On this date in baseball history, two future Hall of Fame baseball players reached milestones, cemented them into the Hall of Fame, even though everyone knew they would both be in the Hall of Fame one day anyway. 

  • On this day in 1958, Stan Musial recorded his 3,000th career hit.
  • On this day in 1967, Mickey Mantle hit his 500th career home run.

Stan Musials 3,000th Hit:

On a day Musial was supposed to have a day off against the Cubs in Wrigley Field, he was called to Pinch Hit for Cardinals pitcher Sam Jones in the sixth inning. He would hit the ball to left field for a Double Moe Drabowsky. His Double would lead to a rally that inning which would provide the Cardinals four runs as they would go on to win the game 5-3. Stan Musial became the eighth player in baseball history to record 3,000 or more Hits.

Mickey Mantles 500th HR:

At 35, Mantle’s best days were behind him, being barred by injuries the last few years prior. However, he entered the season four Home Runs shy of 500. On this day in 1967, it was Mother’s Day, in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Orioles, up 5-4, the count full against reliever Stu Miller, Mantle hit the pitch over the fence giving him his 500th HR. Long before the Steroid Era, 500 Career Home Runs was an insane feat; the only ones to accomplish that feat before Mantle were Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Mel Ott, Ted Williams, and Willie Mays.

Reference:

  1. Scheibe, John This day in sports: Stan Musial joins the 3,000-hit club via Los Angeles Times: https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-05-13/day-in-sports-cardinals-mlb-stan-musial-3000-hits
  2. Winterhalt, Kevin Remembering Mickey Mantle’s 500th career homer on its 55th anniversary via Pinstripe Alley: https://www.pinstripealley.com/2022/5/14/23071166/yankees-history-mickey-mantle-500th-homer-milestone-1967-hall-of-fame-orioles