In
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
, a
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
is credited to a
batter when he hits a
fair ball
In baseball, a fair ball is a batted ball that entitles the batter to attempt to reach first base. By contrast, a foul ball is a batted ball that does not entitle the batter to attempt to reach first base. Whether a batted ball is fair or foul ...
and reaches home
safely on the same play, without the benefit of an
error
An error (from the Latin ''error'', meaning "wandering") is an action which is inaccurate or incorrect. In some usages, an error is synonymous with a mistake. The etymology derives from the Latin term 'errare', meaning 'to stray'.
In statistics ...
. 133 players have hit a home run in their first
at bat of a
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) game to date, the most recent being
Josh Jung
Joshua Ryne Jung (born February 12, 1998) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and was drafted by the Rangers in the f ...
of the
Texas Rangers on September 9, 2022.
George Tebeau and
Mike Griffin
Mike may refer to:
Animals
* Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum
* Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off
* Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and docume ...
both hit home runs in their first at bats on April 16, 1887. Both players are recognized as the first player to homer in his first major league at bat because the exact time when each home run was hit is unclear.
Luke Stuart,
Walter Mueller
Walter John Mueller (December 6, 1894 – August 16, 1971) was a professional baseball player who played outfield in the Major Leagues, for the Pittsburgh Pirates, from 1922 to 1926. He is best known for becoming the first player to hit a ...
, and
Johnnie LeMaster
Johnnie Lee LeMaster (born June 19, 1954) is a former Major League Baseball infielder. He played for four teams over a 12 year (– and ) MLB career, including 10 seasons with the San Francisco Giants. He batted and threw right-handed.
Career
On ...
hit
inside-the-park home run
In baseball, an inside-the-park home run is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of the field of play. It is also known as an "inside-the-parker", "in-the-park home run", or "in-the-park homer".
Discussion
To score ...
s in their first at bats.
Bill Duggleby,
Jeremy Hermida,
Brandon Crawford,
Kevin Kouzmanoff
Kevin Kouzmanoff (born July 25, 1981) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies and Texas Rangers.
Ko ...
, and
Daniel Nava hit
grand slams; Kouzmanoff and Nava did so on the first pitch.
Ernie Koy
Ernest Anyz Koy (September 17, 1909 – January 1, 2007), nicknamed "Chief", was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball, who played for four National League teams from 1938 to 1942. He was born in Sealy, Texas and was of American ...
and
Heinie Mueller were the first players to accomplish the feat in the same game, doing so for the
Brooklyn Dodgers and
Philadelphia Phillies, respectively, in the first inning of
Opening Day in 1938.
This was equalled in 2016 by
Tyler Austin
Christopher Tyler Austin (born September 6, 1991) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, ...
and
Aaron Judge
Aaron James Judge (born April 26, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Judge was unanimously selected as the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year in 2017, and finishe ...
, who became the only players to achieve the feat as teammates (playing for the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
) and in back-to-back at bats.
[ Two players, ]Bob Nieman
Robert Charles Nieman (January 26, 1927 – March 10, 1985) was an American professional baseball player and scout. An outfielder, he spent all or parts of a dozen Major League Baseball seasons with the St. Louis Browns (1951–52), Detroit Tig ...
and Keith McDonald, each homered in their second at bat as well. Paul Gillespie
Paul Allen Gillespie (September 18, 1920 – August 11, 1970) was a Major League Baseball catcher for the Chicago Cubs in 1942, 1944, and 1945. A native of the Sugar Valley Community in Bartow County, Georgia, he stood and weighed 195 lbs.
...
and John Miller are the only players to hit home runs in both their first and last major league at bats; for Miller these were the only two home runs of his MLB career. For 23 players, their first at bat home run was the only home run of their major league careers. On the other hand, Gary Gaetti
Gary Joseph Gaetti (, ; born August 19, 1958), is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins (1981–1990), California Angels (1991–1993), Kansas City Royals (1993–1995), St. Louis Cardinals (1996–1998) ...
hit more home runs (360) than any other player to hit one in their first at bat.[
Of the 31 players eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame who have hit a home run in their first major league at bat, two – ]Earl Averill
Howard Earl Averill (May 21, 1902 – August 16, 1983) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a center fielder from 1929 to 1941, including 11 seasons for the Cleveland Indians. He was a six-ti ...
and Hoyt Wilhelm
James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002), nicknamed "Old Sarge", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, California Angel ...
– have been elected,[ neither of them on the first ballot. Players are eligible for the Hall of Fame if they have played in at least 10 MLB seasons, and have either been retired for five seasons or deceased for at least six months.] These requirements leave 19 players ineligible who are active, 1 player (Mike Napoli
Mike may refer to:
Animals
* Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum
* Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off
* Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and document ...
) ineligible who is living and has played in the past five seasons, and 75 players ineligible who did not play in 10 seasons.
Players
See also
*
Notes
References
General
*
*
*
*
*
Specific
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