The First and Only Member of Baseball’s 50-50 Club
Entering the day, Shohei Ohtani was two homers and one stolen base shy of becoming the first player in MLB history with a 50-50 season.
Shohei Ohtani did it.
Ohtani is the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. #17 of the Dodgers finished the game with an absolutely insane statline, going 6 for 6, including 3 home runs, 2 stolen bases, scoring 4 runs and 10 RBIS. (yes TEN!)
The hit came in the 7th inning of a 20-4 rout of the Miami Marlins at Loan Depot Park in Miami, Florida. (September 19, 2024)
The win clinched a playoff spot for the Dodgers.
The Greatest Offensive Day in the History of Baseball
30-year-old Shohei Ohtani’s achievement of hitting 50 home runs and stealing 50 bases in a single season is truly historic! This remarkable feat showcases his exceptional talent as both a power hitter and a base runner, setting him apart in the world of baseball.
And he’s a PITCHER!
Recovering from an injury!
Consider this…It was the first three-homer game in MLB history where the player also had multiple stolen bases. But wait, there’s more! Ohtani was also the first player since at least 1901 with at least five hits, multiple homers and multiple stolen bases — that one was true even before he hit his third home run.
And according to OptaSTATS; Since RBI became official in 1920, only one MLB player has had, over the course of his entire career (same game or not),
- a game with 10+ RBI
- a game with 6+ hits
- a game with 5+ XBH
- a game with 3+ HR
- a game with 2+ SBThat one player is Shohei Ohtani.
And then he became the first player to join the 51-51 club later in the ballgame.
Former MLB slugger Jose Canseco was the first player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a season. (1988)
Ohtani joined the 40-40 club in emphatic fashion against the Devil Rays on Aug. 23: After stealing his 40th base of the season in the 4th inning, Ohtani hit a walk-off grand slam for his 40th homer to seal the victory for Los Angeles. The earliest any of the previous five members of the 40-40 club had reached both milestones was Alfonso Soriano in 2006, who stole his 40th base in the Nationals’ 148th game of the season. Ohtani did it in Game No. 129.
Ohtani had 12 homers and 15 steals in August making him just the eighth player ever to collect at least 10 homers and 10 stolen bases in a calendar month.
As with any historic event in baseball, like becoming the only memnber of the 50-50 Club, the Hall of Fame came calling for some of Ohtani’s equipment, including his custom cleats that feature his dog, Decoy.
And, if you’re wondering what happened to the HR ball, the guy who caught it refused to give it up.
It is reportedly worth $250,000 – $500,000.
One of The Greatest Feats is Sports History!
We focus on round numbers, but it’s important to remember Ohtani was the first to ever do 43-43. Nobody had ever gotten above 42 in both categories before.
Creating the 50-50 Club is comarable to Michael Jordan winning the scoring title and defensive player of the year in 1988 or Wayne Gretzky getting 90 goals and 100 assists in 1982.
Who will join Ohtani in the 50-50 Club?