The Last of Their Kind at Yankee Stadium

Yankee Stadium, as we all know, closed on Sunday. Of all the historical things to have happened there, here are the last of their kinds to have happened at the Stadium. Some happened on Sunday, some happened days, weeks, and years earlier. Take a look at the statistics that will stand forever:

• Last Out: Brian Roberts (Orioles-9/21/08, ground out to first baseman Cody Ransom)
• Last Hit: Jason Giambi (9/21/08, a single)
• Last RBI: Robinson Cano (9/21/08, sacrifice fly)
• Last Home Run: Jose Molina (9/21/08)
• Last Run: Brett Gardner (9/21/08)
• Last Double: Kevin Millar (Orioles-9/21/08)
• Last Triple: Adam Jones (Orioles-9/21/08)
• Last Grand Slam: Alex Rodriguez (9/14/08)
• Last Walk: Johnny Damon (9/21/08)
• Last Stolen Base: Bobby Abreu (9/21/08)
• Last Win: Andy Pettitte (9/21/08)
• Last Loss: Chris Waters (Orioles-9/21/08)
• Last Save: Mariano Rivera (9/19/08)
• Last Pitch: Mariano Rivera (9/21/08)
• Last Strikeout: Aubrey Huff (Orioles-9/21/08)
• Last Pitched Strikeout: Joba Chamberlain (9/21/08)
• Last Error: Brandon Fahey (Orioles-9/21/08)
• Last Shutout: Jon Lester (Red Sox-7/3/08)
• Last Inside the Park Home Run: Chris Duffy (Pirates-6/8/07)
• Last Pinch Hitter: Ivan Rodriguez (9/21/08, for Hideki Matsui)
• Last Ground Ball hit into Doubleplay: Jason Giambi (9/21/08)
• Last Extra-Inning Game: Yankees-3, Royals-2 (8/16/08, 13 innings)
• Last Ejection: Edwar Ramirez (7/30/08)
• Last Cycle: Tony Fernandez (9/3/95)
• Last No-Hitter: Roy Oswalt, Peter Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel, Billy Wagner (Astros-6/11/03, 6 pitchers combined to no-hit Yankees)

The history of Yankee Stadium will never change. These names and feats will always stay the same. These players will always be a part of the history of this glorious place.

Chicks Dig the Long Ball

Okay, I'll admit it. While I love the game of baseball, I am partial to the home run. There is just something about it that drives me wild. It changes the outcome of a game. It makes history. It is arguably the biggest stat celebrated. I love a good, old fashioned game of baseball, where base hits score the runs. However, I love to see a ball fly out over the centerfield wall, some 400 feet away. I hate the home run when it's against my team, but it's still something special to watch. Here are some of the big home run hitters this year, and guys that all the chicks can dig:

Carlos Quentin (36 HR's)

Grady Sizemore (32 HR's; 110 career HR's in 4 MLB seasons)

Ryan Braun (35 HR's; 69 HR's in 2 MLB seasons)

Evan Longoria (22 HR's; Rays rookie record)

Josh Hamilton (31 HR's)

Chase Utley (31 HR's)

David Wright (31 HR's)

Alex Rodriguez (34 HR's; 552 career, 12th place on all-time list)

Nate McLouth (26 HR's)

Matt Holliday (25 HR's; 128 HR's in 4 MLB seasons)

Mark Teixeira (30 HR's; 200 HR's in 5 MLB seasons)

The History of the Home Run

Last night, Gary Sheffield hit a 2nd inning home run off of Gio Gonzalez of the Oakland A's. Why is this significant? Not because it was a grand slam. Not because it was the 496th home run of his career. The home run that he hit was the 250,000th home run hit in major league history. In the illustrious history of baseball, Sheffield hit a milestone 132 years in the making. Here is a look at other historic, monumental, and memorable home runs that helped make this milestone possible:

• May 2, 1876: Ross Barnes of the Chicago White Stockings hits the first home run in major league history off of Cherokee Fisher of Cincinnati.


• June 17, 1879: Charley Jones of the Boston Red Caps hits the 100th home run in major league history.


• July 4, 1884: Ned Williamson of the Chicago White Stockings hits home run #1,000.


• September 5, 1903: Joe Tinker of the Chicago Cubs hits the 10,000th home run in major league history.


• April 18, 1923: Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees hits the first home run in Yankee Stadium against the Boston Red Sox.


• May 3, 1924: Wally Pipp of the New York Yankees records the 20,000th home run in the majors.


• September 20, 1927: Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees hits his 60th home run of the season, a new single season record.


• September 3, 1932: Debs Garms of the St. Louis Browns hits his first ever home run, the 30,000th home run ever recorded.


• May 25, 1935: Babe Ruth hits the 714th and final home run of his career. With that, he becomes the all-time home run leader.


• June 1, 1940: George McQuinn of the St. Louis Browns hits home run #40,000.


• June 30, 1948: Johnny Mize of the New York Giants reaches a major milestone in hitting the 50,000th home run in major league history.


• August 31, 1953: Larry Doby of the Cleveland Indians hits home run #60,000.


• July 1, 1958: Bob Boyd of the Baltimore Orioles hits the 70,000th home run ever.


