Most player milestone games are well documented, at least for the past 75 years or more. That, of course, is because the milestone is anticipated, often making the game when the milestone is reached somewhat anti-climatic. But, I’ll be looking at a different type of milestone game in this post, milestones that are not anticipated, not even by the players involved. More on these mystery milestones are after the jump.

Following up from the last post on the 2019 home run surge, here is a look back at the evolution of certain “mystery” milestone home run games, those which were the first game in which 2, 3, 4, or more players appeared who had then reached various milestones in career home runs.

In contrast to today’s game, hitting 200 home runs in a career was once a notable accomplishment. In fact, it wasn’t until 1955 that there were more than 10 active players at the level, and not until 1971 were there more than 10 active players at the 300 home run level. Beyond 300 home runs, significant numbers of active players are relatively rare. For example, there are only three active 400 home run players today, a level that was first reached only in 1963, as shown in the chart below.

Nevertheless, at certain times in the game’s history, there have been larger numbers of such players and, when a couple or more end up on the same teams, and when those teams play each other, the chance exists for a milestone game such as the ones I’ll be identifying here.

Following then are the games and players involved the first time different numbers of players appeared in the same game who had already reached career milestones of 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 home runs. While there is nothing notable about what transpired in most of these games, and most often the players involved were in the twilight of their careers and well past their primes, I’ve nevertheless found it interesting to identify the fate and circumstances that brought these players together to appear in these games.

While I believe the games below are the milestone games I’ve purported them to be, there’s no guarantee of that. So, if you’re aware of earlier occasions, I welcome your feedback to identify those games.

Two players

Babe Ruth became baseball’s career home run leader in 1921, a mantle he held for more than 50 years. He reached the milestones of 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 home runs in 1923, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1931 and 1934, respectively. The second player to reach each of those milestones did so 3 years after Ruth (200), 9 years after (300 and 400), 11 years after (500), 38 years after (600), and 70 years after (700).

Three players

Having three players in a game at a milestone home run level means, of course, that at least two of them must be teammates. As we saw in the previous table, Ruth and Gehrig were the first teammates to reach career home run milestones and therefore figure prominently again in the first games with there milestone players. Beyond 300 home runs, milestone teammates become quite rare, with most instances identified here.

Four players

Beyond 300 home runs, four or more players in a game are very rare. There still has not been an NL game with four 400 home run men.

Five players

Five or more players in a game has only been recorded at the 200 and 300 home run levels. Interestingly, the gap between the first 5 x 200 and 5 x 300 games was almost the same in both leagues, at 49 years (AL) and 50 years (NL).

Six players

Six players at the 300 home run level has only occurred in the AL and only in the 2005 season.

7 or more Players

There have been seven or more players in a game only at the 200 home run level, so the following table is structured to show progressive numbers of players at this single milestone level. 2003 was a notable season, and Robin Ventura the pivotal player who played for teams in both leagues that season and, consequently, appeared in three milestone games.