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About This Quiz
No money can buy your way into this club! The 500 home run club is exclusively for the heaviest of MLB hitters! Ball players have been standing at the plate since 1903. Did you know it was 26 years before the first player reached the 500 home run milestone? The second player wouldn't achieve this for another 11 years! Today, nearly 115 years and seasons later, there are less than 30 members. So, you want to know the secret to their success? Sorry, there isn't one! 14 of these players were right-handed, 11 of them were left-handed and two were switch hitters. Despite their varying statures and various field positions, they each had a common goal - hit the ball out of the park and round those bases every ... single ... time!
From Babe Ruth to Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and Hank Aaron, most all members of this who's-who of baseball sluggers list have made their way to Cooperstown. The Baseball Hall of Fame is ready to welcome members of the 500 home run club, but it's not always a guarantee - first they need to be retired for five seasons, and second, they cannot be connected with any allegations involving performance enhancing substances.
How well do you know these MLB greats? Take this quiz now before it's one, two, three strikes you're out at the old ball game!
Which player became the first-ever member of the 500 home run club?
Willie McCovey
Frank Thomas
Ted Williams
Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth was born George Herman Ruth Jr. on Feb. 6, 1985 in Baltimore Maryland. He was nicknamed The Bambino and also The Sultan of Swat.
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Jimmie Foxx of the __________ reached his 500th home run on Sept. 24, 1940.
Baltimore Orioles
Atlanta Braves
Boston Red Sox
Jimmie Foxx was a first baseman who threw right and batted right. He not only played for the Boston Red Sox, he was also a member of the Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies during his 20 seasons in the MLB.
Milwaukee Brewers
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Who is the leading member of the 500 home run club?
David Ortiz
Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds was born on July 24, 1964 in Riverside, California. He batted left and threw left, beginning his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and finishing with the San Francisco Giants.
Jim Thome
Babe Ruth
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As of January 2018, how many players are in the 500 home run club?
10
27
Of these 27 players, 14 were right-handed batters, 11 were left-handed and 2 were switch hitters. There are 31 players in the 3,000 hit club.
40
56
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500 home run club member Willie Mays was nicknamed "The __________ Kid"
Home Run
Say Hey
Willie Mays was born on May 6, 1931 in Westfield, Alabama. He batted right, threw right and played 22 seasons as a center fielder for the New York/San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets.
You Who
Way to Go
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For which teams did Barry Bonds play during his MLB career?
Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets
San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates
Barry Bonds was a 14-time All-Star, 7-time NL MVP, 8-time Gold Glove Award winner, and the list goes on! He was just 65 hits short of joining the 3,000 hit club as well!
New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves
Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers
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Which of the following members of the 500 home run club currently plays in the MLB?
Harmon Killebrew
Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols was born in the Dominican Republic on January 16, 1980. He began playing for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2001 and reached his 500th home run with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2014.
Ted Williams
Mark McGwire
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Only two franchises have seen four players reach the 500 home run milestone. They are...
New York Yankees and Houston Astros
Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants
Major League Baseball was founded in 1903, formerly known as National League beginning in 1876. There are currently 30 teams, and the Houston Astros are the current title champions!
Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees
New York Mets and Minnesota Twins
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______ Sheffield played for the New York Mets from 1988 - 2009.
Bobby
Gary
Gary Sheffield was born on Nov. 18, 1968 in Tampa, Florida. He had a .292 batting average with 2,689 career hits, 509 home runs and 1,676 RBIs.
Samuel
Alex
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Members of the 500 home run club have hit 500 ________-season home runs in their careers.
Spring training
Post
Regular
Five members of the 500 home run club are also members of the 3,000 hit club. Membership in the 500 home run club is sometimes described as a guarantee of eventual entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame, though this is not 100% true as five members have not yet been elected to the Hall of Fame.
First
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On June 20, 2004, ________ became the only player from the Cincinnati Reds to date to join the 500 home run club.
Ken Griffey, Jr.
Ken Griffey, Jr. is the 6th highest member of the 500 home run club. He hit 630 home runs in his career with 1,836 RBIs and a batting average of .284.
Eddie Mathews
Mel Ott
David Ortiz
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Nicknamed Mr. Cub and Mr. Sunshine, this member of the Chicago Cubs joined the 500 home run club on May 12, 1970...
Frank Thomas
Ernie Banks
Ernie Banks hit his 500th home run on May 12, 1970 with the Chicago Cubs. He finished his 18-year career with 512 home runs in 1971.
Eddie Murray
Sammy Sosa
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This member of the 500 home run club may never enter the Baseball Hall of Fame due to his admission of steroids and human growth hormone use ...
Barry Bonds
Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire played in the MLB for the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals from 1986 - 2001. He is currently a coach for the San Diego Padres.
Ken Griffey , Jr.
Jim Thorne
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Mickey Mantle reached his 500 home run milestone in _______.
2001
1992
1983
1967
Nicknamed The Mick and The Commerce Comet, Mickey Charles Mantle played in the MLB for the New York Yankees from 1951 - 1968. He hit 536 home runs in his career.
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Which position did Steady Eddie Murray play for the Baltimore Orioles?
Left field
First base
Eddie Murray was also a designated hitter. He played in the MLB for 20 seasons between 1977 and 1997. He reached his 500th home run on Sept. 6, 1996.
Pitcher
Catcher
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Though born in San Diego, California, Ted Williams spent his entire 19-year MLB career playing with the ________.
