Stepping Up To The Plate: These Players Did

Baseball is America’s pastime. It brings out the boys of summer. While it has had its ups and downs, it has never left us. It is part of the cultural heritage, like a brother that sometimes is the hero, sometimes the villain, often embraced, sometimes annoying but never ever turned away. Our kids take baseball instruction and baseball hitting drills. We are devoted. Throughout During baseballs short history there have been plenty of notable events. Here is a quick accounting of a few of those moments brought to you by the people at the plate.

It was February 2 in 1876, when eight teams became the first members of the National Baseball league. The inaugural National League game took place on April 1st, 1876. Boston faced Philadelphia and triumphed. On February 2, 1900 the American league was born. It was comprised of of six teams. These teams were Boston, Baltimore, Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Chicago. In April of 1923 the Bambino, Babe Ruth, knocks the ball out of the park for his first homerun. That hit was the first homerun in Yankee Stadium. Eight years later on August 21st of 1931 Babe Ruth hits his 600th homerun.

On May 15th, 1941 the astonishing streak of Joe DiMaggio starts. He get on base with a hit in 56 consecutive outings. In September of that same year the batting average record would be established by Ted Williams with a remarkable percentage of .406, making him the only batter to ever hit over .400 for a season. In 1961 Roger Maris knocks 61 pitches out of the park establishing a “most home runs in a season” record that others would chase. Mark McGwire punches 62 during the ‘98 season. Sammy Sosa hits his 61st and 62nd home run five days later in September. Barry Bonds claims the title with 73 home runs in 2001.

In 1974, on April 8th, Hank Aaron slams a ball over the fence and hits his 715th home run, overcoming the Bambinos record and moving into the front position on the list of career homeruns. He will have 755 before he lays down his bat in 1976. A year latter, a ball drops across the wall coming off of the bat of Sadaharu Oh across the Pacific Ocean in Japan. Sadaharu Oh has claimed his 756th homerun. Mr. October, Reggie Jackson comes to the plate 3 times on October 8th, 1977 and claims three homers. He hits them on three consecutive pitches and takes the Yankees to their 21st world series championship.

On September 11th 1985, Mr. Hustle, Pete Rose hits his 4,192 hit besting Ty Cobb. In four years Mr. Hustle would be banned from baseball for his gambling offenses. He ended his career with 4,256 hits. These are all athletes that knew how to swing a bat. There are many other famous players that were brilliant at the plate and great in the grass. Shoeless Joe Jackson, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Duke Snider, Roberto Clemente and an army of others brought excitement to the game of Baseball. While the 50’s and 60′a may have been the golden years of baseball, it is still dear to America’s heart. Basketball, football and NASCAR may have grabbed some of the spotlight, but nothing will ever touch these great moments in baseball history.

Connor R. Sullivan ordered copies of DVDs focusing on baseball hitting drills to help some of the junior the kids on his baseball team. He believes that the baseball instruction will really help improve their game.