New York Yankees Sluggers Vow to 'Crush' Home Run Record Again

New York Yankees Sluggers Vow to ‘Crush’ Home Run Record Again

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 3: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees hits a two-run home run in the first inning during the American League Wild Card game against the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

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15 Jul 1997: Center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. of the Seattle Mariners swings at the ball during a game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Athletics won the game 8-5. /

Prior to the 2018 New York Yankees, the home run record belonged to the 1997 Seattle Mariners. Led by “The Kid” Ken Griffey Jr., the ’97 Mariners featured a lineup with prolific power hitters like Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez, and Jay Buhner

That season, the Mariners crushed 264 HR, breaking a record set just one year earlier by the Baltimore Orioles (257), and setting a record which would hold for the next 20+ years.

The ’97 Mariners featured a lineup with 9 double-digit home run hitters. Six of those hitters smacked 20 or more HRs. Three of the six – Paul Sorrento (30), Griffey (56) and Buhner (40) – exceeded the 30 HR threshold.

Despite finishing the season 90-72, which was good enough to finish 1st in the AL West, the Seattle Mariners would lose to the Baltimore Orioles in the 1997 ALDS. Griffey would win his first and only MVP award by leading all of MLB in HR, RBI (147) and SLG (.646)

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