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| Jerry Milani |
August 6 - 755, 500, 300 Not Alone in Historic Marks
Though the marks of 755 and 500 home runs achieved by Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez,
respectively, and 300 wins by Tom Glavine, all recorded in a two-day span, received the most
attention, several lesser-known mile markers were also reached recently, of which most fans were
blissfully unaware.
As I write this, I’m watching ‘Up for Grabs,’ the well-done documentary about Barry Bonds’ 73rd home
run of the 2001 season, and the craziness that followed. I guess I’ve never understood the
memorabilia craze; I get that it’s cool to have a piece of history, but to the point that a baseball or a
jersey or a bat would be worth so much more simply because it was used in achieving the 755th or
500th or 73rd seems out of perspective, especially when it took each of the previous 754, 499 or 72 to
achieve the last.
I like that we celebrate milestones. It lets us revisit achievements that have developed over time, that
bring attention to the original recordholders and others who have achieved similar feats. The
numbers themselves don’t mean as much: how many 400-foot Joe DiMaggio blasts that would have
been home runs in many other parks ended up as doubles or outs in Death Valley in Yankee
Stadium? How many of Babe Ruth’s shots that left the park fair but hooked foul – home runs under
today’s rules – would have changed his career total? What if Willie Mays played in hitter-friendly
Atlanta Fulton County Stadium instead of wind-swirled Candlestick? The numbers would indeed be
different. And that doesn’t even consider illegal performance-enhancing substances.
We celebrate what’s in the Baseball Encyclopedia or on BaseballReference.com or Retrosheet. But
there are some numbers that will never make any of those databases. Among the notable
milestones recently achieved are as follows:
--Just a couple of weeks ago, the 1,000,000,000th fan under 12 couldn't stay up into the third inning of
the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, further eroding his interest in the sport. The X-Games,
Mixed Martial Arts and even the NFL all know better.
--This was followed a mere week later by the 500,000th time that guy who just made the great play in
the field led off the next inning. Or so it seems…
--Then came the 1,000,000,000th fan to yell, “balk” when the pitcher does the “fake-to-third-throw-to-
first” move. The next time that move works will be the first.
--Just last Friday (with me as a witness) came the 1,000,000th lame excuse heard by the security
guard that patrols the line at Yankee Stadium's Monument Park as to why he should be allowed on
even though the line is closed. A fan from either Maine or California, wherever he claimed to have
driven all night from just to rub Babe Ruth's bronze head, gets the honor.
--Several minutes later, the 1,000,000th fan to ask if Ruth is buried below his monument made that
morbid query. Fortunately, the friend who attended with me – from Iowa and making her first trip the
Stadium -- never considered the possibility, thus avoiding becoming the one million and first…
--That same night, by chance, I experienced the 1000th inning I've missed by getting on the only
concession line that just wouldn’t move. My reward: a lukewarm Diet Coke and an unseen two-run
rally.
--Later that game came the 75,000th showing of the “blooper” of Tommy Lasorda, coaching third
base for the N.L. All-Stars, going butt-over-tea-kettle as a thrown bat careened towards him.
--Just one day later, also at Yankee Stadium, came the 1,000th fly ball to the outfield that Yankees
radio announcer John Sterling thought was a home run when it left the bat. (This was inexplicably
followed the next afternoon by an uncharacteristically low-key call of Rodriguez’ 500th.)
--I then put on ESPN Radio (mistake No. 1), and luckily was able to listen in on the 1000th time the
Devil Rays’ and Mets’ Scott-Kazmir-for-Victor-Zambrano deal has been brought up in discussion of
worst deadline trades. Mets fans apparently love such self-flagellation.
--I later learned (not from the Worldwide Leader) about the 10,000,000th fan to shut off ESPN when
that 'Who's Now?' segment came on. Please, please make it go away.
--Then I read the 50,000th story to talk about 755 and 714 and all the other historic home run
numbers and never mention the 800-plus homers that Josh Gibson may or may not have hit against
the best competition he was allowed to go against more than sixty years ago. There are no credible
totals, but Gibson at least belongs in the discussion.
