Most Homers Through Age 27
Posted by Chris J. on November 2, 2007
It's a basic sort, but the results sure are fun to look at. My favorite is #13. Betcha didn't expect that one, ay?
Really makes clear how hard it is to keep performing at the highest levels while healthy. #2 was an alcoholic, #6 a drinker, #4 had a series of injuries - as did #9. #8 was known as the hardest player of his day - a real hard sliding wall-runner-into tough guy. #12 is a catcher.
I know DiMaggio was a great player, but since he only hit 361 homers in his career, I never would've expected him to end up in the top 20. But there he is at 18. Hell, at age 27, he was already in the top 20 for career homers. Not through age 27, but entire careers. Damn.
November 2nd, 2007 at 7:41 am
Dunn is pretty underrated I think, at least in terms of his power. He's put together a very impressive start to his career.
November 2nd, 2007 at 8:01 am
Joe D. missed 3 years from 1943-1945. Considering they were peak years age-wise, he would have finished with close to 500 HR had he played.
November 2nd, 2007 at 8:24 am
It's interesting that McGwire, Barry B., and Sosa are all clustered together in the 45-50 range. Of course, going to college (or spending time in a war, as with Mays and Williams) makes a big difference.
November 2nd, 2007 at 5:53 pm
I love long, extensive lists like this. So, in all MLB history, only about 200 players have 101 HRs or more my about the age of 27. One might think there'd be a lot more than 200 on the list, but there aren't. That's a small club to be in. I am glad to see Rickey Henderson there (with 103). Other names that caught my eye: Ken Harrelson (125), Sixto Lezcano (107 & my dad's all-time favorite player name).
So ARod did it mostly as a short stop. Next *6s are Ripken (183), Banks (183), Tejada (156), Stephens (138 BEFORE being a red sock), Petrocelli (129), Garciaparra (121), McAuliffe (115), Yount (113), Uribe (104). Very interesting. Stephens was a trailblazer.
Ruth (194) and Hornsby (116) are the only ones whose span started before 1920. No suprise there. Players whose span started in the 1920s are Foxx (302), Ott (275), Gehrig (187), Klein (163), Simmons (115), Chick Hafey (111), Don Hurst (110). Hafey and Hurst are interesting to note.