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 term applied to the 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] Gary Sheffield is the most recent to reach 500 home runs, doing so on April 17, 2009.[2] Twenty-five players are members of the 500 home run club.

Of these 25 players, 13 were right-handed batters, 10 were left-handed, and 2 were switch hitters, meaning they could bat from either side of the plate. The San Francisco Giants are the only franchise to see four players reach the milestone while on their roster: Mel Ott while the team was in New York, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and most recently Bonds. Four 500 home run club members – Aaron, Mays, Eddie Murray, and Rafael Palmeiro – are also members of the 3,000 hit club. 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.[3] 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.[3][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.[2][5][6][7] Mark McGwire is the only currently eligible club member not elected to the Hall. Eligibility requires that a player has "been retired five seasons" or be deceased for at least six months,[8] disqualifying nine living players who have been active within the past five seasons. Some believe the milestone has become less important with the large number of new members; 10 players joined the club from 1999 to 2009.[2] Additionally, several of these recent members have had ties to performance-enhancing drugs.[2][7] 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".[9][10]

Contents

Key

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

Members

Statistics up to date as of September 6, 2010
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.
Gary Sheffield is the most recent player to hit 500 home runs, one of 10 to reach the milestone from 1999 to 2009.
Player HR Date Team Seasons Ref(s)
Bonds, BarryBarry Bonds 762 02001-04-17April 17, 2001 San Francisco Giants 1986–2007 [11]
Aaron, HankHank Aaron† 755 01968-07-14July 14, 1968 Atlanta Braves 1954–1976 [12]
Ruth, BabeBabe Ruth† 714 01929-08-11August 11, 1929 New York Yankees 1914–1935 [13]
Mays, WillieWillie Mays† 660 01965-09-13September 13, 1965 San Francisco Giants 1951–1973 [14]
Griffey, Jr., KenKen Griffey, Jr. 630 02004-06-20June 20, 2004 Cincinnati Reds 1989–2010 [15]
Sosa, SammySammy Sosa 609 02003-04-04April 4, 2003 Chicago Cubs 1989–2005
2007		 [16]
Rodriguez, AlexAlex Rodriguez* 605 02007-08-04August 4, 2007 New York Yankees 1994– [4][17]
Robinson, FrankFrank Robinson† 586 01971-09-13September 13, 1971 Baltimore Orioles 1956–1976 [18]
Thome, JimJim Thome* 584 02007-09-16September 16, 2007 Chicago White Sox 1991– [5][19]
McGwire, MarkMark McGwire 583 01999-08-05August 5, 1999 St. Louis Cardinals 1986–2001 [20]
Killebrew, HarmonHarmon Killebrew† 573 01971-08-10August 10, 1971 Minnesota Twins 1954–1975 [21]
Palmeiro, RafaelRafael Palmeiro 569 02003-05-11May 11, 2003 Texas Rangers 1986–2005 [22]
Jackson, ReggieReggie Jackson† 563 01984-09-17September 17, 1984 California Angels 1967–1987 [23]
Ramirez, MannyManny Ramirez* 554 02008-05-31May 31, 2008 Boston Red Sox 1993– [24][25]
Schmidt, MikeMike Schmidt† 548 01987-04-18April 18, 1987 Philadelphia Phillies 1972–1989 [26]
Mantle, MickeyMickey Mantle† 536 01967-05-14May 14, 1967 New York Yankees 1951–1968 [27]
Foxx, JimmieJimmie Foxx† 534 01940-09-24September 24, 1940 Boston Red Sox 1925–1942
1944–45		 [28]
Williams, TedTed Williams† 521 01960-06-17June 17, 1960 Boston Red Sox 1939–1942
1946–1960		 [29]
McCovey, WillieWillie McCovey† 521 01978-06-30June 30, 1978 San Francisco Giants 1959–1980 [30]
Thomas, FrankFrank Thomas 521 02007-06-28June 28, 2007 Toronto Blue Jays 1990–2008 [31][32]
Mathews, EddieEddie Mathews† 512[a] 01967-07-14July 14, 1967 Houston Astros 1952–1968 [33]
Banks, ErnieErnie Banks† 512 01970-05-12May 12, 1970 Chicago Cubs 1953–1971 [34]
Ott, MelMel Ott† 511 01945-08-01August 1, 1945 New York Giants 1926–1947 [35]
Sheffield, GaryGary Sheffield* 509 02009-04-17April 17, 2009 New York Mets 1988– [3][36]
Murray, EddieEddie Murray† 504 01996-09-06September 6, 1996 Baltimore Orioles 1977–1997 [37]