Chicago Cubs
Philadelphia Phillies
Boston Red Sox
Following his long playing career with the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams went on to manage the Washington Senators and Texas Rangers. His Red Sox #9 has been retired and he is a a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
New York Mets
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For which team did 500 home run club member Ernie Banks play his entire MLB career?
Chicago White Sox
Chicago Cubs
Ernie Banks was born on Jan. 31, 1931 in Dallas, Texas. He played for the Cubs from 1953 to 1971 and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.
Texas Rangers
San Francisco Giants
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This member of the 500 home run club was nicknamed "The Killer"...
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Killebrew achieved his 500th home run on Aug. 10, 1971 with the Minnesota Twins. He played in the MLB from 1954 - 1975 and had a total of 573 home runs during his career.
Hank Aaron
Mel Ott
Willie McCovey
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David "Big Papi" Ortiz was named MVP of the ______ World Series.
1999
2006
2013
David Ortiz won the World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2004, 2007 and 2013. He spent most of his career there, but also played with the Minnesota Twins for 5 of his 20 seasons in the MLB.
2016
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Which position did Master Melvin Ott play in the MLB?
Pitcher
Right field
Mel Ott was not the typical size of such a power hitter. He stood just 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed 170 pounds. He finished his career with 511 home runs and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951.
Second Base
Third Base
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Where was Sammy Sosa from originally?
Washington
Venezuela
Florida
Dominican Republic
Samuel Kelvin Peralta Sosa was born in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic on Nov. 12, 1968. He played with four MLB teams during his career including the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles.
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In which year did Babe Ruth start the 500 home run club?
1929
Babe Ruth was a seven-time World Series champion! His New York Yankees number 3 was retired on June 13, 1948.
1949
1952
1944
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Alex Rodriguez played 22 seasons in the MLB for the ________, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Atlanta Braves
Seattle Mariners
Alex Rodriguez is the fourth leading member of the 500 home run club. He scored 696 home runs during his career which lasted from 1994 - 2013 and then another stint from 2015 - 2016.
Chicago Cubs
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For which team did Eddie Mathews make his MLB debut?
Detroit Tigers
Boston Braves
Edwin Lee Mathews played his first MLB game with the Boston Braves and his last with the Detroit Tigers. He went on to manage the Atlanta Braves from 1972 - 1974, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1978.
Houston Astros
New York Mets
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Which position did Jimmie "Double X" Foxx play in the MLB?
Catcher
Third base
First base
Foxx was born in Sudlersville, Maryland on Oct. 22, 1907. A statue of him was erected in his hometown on Oct. 25, 1997 and he is remembered as one of the greatest baseball players ever to have played.
Left field
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Mike Schmidt played his entire 17-season MLB career for the ________.
Boston Red Sox
California Angels
Philadelphia Phillies
Mike Schmidt played in the MLB from 1972 - 1989. He joined the 500 home run club on April 18, 1987 and retired two years later with 548!
Toronto Blue Jays
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For how many seasons did Manny Ramirez play in the MLB?
5
10
19
Manny Ramirez played in the MLB from 1993 - 2011. He was named an All-Star 12 times, won the World Series two times and was named World Series MVP once! He ended his career with 555 home runs.
27
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Rafael _________ was born in Cuba and joined the 500 home run club with the Texas Rangers on May 11, 2003.
Robinson
Palmeiro
Born in Havana, Cuba in 1964, Rafael Palmeiro was a lefty baseball player. Though reaching major milestones as the 500 home run club and the 3,000 hit club, he was suspended for testing positive for anabolic steroids in 2005.
McCovey
Jackson
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For which team did Mel Ott play his entire career?
New York Giants
Melvin Thomas Ott was nicknamed "Master Melvin." He was a right fielder for the New York Giants from 1926 through 1947, and died at the age of 49 in 1958.
Boston Red Sox
Houston Astros
Baltimore Orioles
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Which position did Barry Bonds play in his 22 seasons in the MLB?
Left field
Did you know... Barry Bonds was intentionally walked by opposing teams 688 times in his career? And he still managed to be the NL home run leader in both 1993 and 2001, and the MLB all time!
Right field
First base
Pitcher
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Willie _________ earned the nickname "Stretch" during his 19 seasons in the MLB.
Aaron
Ruth
McCovey
He was also known as "Big Mac." Born in Mobile, Alabama, he was once described as the "scariest hitter in baseball" by pitcher Bob Gibson!
Thome
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How many home runs did Jim Thome hit during his 22-season career in the MLB?
501
550
612
Jim Thome has the 8th-highest number of home runs of all members of the 500 home run club! He joined the club on Sept. 16, 2007 while playing for the Chicago White Sox.
777
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Of the following players, who is the most recent to join the 500 home run club?
Mike Schmidt
Mickey Mantle
David Ortiz
David Ortiz joined the 500 home run club on Sept. 12, 2015 with the Boston Red Sox. He retired just one year later in 2016, not before scoring another 41 home runs! His record is 541.
Gary Sheffield
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Which position did Ken Griffey, Jr. play in the MLB?
Catcher
Pitcher
Second Base
Center Field
George Kenneth Griffey Jr. was nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid". He played 22 years in the MLB playing mostly with the Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds and a short time with the Chicago White Sox.
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Reaching his 500th home run on June 28, 2007, this played was nicknamed "The Big Hurt"...
Mike Schmidt
Mickey Mantle
Frank Thomas
Frank Thomas was a five-time All-Star, and a two-time AL MVP. The Chicago White Sox retired his number 35 on Aug. 29, 2010.
Reggie Jackson
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You Got:
/35
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