#27 09/17/84 – Anaheim Stadium - Reggie Jackson’s 500th Home Run

Before the steroid era hit, 500 home runs guaranteed your election into the Hall of Fame. Reggie Jackson hit his 500^th while in the thick of the pennant race, in a key game against the Kansas City Royals.

Reggie stepped up to the plate to lead off the seventh inning. The Royals’ Bud Black was pitching a dandy, and was leading 7-0. Reggie smashed Black’s first offering deep to right for #500 – 17 years to the day after he hit his first career home run. Unfortunately, it was the only run in a 10-1 loss to the Royals.

Reggie would ultimately hit 25 homers on the season, and the Angels would finish tied for 2^nd place - three games behind Kansas City. Reggie retired after the 1987 season with 563 home runs – 123 of them with the Angels.