Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times Winner of Eight Pulitzer Prizes

Mariners


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced
Quick links: Traffic | Movies | Restaurants | Today's events | Video | Photos | Interactives | Blogs | Forums | Subscriber Services
Contact us

Originally published Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Print

Red Sox slugger Ramirez crashes 500-homer club

Dreadlocks are in fashion in the exclusive 500-home run club, now that Manny Ramirez has added his name to the list of baseball's most prolific...

By David Ginsburg

The Associated Press

500 HR club

1. Barry Bonds 762
2. Hank Aaron 755
3. Babe Ruth 714
4. Willie Mays 660
5. Sammy Sosa 609
6. x-Ken Griffey Jr. 599
7. Frank Robinson 586
8. Mark McGwire 583
9. Harmon Killebrew 573
10. Rafael Palmeiro 569
11. Reggie Jackson 563
12. Mike Schmidt 548
13. Mickey Mantle 536
14. Jimmie Foxx 534
15. x-Alex Rodriguez 525
16. Willie McCovey 521
16. Ted Williams 521
18. x-Frank Thomas 520
19. x-Jim Thome 517
20. Ernie Banks 512
20. Eddie Mathews 512
22. Mel Ott 511
23. Eddie Murray 504
24. x-Manny Ramirez 500
x-active player

BALTIMORE — Dreadlocks are in fashion in the exclusive 500-home run club, now that Manny Ramirez has added his name to the list of baseball's most prolific sluggers.

Ramirez became the 24th player to reach the milestone, connecting in the seventh inning off Chad Bradford to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-3 Saturday night.

Boston's left fielder hit the first pitch into the bleacher seats in right-center field. He stood and watched the flight of the ball, then took off around the bases in a slow trot, a broad smile on his face.

The solo shot gave Boston a 5-3 lead. It traveled an estimated 410 feet.

"As soon as I hit it, I knew it was gone," Ramirez said. "So I was happy to move on."

Ramirez hit No. 496 on April 19 but had only three more home runs in his next 34 games. He hit No. 499 Tuesday at Safeco Field against the Mariners.

No. 500 was worth the wait, he said.

"It was great, especially since I've been trying so hard the past three weeks just to get it done," he said. "It finally came and I'm happy. I'm proud of myself, of all the things I've accomplished. Now I can go and have fun."

In the bottom of the seventh, as he ran to his position in the outfield, Ramirez waved to thousands of Boston fans among the 48,281 at Camden Yards. Although it was a road game for the Red Sox, at least the seats were filled with Boston backers.

Ramirez is the 12th youngest to hit 500 home runs; his 36th birthday was on Friday. The youngest was Alex Rodriguez, who did it eight days after his 32nd birthday.

"I'm happy, you know, about everything I accomplished in life," Ramirez said. "Not everybody has the chance to go and get to 500. I'm just proud to do it."

Ramirez is the third player to reach 500 in a Red Sox uniform, joining Ted Williams and Jimmy Foxx.

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

More Mariners headlines...

Print      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

advertising

More Mariners

UPDATE - 7:15 PM
Mariners' Felix Hernandez has fun in spring debut, after scary start

UPDATE - 8:27 PM
Catcher Gregg Zaun retires after 16 seasons

Mariners' Ackley adjusting at second base

Carlos Beltran singles in first spring at-bat | Baseball

Sideline Chatter: And you thought there wasn't a Hornets in baseball

Advertising

Video

Marketplace

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 
  1. Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
  2. 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
  3. Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
  4. Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
  5. Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
  6. Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
  7. Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
  8. It's Terrence Time: Enigmatic Ross leads Huskies
  9. $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
  10. Club promoter convicted in brutal 2010 murder of Des Moines prostitute
  1. Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature Comments472
  2. Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looming Comments361
  3. Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color Comments313
  4. 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising Comments243
  5. Source: NY, California to sign mortgage settlement Comments231
  6. Council members get briefing on arena proposal, minus details Comments159
  7. Oregon live game thread Comments155
  8. Pac-12 picks ... including the UW game Comments140
  9. AP Source: Obama to change birth control rule Comments134
  10. Worker: Josh Powell told son he had 'surprise' Comments106
  1. State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
  2. Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
  3. 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
  4. Economy, blogs give survivalists new reason to look to Northwest
  5. One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
  6. State's share of mortgage settlement: $648 million
  7. Darren Berg gets 18-year sentence for Ponzi scheme
  8. $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
  9. Bellevue College adds a third bachelor's degree program
  10. 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review

Most viewed imagesMore

Advertising