• September 10, 1960: Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees hits a "tape measure" home run. The ball was estimated to have traveled 565 feet, clearing the roof of Tiger Stadium.


• October 13, 1960: In Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski hit a walkoff home run to win the Series for the Pirates, defeating the New York Yankees.


• October 1, 1961: Roger Maris of the New York Yankees hit his 61st home run of the season, setting a new single season record, eclipsing Babe Ruth's 34-year old record of 60 home runs in a season.


• July 14, 1962: Eddie Bressoud of the Boston Red Sox hit the 80,000th home run in major league history.


• May 22, 1966: Ron Swoboda of the New York Mets hits home run #90,000.


• April 30, 1970: Hal King of the Atlanta Braves hits the 100,000th home run in major league history.


• July 7, 1973: Buddy Bradford of the Chicago White Sox hits home run #110,000.


• April 8, 1974: Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hit the 715th home run of his career, passing Babe Ruth to become the all-time home run leader.


• July 20, 1976: Hank Aaron, now of the Milwaukee Brewers, hit his 755th and final home run. He ended his career as the all-time home run king.


• May 24, 1977: Barry Foote of the Montreal Expos hit the 120,000th home run ever.


• May 30, 1980: Dick Davis of the Milwaukee Brewers hits the 130,000th home run in major league history.


• August 25, 1983: Reid Nichols of the Boston Red Sox hits the 140,000th home run in major league history.


• July 15, 1985: Dave Parker of the Cincinnati Reds wins the first ever home run derby. Carlton Fisk, Eddie Murray, and Ryne Sandberg were among other participants.


• August 3, 1986: John Russell of the Philadelphia Phillies hits home run #150,000 in major league history.


• October 15, 1988: In the first game of the 1988 World Series, injured NL MVP Kirk Gibson of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was a surprise pinch-hitter in the 9th inning of Game 1. With two out and one man on, Gibson fell behind in the count 0-2. After working the count to 3-2, Gibson hit the game-winning home run, pumping his fists as he ran the bases. It was the only at bat of the series for Gibson.


• June 4, 1989: Dwayne Murphy of the Philadelphia Phillies hits home run #160,000.


• June 16, 1992: Ron Gant of the Atlanta Braves hits the 170,000th home run ever.


• October 23, 1993: In Game 6 of the 1993 World Series, Joe Carter of the Toronto Blue Jays came to the plate in the 9th inning. On a 2-2 count, Carter hit a three-run home run, a walkoff, to win the World Series for the Jays.


• May 28, 1995: Bernard Gilkey of the St. Louis Cardinals hits the major leagues 180,000th home run.


• October 9, 1996: During Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS, a young New York Yankees fan altered the game. Jeffrey Maier reached over the wall to nab a Derek Jeter fly ball. It was ruled a home run, but the Orioles complained that it was aided by the fan. The call was upheld, and the Yankees went on to win the series.


• June 14, 1997: Andres Galarraga of the Colorado Rockies hits the 190,000th home run in major league history.


• September 8, 1998: Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals hit his 62nd home run of the season. With that, he broke the single-season home run record, held for 37 years by Roger Maris.


• September 27, 1998: After breaking the single-season record, Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run of the season, establishing a new single-season record.


• June 12, 1999: Paul O'Neill of the New York Yankees makes history by hitting the 200,000th home run in major league history.


• April 29, 2001: Jermaine Dye of the Kansas City Royals hits home run #210,000.


• October 7, 2001: Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hit his 73rd home run of the season, establishing a new single-season record, breaking the 3-year old record set by Mark McGwire.


• April 12, 2003: Doug Mientkiewicz of the Minnesota Twins hits the 220,000th home run in major league history.


• October 16, 2003: At the start of the 11th inning in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, Aaron Boone hit a walkoff home run to help the New York Yankees win the series. They defeated the Boston Red Sox, prolonging their curse for another year.


• September 23, 2004: Gerald Williams of the New York Mets hits the 230,000th home run in major league history.


• September 8, 2006: David Newhan of the Baltimore Orioles hits home run #240,000.


• August 4, 2007: Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants tied the all-time home run record, hitting his 755th home run. On the same day, Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees hit his 500th home run, becoming the youngest player to accomplish that feat.



• August 7, 2007: Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hit his 756th career home run off of Mike Bacsik of the Washington Nationals. With that shot, Bonds became the all-time home run leader, surpassing Hank Aaron.


• September 3, 2008: In the 9th inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees hit a fly ball that flew right over the top of the foul line, and was called a home run. With enough complaints by the Rays, the umpires decided to review the call. Instant replay was used for the first time ever in major league history. The call was upheld, and the Yankees won the game.


• September 8, 2008: Exactly two years to the day that home run #240,000 was hit, Gary Sheffield of the Detroit Tigers accomplished a major feat in hitting the 250,000th home run in major league history.



The home run is a play that has always astounded fans. In the long history of baseball, 250,000 have been hit. A wide range of players have hit them, and there are many memorable home run moments. Its been 9 years since #200,000 was hit. Will we wait another 9 years for #300,000? Home run numbers are down, but there are still plenty of home runs hit on a daily basis. With a new era of home run hitters, we can look forward to many more historical and memorable home runs.