Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
August 10, 2001, Washington Post

Baseball's Fortune 500

Every time I pick up the sports section this summer, Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire is bashing another homer and moving up on the list of baseball's greatest home run sluggers.

Everybody knows how great McGwire and Bonds are: Through Wednesday, McGwire had hit 573 home runs and Bonds had 542. But the guys they are passing on the all-time list could play a little, too. Let's take a look at some of the Hall of Fame hitters.

• Harmon Killebrew (573 career home runs). "Hammering Harmon" Killebrew did not look like a ballplayer. He was short, bald and kind of chubby. But Killebrew sure could hit like a ballplayer. He starred for the Washington Senators (when D.C. had a baseball team!) and the Minnesota Twins, and led the American League in home runs six times.

• Reggie Jackson (563). They called Reggie Jackson "Mr. October" because he starred in so many playoff and World Series games for the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees. Jackson blasted home runs in three straight at-bats in the 1977 World Series. Jackson was such a star that he had a candy bar named after him. The Reggie Bar didn't taste that good. But as a ballplayer, Reggie Jackson was plenty good.

• Jimmie Foxx (534). Foxx was one of the most feared batters in baseball's early years, second only to the great Babe Ruth. "Double X," as they called him because of his last name, starred for the Philadelphia Athletics (who eventually became the Oakland Athletics) and Boston Red Sox in the 1920s and 30s.

Later, Foxx managed a team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. In fact, the coach in the movie "A League of Their Own" is based on Jimmie Foxx.

• Willie McCovey (521). Tall (6 feet 4) and elegant, Willie "Stretch" McCovey had a picture-perfect swing that knocked home runs out of National League parks. Grand slams -- homers with the bases loaded -- were McCovey's specialty. He had 18 grand slams over 22 seasons.

• Ernie Banks (512). Before Alex Rodriguez, there was Ernie Banks. Like A-Rod, Banks played shortstop and was a feared hitter. Later, Banks moved to first base for his beloved Chicago Cubs. Banks was such a steady performer that he is still known as "Mr. Cub."

• Eddie Mathews (512). Here is one of baseball's giants, who for some reason has been forgotten. Mathews played third base, crushed 30 or more home runs for nine straight seasons and appeared in nine All-Star Games for the Milwaukee Braves. What team today wouldn't want that kind of player?

These are just a few of the great hitters on the all-time home run list. McGwire also has passed Mike Schmidt (548). And McGwire and Bonds are ahead of Mickey Mantle (536), Ted Williams (521), Mel Ott (511), Eddie Murray (504) and Lou Gehrig (493).

Of course, Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660) and Frank Robinson (586) still are the top home run sluggers.

But Bonds and McGwire aren't finished yet.

FRED BOWEN is the author of sports novels for kids. Write to him at KidsPost, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20071. Or e-mail (with "The Score" in the subject field): kidspost@washpost.com.

© 2001 The Washington Post Company