Footnote

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Progressive Leaders & Records for Home Runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/HR_progress.shtml. Retrieved July 4, 2010. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Passan, Jeff (April 18, 2009). "500 home run club losing its cachet". Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo!. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-sheffield500th041809. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ghiroli, Brittany (April 18, 2009). "Sheffield joins elite club with No. 500". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090417&content_id=4316960. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hoch, Bryan (August 4, 2007). "A-Rod belts historic 500th homer". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070804&content_id=2129099&vkey=news_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Curry, Jack (April 27, 2008). "500 Home Runs, Zero Certainty for Thome". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/sports/baseball/27thome.html?_r=1. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  6. ↑ 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). http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/ml/article994088.ece. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Swartz, Cody (April 19, 2009). "Why 500 Home Runs No Longer Guarantees Admission to the Hall of Fame". Bleacher Report. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/158683-why-500-home-runs-no-longer-guarantees-admission-to-the-hall-of-fame. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  8. ↑ "Rules for Election". National Baseball Hall of Fame. http://baseballhall.org/hall-famers/rules-election/bbwaa. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  9. ↑ "Bonds says Rose, McGwire belong in Hall of Fame". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 18, 2007. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2734799. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  10. ↑ "McGwire denied Hall; Gwynn, Ripken get in". NBC Sports. Associated Press. January 10, 2007. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/16541906/. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  11. ↑ "Barry Bonds Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bondsba01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  12. ↑ "Hank Aaron Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/aaronha01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  13. ↑ "Babe Ruth Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ruthba01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  14. ↑ "Willie Mays Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mayswi01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  15. ↑ "Ken Griffey Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/griffke02.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  16. ↑ "Sammy Sosa Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sosasa01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  17. ↑ "Alex Rodriguez Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodrial01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  18. ↑ "Alex Rodriguez Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/robinfr02.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  19. ↑ "Jim Thome Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/thomeji01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  20. ↑ "Mark McGwire Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcgwima01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  21. ↑ "Harmon Killebrew Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/killeha01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  22. ↑ "Rafael Palmeiro Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/palmera01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  23. ↑ "Reggie Jackson Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jacksre01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  24. ↑ "Manny Ramirez Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ramirma02.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  25. ↑ Browne, Ian (June 1, 2008). "Manny cements his place in history". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080531&content_id=2810427&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  26. ↑ "Mike Schmidt Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schmimi01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  27. ↑ "Mickey Mantle Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mantlmi01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  28. ↑ "Jimmie Foxx Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/foxxji01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  29. ↑ "Ted Williams Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/willite01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  30. ↑ "Willie McCovey Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mccovwi01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  31. ↑ "Frank Thomas Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/thomafr04.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  32. ↑ Kieser, Joe (June 28, 2007). "Thomas launches No. 500 at Metrodome". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090417&content_id=4316960. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 "Eddie Mathews Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/matheed01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  34. ↑ "Ernie Banks Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bankser01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  35. ↑ "Mel Ott Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ottme01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  36. ↑ "Gary Sheffield Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sheffga01.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  37. ↑ "Eddie Murray Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/murraed02.shtml. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
  38. ↑ "Historical Player Stats". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/historical/individual_stats_player.jsp?playerID=118416. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
500 home run club
Barry Bonds · Hank Aaron · Babe Ruth · Willie Mays · Ken Griffey, Jr. · Alex Rodriguez · Sammy Sosa · Jim Thome · Frank Robinson · Mark McGwire · Harmon Killebrew · Rafael Palmeiro · Reggie Jackson · Manny Ramirez · Mike Schmidt · Mickey Mantle · Jimmie Foxx · Willie McCovey · Frank Thomas · Ted Williams · Ernie Banks · Eddie Mathews · Mel Ott · Gary Sheffield · Eddie Murray
Italics denotes active player
Major League Baseball records
Baseball statistics (types of records)
General

MLB record holders • MLB single-game records • MLB single-season records • MLB career records • MLB record breakers by season
Batting leaders
(career)

Batting average (.330+) • On-base% (.400+) • Slugging% (.500+) • On-base plus slugging (.900+) • 3,000 hit club • Hits (2000+) • Doubles (400+) • Triples (100+) • Home runs (career) • Home runs (top 500) • 500 home run club • RBIs (1000+) • Total bases (4000+) • Walks drawn (top 100) • Hit records • Home run records • Doubles records • Triples records • RBI records
Batting leaders
(single season)

Triples (20+) • Home runs (by year) • RBI (by year) • Batting average (by year)
Baserunning leaders
(career)

Runs (1000+) • Stolen bases • Stolen base records • Runs records
Baserunning leaders
(single season)

Stolen bases (by year)
Pitching leaders
(career)

Wins • 300 win club • Games started • Games finished • Strikeouts (top 100) • 3000 strikeout club • Saves • Shutouts • ERA (top 200) • WHIP (top 100) • 300 wins–3000 strikeouts club • Walks allowed (top 100) • Hit batsmen (top 100) • Wins records
Pitching leaders
(single season)

Wins (by year) • Saves (by year) • Shutouts (by year) • Strikeouts (by year) • Earned run average (by year)
Single-game records

Four home runs • Hitting for the cycle • No-hitter • Perfect game • Strikeouts • Unassisted triple play
Multiple stat clubs

Triple Crown • 3000–500 club • 3000–300 club • 20–20–20 club • 30–30 club • 40–40 club • 300-300 club • 50 stolen bases and 50 doubles • 50 home runs and 50 doubles