Tuffy Rhodes Three Home Runs On Opening Day

On April 4, 1994 Tuffy Rhodes of the Chicago Cubs became the first National Leaguer to hit three home runs on Opening Day.  He accomplished the task against New York Mets ace Dwight Gooden. Rhodes only hit 10 other home runs in his 590 career at-bats. Finishing his major league career with 13 home runs and 44 RBI.

Rhodes would enjoy a stellar career in Japanese baseball where he hit 464 home runs including tying Sadaharu Oh’s season record of 55 home runs (since broken by Wladimir Balentein in 2013 with 60). He also drove in 1269 runs.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Walk Off Bunts

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Ivan Rodriguez Defensive Highlights

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

2016 Carlos Correa Defensive Highlights

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

The Toy Cannon: Jimmy Wynn

The Toy Cannon hit this shot over the 58 foot scoreboard at Crosely Field with the ball bouncing onto Interstate 75.  It occurred in the 8th inning on June 10, 1967, only five days later he would become the first Houston Astro to hit three home runs in one game. He would go on to hit total 37 home runs with 107 RBI in 1967, losing the home run crown in the last few games of the season to Hank Aaron of the Braves, who would finish with 39.

Wynn's first two trips  to the major leagues were unremarkable. He hit only nine home runs and had 45 RBI total in his first 468 at-bats.  The Colt .45s stuck with their young power hitting outfielder, and in 1965 at only 23 years old, Wynn produced his break out season hitting 22 home runs with 73 RBI. He was no slouch on the bases swiping 43 that season in 47 attempts. His slash line for that season was .275/.371/.470.

Before the 1974 season the outfielder was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for pitcher Claude Osteen.  In his first season in LA, he 32 home runs with 108 RBI with a slash line of .271/.387/.497. Shoulder problems in the 1975 necessitated a move from centerfield to leftfield for Wynn. The Dodgers traded him to the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Dusty Baker after the 1975 season. Wynn would be make brief stops with the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers to finish his career.

In his career he would hit 20 or more home runs in eight seasons.  Three times he would hit thirty or more home runs. He was named as a National League all-star three times 1967, 1974 and 1975.  He would hit 291 home runs in his career with 964 RBI. Playing in the Astrodome no doubt suppressed his home run totals. I would have enjoyed seeing what damage he could at the current Astros home at Minute Maid Park with the short leftfield fence.  His #24 has been retired by the Houston Astros.

The Big Bopper: Lee May

Lee May left his mark on Major League baseball by hitting 20 or more home runs, and driving in 80 runs in 11 consecutive seasons.  During his streak he played for the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, and Baltimore Orioles.   In 1969, he would hit 38 home runs which was good for third in the National League, and he established a career high for home runs by blasting 39 in 1971. 

The Cincinnati Reds included May in a blockbuster trade to the Houston Astros. The Reds sent first baseman Lee May,  second baseman Tommy Helms, and utility player Jimmy Stewart. The Reds would obtain future Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan, outfielder Cesar Geronimo, and Jack Billingham.  The three players would become significant pieces on the Big Red Machine teams of the mid-70's. 

May continued produced the long ball despite playing in the Astrodome in Houston, one of the hardest places in Major League baseball to hit home runs. He had 29, 28, and 24 before being sent packing to the Baltimore Orioles.  In 1976, he led the American League in RBI with 109, to go with his 24 home runs.  In 1979, at age 36, his streak of 11 consecutive seasons with 20 plus home runs came to a close when he hit only 19. He would hit only 10 more over the course of the next three seasons, and finished his career with the Kansas City Royals.

Matt Cain's Perfect Game

June 13, 2012, Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants tosses a perfect game. It is the second of the season, and only the 22nd perfect game in Major League Baseball history. It is the first in Giants history, the Giant thump the Astros 10-0 in the game.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Jimmy Wynn's Tape Measure Shot At Crosley Field

On June 11, 1967. Jimmy "The Toy Cannon" Wynn crushes a tape measure shot at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. He would hit 37 home runs and drive 107 runs during the 67' season.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Sammy Launches Two Home Runs In One Inning

May 16, 1996. Sammy Sosa becomes the first Chicago Cub to hit two home runs in one inning. The feat was accomplished in the seventh inning against the Houston Astros in 13-1 Cubs romp. He leads of the inning with a home run off Jeff Tabaka, and later in the inning he would add a two-run shot off Jim Dougherty.

Sammy Sosa Hits His 400th Home Run

May 16, 2001. Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs hits his 400th career home run of Houston Astro righthander Shane Reynolds at Wrigley Field. The home run makes Sosa third on the Chicago Cubs all-time list, and the 33rd player in MLB history to hit 400 career home runs.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Butch Henry's Inside-The-Park Home Run

May 8, 1992. Houston Astro southpaw pitcher Butch Henry becomes the first player to have an inside-the-park home run as their first major league hit. Henry slashed a line drive off the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Doug Drabek. It would be the only home run of Henry's career.

Kerry Wood's Whiffs 20 Astros

May 6, 1998. Kerry Wood ties the major league strike out record by fanning 20 Houston Astros in a 2-0  one-hit victory. The 20 strikeouts is a new National League record with the previous being 19 by Steve Carlton and Tom Seaver.  He ties Roger Clemens with 20 strikeouts.

Don Wilson No Hits The Reds

May 1, 1969, Don Wilson no-hits the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field 4-0. Jim Maloney of the Reds had no-hit the Astros the day before, and the Reds had pounded Wilson the week before. The no-hitter is the second for the 24 year-old right-hander.

Baseball History: Mariners Acquire Randy Johnson

April 25, 1989, the Seattle Mariners trade their starter Mark Langston, and minor league player Mike Campbell to the Montreal Expos for Brian Holman, Gene Harris, and a lefty named Randy Johnson. Johnson would anchor the Mariners staff for the next ten seasons. He would finish with a 130-74 record with a 3.42 ERA in Seattle. He would be a ten time All-Star, win five Cy Young Awards, a World Series Most Valuable Player Award, pitched both a no-hitter and a perfect game. He also pitched for the New York Yankees, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, and San Francisco Giants. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.