40-40 club
Encyclopedia
The 40–40 club is a baseball
term for players who have accumulated a total of 40 home run
s and 40 stolen base
s in a single season, similar to the much more common 30–30 club.
Becoming a member of the 40–40 club is an elusive achievement in modern American
baseball, as players who possess the power to hit 40 home runs and the speed to steal 40 bases in a season are rare. Generally a player gifted with the strength to hit 40 will not have nearly the speed needed to steal 40 bases, and vice versa. This remains true even as statistical trends change in baseball
— stolen base totals in the 1980s
were unusually high, but very few players reached 40 home runs; home run totals were extremely high in the late 1990s
, but stolen bases became more rare as the steal was a sparingly used tactic.
Only four professional players have achieved the requisite numbers for the 40–40 club, and none have done so more than once. Canseco, Bonds, and Rodriguez have since been linked to the use of performance enhancing drugs.
. It would take another 30 years for anyone else to approach the mark, as Willie Mays
did in 1957 with 36 home runs and 40 stolen bases. Bobby Bonds
was one home run away from becoming the founding member of the club in 1973
with 39 home runs and 43 stolen bases, but failed to hit a home run in any of the final twenty-one games of the season.
After Canseco became the first member of the club, Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle
was quoted as saying, "Hell, If I'd known 40-40 was going to be a big deal, I'd have done it every year!"
More recently, the 40–40 club nearly gained two new members in the same year. In 2002
, Vladimir Guerrero
of the Montreal Expos
and Alfonso Soriano
of the New York Yankees
were each just one home run short, with 39 homers each and 40 and 41 stolen bases, respectively. In 2004
, Carlos Beltran
was two home runs shy as he hit 38 and collected 43 steals, splitting the season between the Kansas City Royals
and Houston Astros
. In 2011
, Matt Kemp
came up one home run shy, as he hit 39 and stole 40 bases.
The phrase "50–50 club" can also refer to two combinations which have been achieved:
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
term for players who have accumulated a total of 40 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 40 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in a single season, similar to the much more common 30–30 club.
Becoming a member of the 40–40 club is an elusive achievement in modern American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
baseball, as players who possess the power to hit 40 home runs and the speed to steal 40 bases in a season are rare. Generally a player gifted with the strength to hit 40 will not have nearly the speed needed to steal 40 bases, and vice versa. This remains true even as statistical trends change in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
— stolen base totals in the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
were unusually high, but very few players reached 40 home runs; home run totals were extremely high in the late 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, but stolen bases became more rare as the steal was a sparingly used tactic.
Only four professional players have achieved the requisite numbers for the 40–40 club, and none have done so more than once. Canseco, Bonds, and Rodriguez have since been linked to the use of performance enhancing drugs.
| Year | Player | Team | HR | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 1988 in baseball See also: 1988 Major League Baseball season-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Oakland Athletics ; Orel Hershiser, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Dennis Eckersley... |
José Canseco José Canseco José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco... |
Oakland Athletics Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum.... |
42 | 40 |
| 1996 1996 in baseball -Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves ; John Wetteland, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Bernie Williams**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Javy López... |
Barry Bonds Barry Bonds Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds... |
San Francisco Giants San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division.... |
42 | 40 |
| 1998 1998 in baseball -Headline events of the year:*Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Greg Vaughn all hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break and engage in a historic chase for Roger Maris's single-season record of 61 home runs... |
Alex Rodriguez Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best... |
Seattle Mariners Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July... |
42 | 46 |
| 2006 2006 in baseball -Headline Event of the Year:*The 2006 World Baseball Classic final 4 teams are Japan, Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic, with the United States at 3–3 failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Under the leadership of manager Sadaharu Oh and veterans Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan ... |
Alfonso Soriano Alfonso Soriano Alfonso Guilleard Soriano is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs.... |
Washington Nationals Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium... |
46 | 41 |
Near-misses
The first player to approach the mark was Ken Williams in 1922, with 39 home runs and 37 stolen bases, making him the first player to reach the 30-30 club30-30 club
The 30–30 club is a grouping of Major League Baseball players who have reached the 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases plateaus in the same season....
. It would take another 30 years for anyone else to approach the mark, as Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
did in 1957 with 36 home runs and 40 stolen bases. Bobby Bonds
Bobby Bonds
Bobby Lee Bonds was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball from to , primarily with the San Francisco Giants...
was one home run away from becoming the founding member of the club in 1973
1973 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Oakland Athletics over New York Mets ; Reggie Jackson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 24 at Royals Stadium: National League, 7–1; Bobby Bonds, MVP-Other champions:...
with 39 home runs and 43 stolen bases, but failed to hit a home run in any of the final twenty-one games of the season.
After Canseco became the first member of the club, Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
was quoted as saying, "Hell, If I'd known 40-40 was going to be a big deal, I'd have done it every year!"
