There are several important dates in the history of Major League Baseball.
April 15 is Jackie Robinson Day, when everybody wears No. 42 to commemorate the anniversary of Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball.
But there are other dates that are very important in the history of baseball.
Today, July 13, marks the 88th anniversary of the day that Babe Ruth became the first player in Major League history to reach the 700-home run mark.
ESPN tweeted a graphic featuring Ruth in a New York Yankees uniform and commemorating the date in which he became the first player in baseball history to hit 700 home runs, paving the way for several others to reach the mark.
88 years ago today, Babe Ruth became the first player in MLB history to hit 700 home runs ⚾️
What a milestone 📚 pic.twitter.com/poFqJIb0h6
— ESPN (@espn) July 13, 2022
Celebrating Babe Ruth
Obviously, Hank Aaron ended up breaking the record, but Ruth certainly was the pioneer for such an accomplishment.
He, like Shohei Ohtani today, had a career in which he was both a pitcher and a hitter.
By 1934 of course, he had given up pitching and had gone on to become a hitter exclusively, but he still had quite an impressive Major League career.
He paved the way for so many others that came after him and was one of the best that ever did it.
This is the man that called his shot in the 1932 World Series.
He was the first player to hit three home runs in a World Series game.
And he was also the first player to hit 700 home runs.
The only active player that is anywhere close to 700 career home runs right now is Albert Pujols.
While he might get there, it’s still important to remember the lasting impact Ruth had on the game of baseball and how he was really a pioneer for what the game is today.
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