This day in baseball: Teammate efforts
Posted: September 21, 2014 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Chicago Cubs, Darryl Strawberry, history, Howard Johnson, Major League Baseball, Mickey Mantle, MLB, National League, New York Mets, Ripper Collins, sports, St. Louis Cardinals Leave a commentHoward Johnson and Darryl Strawberry of the New York Mets both made history on September 21, 1987. As the Mets won 7-1 over the Chicago Cubs, Strawberry stole two bases to make himself and Johnson the first set of teammates to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season.
Johnson, meanwhile, slammed his 36th homer of the season to break a 53-year-old National League record of most single season home runs by a switch hitter. The previous record had been set by Cardinals’ first baseman Ripper Collins in 1934, but the Major League record was still held by Mickey Mantle, who hit 54 homers in 1961.
