How Many Baseball Players Have 500 Home Runs?
Contents
We all know that hitting 500 home runs is a pretty big deal in baseball. But just how many players have actually accomplished this feat? Let’s take a look.
Introduction
It is often said that hitting 500 home runs is the surest way to guarantee entry into Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Hall of Fame. To date, only 27 players have accomplished this feat. Of these 27 players, 22 have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. The other 5 players are all still active and have a chance to be inducted once they retire.
The 500 Home Run Club
There are only 27 members of the 500 home run club. This means that out of the thousands of Major League Baseball players, only a select few have been able to hit 500 home runs in their career. This is a very exclusive club.
Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth holds the record for the most home runs in a single season, with 60 home runs in 1927. He also holds the career record for most home runs, with 714. Ruth is one of only four players to hit 60 or more home runs in a season, and he did it twice. The other three players are Roger Maris, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds.
Hank Aaron
Hank Aaron was the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit 500 home runs in his career. He accomplished the feat on April 8, 1974, when he hit a home run off Baltimore Orioles pitcher Mike Cuellar. Aaron finished his career with 755 home runs, which is still the MLB record.
Willie Mays
Mays was one of the greatest all-around players of his generation, an outstanding hitter with both power and speed. He hit for a .302 career batting average with 660 home runs, 3,283 hits, 1,903 runs batted in (RBI),338 stolen bases, and a Total Zone Rating of 154. These numbers place Mays among the top five percent in several important statistical categories.
Ken Griffey Jr.
Ken Griffey Jr. is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played 22 years in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent most of his career with the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds, along with a short stint with the Chicago White Sox. A member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and a 13-time All-Star, Griffey is one of the most prolific home run hitters in history; his 630 home runs rank as the seventh-most in MLB history. Griffey was also an exceptional defender and won 10 Gold Glove Awards in center field. He is one of only four outfielders to have won multiple Gold Glove Awards in consecutive seasons.
Alex Rodriguez
Rodriguez achieved the milestone in just his 12th season, earning membership in the 500 home run club faster than any player in history. He accomplished the feat with a home run off Chicago White Sox pitcher Jaime Navarro on August 4, 2007. The game was played at U.S. Cellular Field, and Rodriguez’s historic home run cleared the left-field wall and landed in the upper deck.
Conclusion
To date, only 27 players have hit 500 or more home runs in their careers. Of those 27, only three are currently active: Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, and Miguel Cabrera.
