The Home Run (Continued)

Milestone Home Runs

National Association of Base Ball Players

July 16, 1866:

Lipman Pike, Athletic Club of Philadelphia, hits six homeruns (five in a row) against the Alert Club of Philadelphia. The Athletics win 67-25.

July 17, 1867:

George Wright hits five homeruns for the National of Washington Club during their famous western tour against a team from Louisville, Kentucky.

July 21, 1867:

Third baseman George Fox hits two homeruns in a 28-run second inning as the National of Washington Club beat the Union Club of St. Louis 113-26, during the Nationals western tour.

September 2, 1867

The Cincinnati Club, later known as the Red Stockings, beats up on the Holt Club of Newport, KY, 109-15. Shortstop John C. Howe and pitcher Harry Wright of Cincinnati each hit 7 home runs.

September 6, 1869:

Joe Start of the Brooklyn Atlantics hits four home runs in a 45-25 win over the Brooklyn Eckfords at the Capitoline Grounds. Start, who hit for the cycle, also had a single, double and triple, totaling 22 bases.

National Association of Professional Base Ball Players

May 8, 1871:

Cleveland's third baseman Ezra Sutton, who batted cross-handed, hits the first two home runs in National Association history.

National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs

July 21, 1876:

First Baseman Joe Start of the New York Mutuals amasses 15 total bases against the Philadelphia Pearls hitting three home runs and one triple.

July 26, 1879:

Syracuse Stars pitcher Harry McCormick hits a home run in the first inning and then proceeds to beat the Boston Red Caps and pitcher Tommy Bond 1-0. This will be the only time in major league history that a pitcher wins his own 1-0 game with a first inning home run.

June 10, 1880:

Boston Red Caps' Charley Jones hits two home runs in one inning, becoming the first National League player to accomplish this feat. Both home runs come against Buffalo Bisons pitcher Tom Poorman in the eighth inning of a 19-3 rout.

September 10, 1881:

First baseman Roger Conner of the Troy Trojans hits the first grand slam in National League history. The blow comes off Worcester Ruby Legs' Lee Richmond with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and clinches the victory, 8-7.

May 30, 1884:

In the second game of a doubleheader between the Chicago White Stockings and the Detroit Wolverines, White Stockings third baseman Ned Williamson becomes the first player to hit three home runs in a National League game. The White Stockings win 12-2. The three home runs hit are the first three of the season and help set the single season mark at 27 (25 at home). The record would stand until Babe Ruth hit 29 home runs in 1919.

October 24, 1884:

During the first "World Series" in 1884, played at the Polo Grounds in New York, Providence Grays third baseman Jerry Denny hits the first home run in post-season play. The three-run home run came in the fifth inning off of New York Metropolitans pitcher Tim Keefe and was hit over the center field fence. Providence would win game two, which due to darkness was only seven innings, 3-1.

"World Series" October 19, 1886:

In game two of the "World Series," between the St Louis Browns (American Association) and the Chicago White Stockings (National League), Browns left fielder James "Tip" O'Neill hits two inside-the-park home runs to become the first player with two round-trippers in championship play. The Browns won 12-0. This game also featured three umpires for the first time; "Honest" John Kelly, John McQuaid and Joe Quest.

American Association of Base Ball Clubs

August 15, 1886:

Louisville Colonels pitcher Guy Hecker hit three home runs in the second of two games played against the Baltimore Orioles in Louisville at Eclipse Park. Hecker walked four and struck out four in the 22-5 win and also scored seven times. No other American Association player would hit three home runs in one game or score seven times in one game during the AA's 10-year existence. In 1886, Hecker would become the only pitcher to lead the league in batting average as he ended the season hitting .341, .001 points higher than teammate Pete Browning.

October 9, 1889:

Substitute Charlie Reilly of the Columbus Solons becomes the first in professional base ball history to hit two home runs in his major league debut in a 10-6 win against the Philadelphia Athletics.

Players' National League of Base Ball Clubs

May 31, 1890:

New York Giants players George Gore, Buck Ewing and Roger Conner hit consecutive homers in the eighth inning against the Chicago Pirates. This feat will not be matched until May 10, 1894.

National League and American Association of Base Ball Clubs

May 24, 1892:

Brooklyn Bridegrooms utility player Tom Daley hits the first pinch-hit home run in professional base ball history.

May 30, 1894:

Boston Beaneaters second baseman Bobby Lowe homers in four consecutive at bats, including two in the third inning, to help beat the Cincinnati Reds 20-11 in the second game of a doubleheader. Lowe becomes the first professional player to hit four home runs in a single game.

April 21, 1898:

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Bill Duggleby becomes the first player to ever hit a bases-full home run in his first major league at bat. The blow came off of New York Giants pitcher Cy Seymour in the second inning. No professional player will hit a grand slam in their first game until Bobby Bonds in 1968.

19th century baseball expert, author and historian David Nemec graciously contributed to this article.

The Field Continued