Ortiz's 51st HR in 2006
From SoSH
Boston's designated hitter homered against Johan Santana in the first inning to pass Jimmie Foxx's team record of 50 set in 1938 and added his 52nd drive in the seventh on September 21st, 2006 against the Minnesota Twins.
The record-breaking homer came on the first pitch Ortiz saw from Santana, who tried to leave it outside but it tailed back in. It travelled 434 feet and the speed off of the bat was 109.8 mph
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Trivia
- The 50th HR ball was put up for charity auction by Ortiz after the game
- At the time of the record, only one major-league franchise currently had a single-season home run record that dated back further than that: the Athletics record dates back to 1932. And who holds that mark? None other than Foxx himself, who belted 58 homers for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1932.
- The homers also set the major league record by a designated hitter. He has 45, two more than he hit when he set the record last season.
- The 51st homerun ball was caught by Framingham State graduate Joel McGrath who did the right thing and gave the ball to David Ortiz.
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Quotes
- Johan Santana
- "I'm very proud of all he's accomplished in his career. It's unbelievable," said Santana (18-6), who came up in the Twins' system with Ortiz. "The only way I wasn't going to give up a home run to him was not to throw the ball."
- Gordon Edes
- The sounds of The Natural played over the ballpark PA system as Ortiz circled the bases, and ‘‘51’’ flashed repeatedly on the video scoreboard. In the pressbox, Terry Ryan, the Twins general manager who had elected not to offer Ortiz a contract four years earlier, which allowed him to sign with the Red Sox as a projected platoon player, watched, expressionless.
- David Ortiz
- Great feeling, especially doing it here at home in front of my fans
