What Mets star was the first major leaguer to hit two grand slam homers in one day, in 1999?

alaskaron

Robin Ventura Mar 20 06, 2:16 AM

ramrod24

what about Jim Gentile...May 9, 1961...grand slams in consecutive innings for Baltimore against Minnesota being the first major leaguer to hit two slams the same day? Never played for the Mets though... Mar 20 06, 6:27 AM

robboy

Actually, the first major leaguer to do that goes much farther back. Ventura's feat was during a double header, in which he hit a salami in BOTH games, not two in one game. However, he'd already hit two in one game previous to that feat (see below) On May 20, 1999 (Game 1 / Game 2), Robin Ventura, who hit two during the same game on September 4, 1995, became the first and only player to hit one grand slam during each end of a doubleheader. Here's a list of all major leaguers to accomplish the two in one game feat: League Players in Chronological Order: Name Position Team Date / Box Inning Tony Lazzeri 2B New York 05-24-1936 2nd 5th Jim Tabor 3B Boston 07-04-1939 3rd 6th Rudy York 1B Boston 07-27-1946 2nd 5th Jim Gentile 1B Baltimore 05-09-1961 1st 2nd Jim Northrup RF Detroit 06-24-1968 5th 6th Frank Robinson RF Baltimore 06-26-1970 5th 6th Robin Ventura 3B Chicago 09-04-1995 4th 5th Chris Hoiles C Baltimore 08-14-1998 3rd 8th Nomar Garciaparra SS Boston 05-10-1999 1st 8th Bill Mueller 3B Boston 07-29-2003 7th 8th Tony Cloninger P Atlanta 07-03-1966 1st 4th Fernando Tatis 3B St. Louis 04-23-1999 3rd 3rd Mar 20 06, 8:41 AM

mementoflash

So Fernando Tatis hit two grand slams in the same inning! Mar 20 06, 9:31 AM

robboy

That's the way I read the box score also. Looks like Chan Ho Park was having a really bad hair day, as Tatis' last homer prompted a pitching change. http://baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=199904230LAN Mar 20 06, 12:44 PM

robboy

Interesting that Tatis holds the distinction of being the only major leaguer to do that. Similarly, Bill Mueller (Boston) remains the sole person to hit two from both sides of the plate, in the same game, July 29, '03. What I'm wondering is why so many more American than National League, overall. Mar 20 06, 12:52 PM