Williams sets mark with second three-homer game of 1957

Written by: Craig Muder

By his 16th season in the big leagues, Ted Williams was already deeply etched into the MLB record book and well on his way to Cooperstown. But a home run outburst like the one he authored on June 13, 1957, still had the power to thrill the Splendid Splinter. That day, Williams hit three home runs against the Indians at Cleveland Stadium in a 9-3 Red Sox win. It marked the second time that season Williams posted a three-home run game following his trio of long balls against the White Sox on May 8. Williams thus became the first player in American League history with multiple three-homer games in the same season. “I can hardly believe that’s a record,” Williams told the Associated Press after the game.

Only two players had previously notched two three-homer games in one season: Johnny Mize of the Cardinals, who did it in both 1938 and 1940; and Ralph Kiner of the Pirates in 1947. Williams’ homers on June 13, 1957, came against two future Hall of Famers: Early Wynn, who started the game for the Indians and gave up Williams’ first two blasts; and Bob Lemon, who was making his first appearance since May 24 due to an injured leg muscle. “(I) figured there was no better way to figure out if I was ready (than to face Williams),” Lemon told the AP after the game. “The answer came quick, didn’t it? “Got myself in the record book with Williams, though.”

Wynn, however, was not as pleased as Lemon.

“He’d never had the chance if those pitches in the strike zone had been called strikes,” said Wynn, a legendarily intense competitor.

The home plate umpire that day was also a future Hall of Famer: Nestor Chylak.

Williams’ three-homer game against the Indians gave him 17 home runs for the year en route to a .388 batting average and 38 long balls for the season – all coming in his age-38 campaign. His OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging average) that year of 1.257 is the 10th-best in any season all-time.

Williams, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1966, passed away on July 5, 2002.