1Sadaharu Oh
No. 1 — Sadaharu Oh. On the lists of 6 of 6 AIs; median place there: 1. The AIs put Oh first because all 868 of his world-record home runs came as a Giant, along with 15 home run titles and 9 MVPs.
Did you know
Oh joined the Giants in 1959 as a pitcher, but he was moved to first base after his fastball lost its pop. He went hitless in his first 26 pro at-bats.
- What it is
- First baseman who hit 868 career home runs, all for the Giants.
- Its edge
- He has the biggest single record: the world professional home run total.
- Who should know
- Useful for anyone who wants to know who owns baseball's best-known power record.
- Records, titles and managing868 HR, all as a Giant
History
After Oh struggled as a pitcher, the Giants moved him to first base. In 1962, batting coach Hiroshi Arakawa helped him develop his famous high-leg-kick swing; Oh then hit 38 home runs, more than in his first three seasons combined. — Society for American Baseball Research
Keep in mind
Some American fans objected to calling his 868 homers a world record. They said the level of play was lower and the parks smaller. The article says the park criticism had some validity.
Oh often drew walks, even with a runner on base, because pitchers were afraid to pitch to him. Whether he would have matched those numbers in MLB is unknown: "we'll never know."
Where to go further
Read this short Guinness record entry first. It gives the 868 career home run total, Oh's Giants years (1959–1980), and why it counts as a world record.
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