MLB: The history books have another 4-HR name to add

1 of 9

Scooter Gennett was just the 17th player in MLB history to slug four home runs in a game Tuesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals.

When we think of four homer games in baseball, we tend to think of big, powerful sluggers that can get a hold of one and drive it over the fence. While that isn’t always the case, it certainly wasn’t the case last night in Cincinnati.

Before last night, Gennett had 38 career home runs in five seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds. With his smaller build and the fact that the Reds picked him up off of waivers on March 28 made last night even more unlikely.

In the past, players have ranged from Josh Hamilton to Gil Hodges to Lou Gehrig, all being a part of an exclusive group of players that have hit four home runs in a game. You never know when it’ll happen, but it’s a true spectacle of the sport. Not only is it exciting watching any player crack a ball over the fence, it’s truly remarkable to see them do it multiple times in one game.

We’ve seen in sports that it doesn’t matter who you are or what position you play, anything can happen. Whether you’re the greatest power hitter of your time or a second baseman, you could be forever etched in the history books because of an accomplishment. Just think that in the over 140 years of major league baseball, only 17 players have hit four home runs in a game. By comparison, there have been roughly 300 no-hitters and 23 perfect games. You never know who or when history will be made.

But with the recent power surge of Scooter Gennett, at least for one game, it got us all thinking about past four-homer games.

Josh Hamilton – 5/8/2012

In what seems to be his last hurrah as a major league ball player, it was certainly his last memory with the Texas Rangers. Before he signed his 5 yr, $125 million contract with the division rival Angels, Josh Hamilton became the 16th player in history to hit four home runs in a single game.

Playing in Baltimore against the Orioles, Hamilton hit his first two of the night against starter Jake Arrieta, before he became that bearded goddess that now resides in Chicago. Adding one off of reliever Zach Phillips, he then got a chance at the Darren O’Day.

“I just went up like it was any other at-bat because if I don’t hit one, I’ve still had a really good night.” via ESPN.com

Well a good night got even better when Hamilton launched his fourth of the night, inscribing himself in the history books for ever. We’ve been looking for him ever since.

Carlos Delgado – 9/25/2003

The old story goes that Carlos Delgado was battling a cold during the day. He took some medicine, took a nap, then ran out on the field and became the 15th player in history to have a four-homer game. It goes to show you that no matter what, anything can happen on any given day. While Delgado was a slugger, sick or not, he did what he was accustom to do; he hit home runs.

Of all the players to have hit four homers in a game, you’d think Delgado was the perfect example of a player who would have the ability to do it. 14 years ago, against the defunct Tampa Bay DEVIL Rays, Delgado smacked his first of four in his first at-bat, also being his 300th homer run for his career. How could you day get even better? We quickly found out that it could.

“I forgot about it. I took a little nap before the game. You can’t predict what’s going to happen in a baseball game. It’s definitely the best day in my baseball career.” Delgado on his sickness, via Articles.LATimes.com

Delgado’s record tying home run came in the 8th inning, tying the game and eventually leading the Blue Jays to a 10-8 victory.

Shawn Green – 5/23/02

Perhaps best known by younger fans as that Mets outfielder who always lost his hat whenever he ran down a fly ball in the outfield, Shawn Green was a very feared offensive players for many years, especially with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Becoming the 14th player in history to hit four home runs in a game, Green had what some considered the greatest single game in baseball history. He smacked 4 home runs, had 6 hits, 6 total runs, 7 RBI’s and 19 total bases, a major league record.

“It definitely hasn’t sunk in yet. I wish I had a few days off so I could enjoy it. It’s something I’ll never forget. via SFgate.com

In one of the worst slumps of his career at the time, no one needed a day quite like Green had in Milwaukee.

Mike Cameron – 5/2/2002

Just three weeks before Shawn Green entered the history books, Mike Cameron became the 13th player in history to hit four home runs in a single game.

In what was the closest number of days between two players taking down this feat (Pat Seerey in 1948 & Gil Hodges in 1950), Mike Cameron had a day for the ages.

In his first four at-bats, including two in the first inning against Jon Rauch, Mike Cameron smacked four home runs, all solo shots, to join the history books. It still amazes me to this day that not one guy could’ve gotten on base to help poor Mike Cameron’s RBI total for the game. Just imagine if some people got on? Seattle still beat the White Sox 15-4, but this day could’ve somehow been even better.

