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Clubbers
Single-season team home run marks continue to fall
Latest: Friday September 15, 2000 02:44 AM
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Jeff Bagwell owns the Astros' single-season (44) and career (307) home run records. Chris Covatta/Allsport |
By Ryan Hunt, CNNSI.com
Home runs are being smashed at mind-boggling rates. As a result, broken home run records are sounding just like that -- a broken record.
It's no different for individual single-season team records ... with one exception: If they haven't been broken in the past five years, chances are they haven't been touched for a long time.
Or look at it this way: Jeff Bagwell has bettered the Astros' single-season record three times in the 1990s, including again Thursday. The Athletics, Red Sox and Tigers each had theirs set in the 1930s.
Not counting the expansion teams born in the '90s, 11 teams have had their season records broken in the past five years. On the other side, 13 teams have had their marks stand for 30 years or more.
Already this season, two season records have been toppled -- Anaheim's Troy Glaus topped Reggie Jackson's 18-year-old record of 39 and Bagwell eclipsed his own mark with his 44th homer on Thursday.
| The Test Of Time |
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Longest standing team season HR records
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| Team |
Yrs |
Player |
HR |
| Athletics |
68 |
Jimmie Foxx |
58 |
| Red Sox |
62 |
Jimmie Foxx |
50 |
| Tigers |
62 |
Hank Greenberg |
58 |
| Pirates |
51 |
Ralph Kiner |
54 |
| Braves |
47 |
Eddie Mathews |
47* |
| Dodgers |
44 |
Duke Snider |
44 |
| Yankees |
39 |
Roger Maris |
61 |
| Twins |
36 |
Harmon Killebrew |
49 |
| Giants |
35 |
Willie Mays |
52 |
| Rangers |
31 |
Frank Howard |
48 |
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* Tied by Hank Aaron in 1971
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And two more are in pursuit -- Gary Sheffield is two shy of matching Duke Snider's Dodgers record of 43, while Jermaine Dye is two away from the Royals' record of 36 held by Steve Balboni.
Kansas City's record has been surprisingly unchallenged. Of the 30 teams, only three have records of fewer than 40 -- the Royals and recent expansion entries Arizona (38) and Tampa Bay (34). Meanwhile, 13 have single-seasons records of 50 or more. But only five of those have been set in the past five years.
Other interesting notes:
Only two players hold single-season records for more than one team. Albert Belle owns the marks for the Indians (50) and White Sox (49). Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx holds the records for the Athletics (58) and Red Sox (50).
When Mark McGwire topped Johnny Mize's 48-year-old St. Louis record in 1998, he shattered it by 27. Sammy Sosa, meanwhile, broke Hack Wilson's 58-year-old Cubs record.
As for career team records -- not counting the four most recent teams -- only eight are held by active players. Four of those still play for the same team --Tim Salmon (Angels), Cal Ripken (Orioles), Frank Thomas (White Sox) and Bagwell (Astros). The others are Ken Griffey Jr. (Mariners), Albert Belle (Indians), Juan Gonzalez (Rangers) and McGwire (Athletics).
| Rewriting the Record Books |
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Single-season team HR records broken since 1995
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| Team |
Player |
HR |
Year |
Pre-1995 Record |
| Angels |
Troy Glaus |
42 |
2000 |
Reggie Jackson |
39 |
1982 |
| Astros |
Jeff Bagwell |
44 |
2000 |
Jeff Bagwell |
39 |
1994 |
| Expos |
Vladimir Guerrero |
42 |
1999 |
Andre Dawson |
32 |
1983 |
| Cardinals |
Mark McGwire |
70 |
1998 |
Johnny Mize |
43 |
1940 |
| Cubs |
Sammy Sosa |
66 |
1988 |
Hack Wilson |
56 |
1930 |
| Mariners |
Ken Griffey Jr. |
56 |
1997 |
Ken Griffey Jr. |
45 |
1993 |
| Padres |
Greg Vaughn |
50 |
1998 |
Nate Colbert |
38 |
1970 |
| White Sox |
Albert Belle |
49 |
1998 |
Frank Thomas |
41 |
1993 |
| Orioles |
Brady Anderson |
50 |
1996 |
Frank Robinson |
49 |
1966 |
| Mets |
Todd Hundley |
41 |
1996 |
Darryl Strawberry |
39 |
1987 |
| Indians |
Albert Belle |
50 |
1995 |
Al Rosen |
43 |
1953 |
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* Not counting '90s expansion teams
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