Baseball Wiki
Advertisement

In Major League Baseball, the 500 home run club is an informal term applied to the group of players who have hit 500 or more career home runs. In general, the 500th home run is not a surprise, as the player has been approaching the mark for some time. However, teams will often interrupt the game in which the player hits his 500th home run in order to honor him on reaching an historically significant milestone in what has been an excellent baseball career. The 500 home run club was "founded" by Babe Ruth in 1929. At the time, he had more than twice as many home runs as any other player.

Rarely mentioned are the 600 home run club and the 700 home run club, which have 4 and 3 members respectively. The 600 home run club is commonly called Mount Crushmore, after Mount Rushmore.

In 2007 three players join the 500 home run club. The most in any one season.

See also: List of top 500 Major League Baseball home run hitters and the official website for the 500 home run club.

The club[]

† indicates an active player.

Player Home runs Date of 500th Teams Seasons
Barry Bonds 762 April 17, 2001 Pittsburgh, San Francisco 1986-2008
Hank Aaron 755 July 14, 1968 Milwaukee/Atlanta, Milwaukee (AL) 1954-1976
Babe Ruth 714 August 11, 1929 Boston (AL), New York (AL), Boston (NL) 1914-1935
Willie Mays 660 September 13, 1965 New York/San Francisco, New York (NL) 1951-1973
Ken Griffey, Jr. 630 June 20, 2004 Seattle, Cincinnati, Chicago (AL) 1989-2010
Sammy Sosa 609 April 4, 2003 Texas, Chicago (AL), Chicago (NL), Baltimore 1989-2006
Frank Robinson 586 September 13, 1971 Cincinnati, Baltimore, Los Angeles, California, Cleveland 1956-1976
Mark McGwire 583 August 5, 1999 Oakland, St. Louis 1986-2001
Harmon Killebrew 573 August 10, 1971 Washington/Minnesota, Kansas City 1954-1975
Rafael Palmeiro 569 May 11, 2003 Chicago (NL), Baltimore, Texas 1986-2005
Reggie Jackson 563 September 17, 1984 Kansas City/Oakland, Baltimore, New York (AL), California 1967-1987
Alex Rodriguez 553 August 4, 2007 Seattle, Texas, New York (AL) 1994-
Mike Schmidt 548 April 18,1987 Philadelphia (NL) 1972-1989
Jim Thome 541 September 16, 2007 Cleveland, Philadelphia, Chicago (AL) 1991-
Mickey Mantle 536 May 14, 1967 New York (AL) 1951-1968
Jimmie Foxx 534 September 24, 1940 Philadelphia (AL), Boston (AL) 1925-1942, 1944-1945
Manny Ramirez 527 May 31, 2008 Cleveland, Boston, Los Angeles 1993-
Frank Thomas 521 June 6, 2007 Chicago (AL), Oakland, Blue Jays 1990-
Willie McCovey 521 June 30, 1978 San Francisco, San Diego 1959-1980
Ted Williams 521 June 17, 1960 Boston (AL) 1939-1942, 1946-1960
Eddie Mathews 512 July 14, 1967 Boston/Milwaukee/Atlanta, Houston, Detroit 1952-1968
Ernie Banks 512 May 12, 1970 Chicago (NL) 1953-1971
Mel Ott 511 August 1, 1945 New York (NL) 1926-1947
Eddie Murray 504 September 6, 1996 Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York (NL), Cleveland, Anaheim 1977-1997

Closest Active Players[]

Player Home runs Teams Seasons
Gary Sheffield 502 Milwaukee, San Diego, Florida, Los Angeles (NL), Atlanta, New York (AL), Detroit 1988-
Carlos Delgado 469 Toronto, Florida, New York (NL) 1993-

Stats accurate as of the end of the 2008 season.

Advertisement