Home Runs, Zero Certainty for Thome". The New York Times. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  7. ↑ Romano, John (April 22, 2009). "Gary Sheffield's 500 home runs is merely a number, and not a very special one". St. Petersburg Times. www.tampabay.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  8. 1 2 Swartz, Cody (April 19, 2009). "Why 500 Home Runs No Longer Guarantees Admission to the Hall of Fame". Bleacher Report. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  9. ↑ "2013 Hall of Fame Vote a Shutout" (Press release). National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. January 9, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Rules for Election". National Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  11. ↑ Kurkjian, Tim (January 9, 2012). "Whopper of a list of names await in 2013". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Bonds says Rose, McGwire belong in Hall of Fame". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 18, 2007. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  13. ↑ "McGwire denied Hall; Gwynn, Ripken get in". NBC Sports. Associated Press. January 10, 2007. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Rafael Palmeiro Becomes First Fatality of PED Era".
  15. ↑ "Active Leaders & Records for Home Runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
  16. ↑ "Barry Bonds Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  17. ↑ "Hank Aaron Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  18. ↑ "Babe Ruth Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  19. ↑ "Alex Rodriguez Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on July 12, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  20. ↑ "Willie Mays Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  21. ↑ "Ken Griffey Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  22. ↑ "Jim Thome Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  23. ↑ "Sammy Sosa Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  24. ↑ White, Paul (April 22, 2014). "Albert Pujols: 500 home runs, and looking like old self". USA Today. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Alex Rodriguez Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  26. ↑ "Mark McGwire Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  27. ↑ "Harmon Killebrew Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  28. ↑ "Rafael Palmeiro Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  29. ↑ "Reggie Jackson Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  30. ↑ "Manny Ramirez Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  31. ↑ Browne, Ian (June 1, 2008). "Manny cements his place in history". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  32. ↑ "Mike Schmidt Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  33. ↑ "David Ortiz Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Mickey Mantle Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  35. ↑ "Jimmie Foxx Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  36. ↑ "Willie McCovey Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  37. ↑ "Frank Thomas Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  38. ↑ Kieser, Joe (June 28, 2007). "Thomas launches No. 500 at Metrodome". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  39. ↑ "Ted Williams Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  40. ↑ "Ernie Banks Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  41. ↑ "Eddie Mathews Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  42. ↑ "Mel Ott Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  43. ↑ "Gary Sheffield Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  44. ↑ "Eddie Murray Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.

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