Sept. 30, 1927

When Babe Ruth hit his 50th homer on September 11 he talked of breaking his 1921 record of 59, even though there were just 17 games left in the season. With nine games remaining, Babe still needed seven. With four games left, he needed four, but then he belted three homers in two games, including two grand slams.

In the eighth inning of today's next-to-last game of the season, Babe crushes a pitch from Washington left-hander Tom Zachary down the right-field line at Yankee Stadium, just fair, for No. 60. While Zachary yells, "Foul ball! Foul ball!" and argues with the umpire, Babe makes a regal tour of the bases, jogging around slowly to the joy of some 10,000 fans. His two-run homer gives the Yankees a 4-2 victory. In the clubhouse after the game, Babe whoops it up over his breaking the record.

Babe, who walked a major-league leading 138 times, hits his 60 homers in 540 at-bats, a rate of one homer every nine at-bats. His 60 homers are more than any of the other seven American League teams hit that season. He drives in 164 runs, second in the majors to teammate Lou Gehrig, who has 175 RBI and 47 homers.