Anderson Joins Select Group
Brady Anderson hit his 50th home run Sunday, joining Mark McGwire in the 50-homer club this season and making it only the fourth time that two players have hit 50 homers in a season.
Anderson hit a 2-2 pitch from Pat Hentgen into the right-field seats. The homer was his 12th this season leading off a game, breaking the major-league record set by Bobby Bonds in 1973.
Hank Greenberg (58 homers) and Jimmy Foxx (50) both reached the 50-homer plateau in 1938; Ralph Kiner (51) and Johnny Mize (51) did it in 1947; and Roger Maris (61) and Mickey Mantle (54) performed the feat in 1961.
Anderson became the 14th player to hit at least 50 homers, and those 14 played have combined to do it a total 21 times. Babe Ruth did it four times, and Foxx, Kiner and Mantle did it twice each.
MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: FIFTY HOMERS IN ONE SEASON 61 - Roger Maris, N.Y. Yankees, 1961 60 - Babe Ruth, N.Y. Yankees, 1927 59 - Babe Ruth, N.Y. Yankees, 1921 58 - Jimmie Foxx, Philadelphia Athletics, 1932 58 - Hank Greenberg, Detroit Tigers, 1938 56 - Hack Wilson, Chicago Cubs, 1930 54 - Babe Ruth, N.Y. Yankees, 1920 54 - Babe Ruth, N.Y. Yankees, 1928 54 - Ralph Kiner, Pittsburgh Pirates, 1949 54 - Mickey Mantle, N.Y. Yankees, 1961 52 - Mickey Mantle, N.Y. Yankees, 1956 52 - Mark McGwire, Oakland Athletics, 1996 52 - Willie Mays, San Francisco Giants, 1965 52 - George Foster, Cincinnati Reds, 1977 51 - Ralph Kiner, Pittsburgh Pirates, 1947 51 - Johnny Mize, N.Y. Giants, 1947 51 - Willie Mays, N.Y. Giants, 1955 51 - Cecil Fielder, Detroit Tigers, 1990 50 - Jimmie Foxx, Boston Red Sox, 1938 50 - Brady Anderson, Baltimore Orioles, 1996 50 - Albert Belle, Cleveland Indians, 1995