Sports History

Harmon Killebrew, nicknamed "Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon," was a feared slugger who spent most of his 22-year career with the Minnesota Twins. Drafted by the Washington Senators at 17, his power hitting eventually made him the American League's all-time home run leader for right-handed batters by the time he retired in 1975.

Killebrew was known for his towering home runs and amassed an impressive resume:

573 career home runs (12th all-time at retirement)
8 seasons with 40 or more home runs (second only to Babe Ruth in the AL)
6-time American League home run leader
3-time American League RBI leader
1969 American League Most Valuable Player Award
Though a quiet man off the field, Killebrew's bat spoke volumes. He helped lead the Twins to the postseason three times and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.
Born June 29, 1936, in Payette, Idaho, was Baseball Hall of Fame First base and Utility man Harmon Killebrew. Harmon was a thirteen-time MLB All-Star; AL MVP 1969; and a six-time AL Home Run leader during his illustrious career in baseball. He played on the rosters of the Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins. The man could make the ball find the back of the fence, Killebrew had the fifth-most home runs in major league history at the time of his retirement. He was second only to Babe Ruth in American League (AL) home runs, and was the AL career leader in home runs by a right-handed batter. Harmon was known for both the frequency and distance of his homers. He hit the longest home runs ever recorded at Minnesota's Metropolitan Stadium [520 ft (160 m)], and Baltimore's Memorial Stadium [471 ft (144 m)], and was the first of four players to hit a ball over the left field roof at Detroit's Tiger Stadium.

The ThisDayinBseball.com website provides dozens of June 3 events including these gems:
1888 - The first publication of Ernest L. Thayer’s poem Casey at the Bat appears in the San Francisco Examiner.
1907 - Stoney McGlynn of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches both games in a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds
1918 - Dutch Leonard, facing only 28 batters, tosses his second career no-hitter.
1925 - Eddie Collins of the Chicago White Sox collects his 3,000th hit.
1937 - Josh Gibson is credited with a drive that hits just two feet below the rim of Yankee Stadium.
1967 - Harmon Killebrew 503 foot homerun the longest home run ever hit in Metropolitan Stadiu

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The BaseballAlmanac.com shares some May 31 gems of the diamond such as:
1948 - A lefthander for Schenectady (Canadian-American League) named Tom Lasorda strikes out 25 in a 15-inning game against Amsterdam.
1964 - After Juan Marichal's 5-3, first-game win, San Francisco holds a 6-1 lead in the nightcap until New York rallies for five runs to tie it in the seventh.
These and more including a piece about Hank Aaron, Harmon Killebrew, Robin Yount and more