Ron Santo finished the season tied with Ted Williams for first place on the all-time home run lead with 618 career home runs, and has refused comment on whether he plans to come back next season and attempt to move into sole possession of first place. Santo filed for free agency after his contract with the Twins expired, but despite the fact that Santo will turn 40 before the 1980 season it is believed many teams would be interested in signing him, if for no other reason than the extra attention he will bring to the team as he attempts to move ahead of Williams.
Another Twin, Dan Graham led all players with 42 home runs, and his 42 home runs were the third highest total ever by a rookie.
One of the Twins best known sluggers, Don Mincher retired following the year with 433 career home runs in 13th place on the all-time home run list. Mincher spent 9 seasons with the Twins slugging 21 or more home runs in all but one of those seasons. In real life Mincher finished with 200 career home runs during a 13 year career.
Another member of the 400 home run club, Willie Stargell retired after the 1979 season. Stargell's 429 home runs are good for 17th place on the all-time list. Stargell played for the Pirates, Cubs, Dodgers, and Braves during his career, and hit a career high 44 home runs in 1970 playing for the Pirates. In real life Stargell was a Hall of Famer who smacked 475 career home runs during a 21 year career playing for the Pirates. His best season of 48 came in '71.
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Milestone Watch:
Ron Santo needs 1 home run to pass Ted Williams for the all-time home run lead.
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The 400 Club:
Players who reached the 400 club in OOTP and in real life(8):
Babe Ruth - 500 (715), Lou Gehrig - 482 (493), Jimmy Foxx - 537 (534), Ted Williams - 618 (521), Duke Snider - 400 (407), Frank Robinson - 543 (586),
Willie McCovey - 572 (521), Willie Stargell - 429 (475)
Players who reached the 400 club in real life, but not OOTP(10):
Mel Ott - 150 (511), Stan Musial - 73 (475), Willie Mays - 150 (660),
Mickey Mantle - 340 (536), Eddie Matthews - 190 (512),
Harmon Killebrew - 253 (573), Ernie Banks - 378 (512), Hank Aaron - 266 (755), Billy Williams - 252 (426), Carl Yastrzemski - 137 (452)
Active players of the 400 club and where they stand:
Reggie Jackson - 262 (563)
Mike Schmidt - 244 (548)
Dave Kingman - 170 (442)
Dave Winfield - 106 (465)
Eddie Murray - 106 (504)
Darrell Evans - 52 (414)
Andre Dawson - 35 (438)
Players who have not debuted yet:
19
Members of my 400 club who didn't hit 400 in real life (11):
Chuck Klein - 438 (300), Bill Dickey - 432 (202), Johnny Mize - 410 (359), Hal Trotsky - 432 (228), Ted Kluszewski - 514 (279), Roy Campanella - 438 (242), Bob Allison - 498 (256), Ron Santo - 618 (342), Don Mincher - 433 (200), Dick Allen - 432 (351), Dave Duncan - 438 (109)
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1979 Home Run Leaders
1) Dan Graham - MIN - 42
2) Mike Schmidt - PHI - 39
3) Oscar Gamble - CHN - 38
4) Eddie Murray - BAL - 38
5) Bob Horner - ATL - 37
6) Rusty Torres - NYY - 37
7) Greg Luzinski - CHA - 36
8) John Mayberry - PHI - 36
9) John Wockenfuss - DET - 35
10) Steve Kemp - DET - 33
1979 Rookie Home Run Leader:
Dan Graham - MIN - 42
1979 Team Home Run Leader:
Detroit Tigers - 200
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Single Season Home Run Leaders
1) Babe Ruth - NYY - 82 (1921)
2) Jim Gentile - LAD - 65 (1961)
3) Bill Nicholson - PHA - 62 (1940)
4) Chuck Klein - PHI - 56 (1929)
5) Babe Ruth - NYY - 55 (1922)
6) Gail Harris - SF - 55 (1957)
7) Roy Campanella - BRO - 55 (1950)
8) Duke Snider - BRO - 54 (1951)
9) Jim Gentile - LAD - 54 (1960)
10) Babe Ruth - NYY - 53 (1925)
11) Lou Gehrig - NYY - 53 (1930)
12) Ted Williams - BOS - 53 (1941)
13) Frank Robinson - CIN - 53 (1957)
14) Willie McCovey - SF - 53 (1964)
Rookie Home Run Record - Single Season
1) Chuck Klein - PHI - 47 (1928)
2) Dale Long - PIT - 43 (1952)
3) Dan Graham - MIN - 42 (1979)
4) Frank Robinson - CIN - 41 (1956)
5) Moose Skowron - NYY - 39 (1954)
6) Ted Williams - BOS - 38 (1939)
7) Daryl Spencer - NYG - 38 (1952)
8) Bob Allison - WAS - 36 (1958)
9) Gail Harris - NYG - 35 (1955)
10) Joe Hauser - PHA - 34 (1922)
11) Willie Kirkland - SF - 34 (1958)
12) Leon Wagner - SF - 34 (1958)
Single Season Team Home Run Leaders
1) Los Angeles Dodgers - 237 (1961)
2) Minnesota Twins - 237 (1962)
3) San Francisco Giants - 233 (1958)
4) Cleveland Indians - 233 (1962)
5) Minnesota Twins - 232 (1963)
6) Los Angeles Dodgers - 225 (1960)
7) Philadelphia Phillies - 219 (1973)
8) Chicago Cubs - 216 (1962)
9) Oakland Athletics - 214 (1977)
10) Los Angeles Dodgers - 211 (1957)
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Career Home Run Leaders
1) Ron Santo - 618 (1960-1979)
1) Ted Williams - 618 (1939-1961)
3) Willie McCovey - 572 (1959-1976)
4) Frank Robinson - 543 (1956-1974)
5) Jimmy Foxx - 537 (1926-1948)
6) Ted Kluszewski - 514 (1947-1960)
7) Babe Ruth - 500 (1914-1931)
8) Bob Allison - 498 (1958-1976)
9) Lou Gehrig - 482 (1924-1942)
10) Chuck Klein - 438 (1928-1944)
11) Roy Campanella - 438 (1948-1961)
12) Dave Duncan - 438 (1966-1979)
13) Don Mincher - 433 (1960-1978)
14) Dick Allen - 432 (1963-1979)
15) Bill Dickey - 432 (1928-1948)
16) Hal Trosky - 432 (1933-1953)
17) Willie Stargell - 429 (1962-1978)
18) Duke Snider - 411 (1947-1963)
19) Johnny Mize - 410 (1936-1953)
20) Bill Nicholson - 394 (1936-1952)