From This Week in 1960s Baseball …
(September 22, 1969) Today Willie Mays reached a monumental career milestone when he hit home run number 600.
The National League’s all-time home run leader became the second player in major league history to reach the 600-homer mark. Babe Ruth sat atop the list with 714 career home runs.
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| Willie Mays |
The Mays home run came in the seventh inning of a game tied 2-2 between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres. Batting against Padres starter Mike Corkins, Giants second baseman Ron Hunt singled to lead off the inning. Mays entered the game as a pinch-hitter for George Foster. His 2-run homer was enough for the Giants to win the game 4-2, with Corkins (1-3) taking the loss.
The winning pitcher was Don McMahon (6-6), who allowed one run on 4 hits in 4 innings of relief work.
The Giants scored first in the game. Hal Lanier opened the third inning with a walk, and advanced to third base on 2 ground outs. Lanier scored the game’s first run when Hunt singled. Then Jim Ray Hart singled to drive in the Giants’ second run.
The Padres scored one run in both the third and sixth innings on an RBI single from Ollie Brown and a Nate Colbert triple.
The 1969 season had been a struggle for Mays. After averaging 37 home runs and 105 RBIs in the 1960s, his power production in 1969 slipped to 13 home runs and 58 runs batted in. He would add 60 more home runs before retiring in 1973.
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