--Fortunately, the weekend was capped off by the 2000th game I've been to in which I saw something
I’d never seen before, courtesy of a bases-loaded, automatic double that caromed off the pitcher’s leg
and back over the Yankees dugout. Stuff like that brings me back for 2000 more…
Though the marks of 755 and 500 home runs achieved by Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez,
respectively, and 300 wins by Tom Glavine, all recorded in a two-day span, received the most
attention, several lesser-known mile markers were also reached recently, of which most fans were
blissfully unaware.
As I write this, I’m watching ‘Up for Grabs,’ the well-done documentary about Barry Bonds’ 73rd home
run of the 2001 season, and the craziness that followed. I guess I’ve never understood the
memorabilia craze; I get that it’s cool to have a piece of history, but to the point that a baseball or a
jersey or a bat would be worth so much more simply because it was used in achieving the 755th or
500th or 73rd seems out of perspective, especially when it took each of the previous 754, 499 or 72 to
achieve the last.
I like that we celebrate milestones. It lets us revisit achievements that have developed over time, that
bring attention to the original recordholders and others who have achieved similar feats. The
numbers themselves don’t mean as much: how many 400-foot Joe DiMaggio blasts that would have
been home runs in many other parks ended up as doubles or outs in Death Valley in Yankee
Stadium? How many of Babe Ruth’s shots that left the park fair but hooked foul – home runs under
today’s rules – would have changed his career total? What if Willie Mays played in hitter-friendly
Atlanta Fulton County Stadium instead of wind-swirled Candlestick? The numbers would indeed be
different. And that doesn’t even consider illegal performance-enhancing substances.
We celebrate what’s in the Baseball Encyclopedia or on BaseballReference.com or Retrosheet. But
there are some numbers that will never make any of those databases. Among the notable
milestones recently achieved are as follows:
--Just a couple of weeks ago, the 1,000,000,000th fan under 12 couldn't stay up into the third inning of
the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, further eroding his interest in the sport. The X-Games,
Mixed Martial Arts and even the NFL all know better.
--This was followed a mere week later by the 500,000th time that guy who just made the great play in
the field led off the next inning. Or so it seems…
--Then came the 1,000,000,000th fan to yell, “balk” when the pitcher does the “fake-to-third-throw-to-
first” move. The next time that move works will be the first.
--Just last Friday (with me as a witness) came the 1,000,000th lame excuse heard by the security
guard that patrols the line at Yankee Stadium's Monument Park as to why he should be allowed on
even though the line is closed. A fan from either Maine or California, wherever he claimed to have
driven all night from just to rub Babe Ruth's bronze head, gets the honor.
--Several minutes later, the 1,000,000th fan to ask if Ruth is buried below his monument made that
morbid query. Fortunately, the friend who attended with me – from Iowa and making her first trip the
Stadium -- never considered the possibility, thus avoiding becoming the one million and first…
--That same night, by chance, I experienced the 1000th inning I've missed by getting on the only
concession line that just wouldn’t move. My reward: a lukewarm Diet Coke and an unseen two-run
rally.
--Later that game came the 75,000th showing of the “blooper” of Tommy Lasorda, coaching third
base for the N.L. All-Stars, going butt-over-tea-kettle as a thrown bat careened towards him.
--Just one day later, also at Yankee Stadium, came the 1,000th fly ball to the outfield that Yankees
radio announcer John Sterling thought was a home run when it left the bat. (This was inexplicably
followed the next afternoon by an uncharacteristically low-key call of Rodriguez’ 500th.)
--I then put on ESPN Radio (mistake No. 1), and luckily was able to listen in on the 1000th time the
Devil Rays’ and Mets’ Scott-Kazmir-for-Victor-Zambrano deal has been brought up in discussion of
worst deadline trades. Mets fans apparently love such self-flagellation.
--I later learned (not from the Worldwide Leader) about the 10,000,000th fan to shut off ESPN when
that 'Who's Now?' segment came on. Please, please make it go away.
--Then I read the 50,000th story to talk about 755 and 714 and all the other historic home run
numbers and never mention the 800-plus homers that Josh Gibson may or may not have hit against
the best competition he was allowed to go against more than sixty years ago. There are no credible
totals, but Gibson at least belongs in the discussion.
--Fortunately, the weekend was capped off by the 2000th game I've been to in which I saw something
I’d never seen before, courtesy of a bases-loaded, automatic double that caromed off the pitcher’s leg
and back over the Yankees dugout. Stuff like that brings me back for 2000 more…