Mark Whiten, Bob Horner, Mike Schmidt

Before Mike Cameron had his memorable day, the 12th person to hit four home runs in a game was Mark Whiten of the St. Louis Cardinals, 9 years before. Against the Reds in the second day of a double header, Whitten slugged four homers and drove in 12 RBI’s. He is only the second player to drive in that many runs, the other being Jim Bottomley, who did it in 1924.

Bob Horner was the 11th player to do it, 7 years before for the Atlanta Braves. In a game against Montreal Expos, Horner’s Braves actually lost the game! Nonetheless, Horner smacked four home runs and drove in 6 runs. That was just another honor for the 1978 rookie of year award winner.

Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies became the 10th big leaguer to hit four home runs in a game. He was the only big leaguer to take down this feat during the 70’s, doing it against the Cubs. While it went 10 innings, Schmidt had 6 at-bats and hit home runs in four of them, including 5 hits for the day. His 8 RBI’s led the Phillies to their 10-inning win against Chicago.

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

Willie Mays, Rocky Colavito, Joe Adcock

Fifteen years before Mike Schmidt, Willie Mays became the 9th player to hit four home runs in a game. Under the weather, Mays socked four homers against the Milwaukee Braves, leading the Giants to a 14-4 victory. Hitting eight home runs that afternoon in Milwaukee, the Giants tied a major league record. Providing half of them was one of the greatest players of our generation.

Two years before, Rocky Colavito was only the third American League player to hit four home runs in a game, becoming the 8th player to do it in history.

“He was everything a ballplayer should be: dark, handsome eyes, and a raw-boned build – and he hit home runs at a remarkable rate.” — Sportswriter Terry Pluto

Colavito hit four home runs for the Cleveland Indians, leading them to victory against the Baltimore Orioles, 11-8.

Before Shawn Green set the record for most bases in a game, he had to break a past record. That record was held by Joe Adcock, who became the 7th player to hit four home runs in a game. Adcock, with Milwaukee Braves, hit four homers and had a double for 18 total bases. He led Braves to a 15-7 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers (Wait til next year!).

Gil Hodges, Pat Seerey, Chuck Klein, Lou Gehrig, Ed Delahanty

Gil Hodges was not only a great ball player, but a very good manager as well. Before he became a manager though, he became the 6th player to hit four homers in a game. Leading the Dodgers to a 15-3 win against the Boston Braves, Hodges hit four home runs and drove in 9.

Pat Seerey was not only the 5th player to do it, but the only player to do it in the entirety of the Chicago White Sox franchise. Leading the White Sox to a 12-11 win over the Philadelphia A’s, he drove in 7 runs.

Chuck Klein was the 4th to do it, and all of his hits that day were home runs, Defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-6 in 10 innings, Klein drove in 6 of those runs.

Lou Gehrig was the first American League player to hit four home runs in a game, and the first to do it in the 20th century (3rd overall). Beating the Philadelphia A’s 20-13, it’s amazing to think how much better Gehrig wouldve been if he never got sick. Something else to chew on; 3rd baseman Tony Lazzeri also hit for the cycle against the A’s that same day!

Ed Delahanty was the 2nd player, and last of the 19th century to hit four home runs in a game. Doing it against the Cubs, Delahanty drove in 7 of the Phillies 8 runs in a 9-8 loss.

Bobby Lowe – 5/30/1894

Every record has a first person to do it, and in this case, Bobby Lowe was the first player to ever hit four home runs in a game.

Playing for the Boston Beaneaters, he not only hit four home runs for the game, but did it from the lead off position. We’ve seen from the start of time, a manager bases his lineup card for specific needs. The leadoff man is the plate setter, getting on base and stealing bases. He also allows the third hitter and cleanup man to drive him in. Not a power spot in the lineup, or a power position at all (2^nd baseman), that made this baseball game in May even more surreal.

Next: Mock Draft Version 6.1

Winning the game against the Reds 19-11, Lowe has the least amount of career home runs of players that have hit four home runs in a game (71 career home runs). It gives more credence to the saying that no matter who you are, or what position you play, in sports, anything is possible. That’s why you do, in fact, play the games. Because for a player that was an overall talented player, and smart manager at the end of his baseball career, he is not only one of 18 people to have hit four home runs in a game, he was the first to do it. That’ll be around for the rest of time.

Home / MLB News