More recently, the 40–40 club nearly gained two new members in the same year. In 2002
2002 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Anaheim Angels*Postseason - October 1 to October 27Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
, Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Alvino Guerrero is a free agent Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter.In , he was voted the American League MVP...
of the Montreal Expos
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
and Alfonso Soriano
Alfonso Soriano
Alfonso Guilleard Soriano is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs....
of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
were each just one home run short, with 39 homers each and 40 and 41 stolen bases, respectively. In 2004
2004 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*The Boston Red Sox win their first World Series since , ending the Curse of the Bambino.*With 262 hits, Ichiro Suzuki of the Mariners breaks George Sisler's record of 257. Suzuki also sets the record for most singles in a season, with 225.*2004 also marked the final...
, Carlos Beltran
Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Iván Beltrán is a Major League Baseball outfielder.-Early life:In his youth, Beltrán excelled in many sports, with volleyball and baseball being his favorites. At his father's urging, he gave up volleyball to concentrate on baseball when he was seventeen...
was two home runs shy as he hit 38 and collected 43 steals, splitting the season between the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
and Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. In 2011
2011 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:December*December 5: Last time to outright a player prior to the Rule 5 Draft – 5 p.m. ET.*December 7: Last date for player who declared free agency to accept an arbitration offer from former club...
, Matt Kemp
Matt Kemp
Matthew Ryan "Matt" Kemp is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers.Kemp was drafted by the Dodgers in the 6th round of the 2003 draft and made his major league debut in 2006...
came up one home run shy, as he hit 39 and stole 40 bases.
50–50 club
Given the rarity of the 40–40 club, a player reaching the 50–50 mark in home runs and stolen bases would break new ground in baseball history and establish a new high-water mark for power/speed talent. Since the 50-home run season became more common in the late 1990s and early 21st century — variously due to improvements in physical training, improvements in swing mechanics, expansion, and the use of 5th starters — the first part of the 50–50 plateau may be more easily attained. At the same time, stolen base totals are down leaguewide. As with most 30–30 and 40–40 seasons, a player would have to remain nearly injury-free during the year. Most such seasons have been attained with a minimum of 150 games played out of a typical 162-game schedule.- Only Eric Davis (19871987 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Minnesota Twins over St. Louis Cardinals ; Frank Viola, MVP**American League Championship Series: Gary Gaetti, MVP**National League Championship Series: Jeff Leonard, MVP...
) and Barry BondsBarry BondsBarry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
(1990)1990 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics ; José Rijo, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series co-MVPs: Rob Dibble and Randy Myers...
stole at least 50 bases in their 30–30 seasons. (The player who has come closest to reaching 50–50 is Alex RodriguezAlex RodriguezAlexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
, noted above.) - Barry BondsBarry BondsBarry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
and Brady AndersonBrady AndersonBrady Kevin Anderson is an American former outfielder with the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball...
are the only players to record both a 50-homer season and a 50-steal season during their careers. Bonds had 52 steals in 19901990 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics ; José Rijo, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series co-MVPs: Rob Dibble and Randy Myers...
and hit 73 homers in 20012001 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Arizona Diamondbacks*Postseason - October 9 to November 4Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
. Anderson had 53 steals in 19921992 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves ; Pat Borders, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Roberto Alomar*National League Championship Series MVP: John Smoltz...
and 50 home runs in 19961996 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves ; John Wetteland, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Bernie Williams**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Javy López...
.
The phrase "50–50 club" can also refer to two combinations which have been achieved:
- The 50 stolen bases and 50 doubles club, which has two members, Tris SpeakerTris SpeakerTristram E. Speaker , nicknamed "Spoke" and "The Grey Eagle", was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball, he compiled a career batting average of .345 , and still holds the record of 792 career doubles...
in 19121912 in baseball-Champions:*World Series: Boston Red Sox over New York Giants -Awards and honors:*Chalmers Award**Tris Speaker, Boston Red Sox, OF** Larry Doyle, New York Giants, 2B-MLB statistical leaders:-American League final standings:...
and Craig BiggioCraig BiggioCraig Alan Biggio is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, catcher, and outfielder. He played his entire 20-year baseball career with the Houston Astros . He ranks 21st all-time with 3,060 career hits, and is the ninth player in the 3000 hit club to get all his hits with the same team. He...
in 19981998 in baseball-Headline events of the year:*Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Greg Vaughn all hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break and engage in a historic chase for Roger Maris's single-season record of 61 home runs...
. - The 50 home runs and 50 doubles club. In 1995, Albert BelleAlbert BelleAlbert Jojuan Belle is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Baltimore Orioles...
became the first and still only player in the history of the major leagues to hit 50 homers and 50 doubles in the same season, but only stole 5 bases.