On This Day in Sports: April 30, 1961
On April 30, 1961, Willie Mays hit four home runs as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Milwaukee Braves, 14-4, at County Stadium. Mays became only the ninth major-league player to homer four times in one game. His performance produced eight runs batted in and 16 total bases, a complete exhibition of compact power from one of baseball’s most versatile stars.
Mays homered in the first, third, sixth and eighth innings. The drives came against Lew Burdette and Seth Morehead, spreading damage across the afternoon rather than arriving in one brief rally. Teammate Orlando Cepeda also homered, and San Francisco built a lead that removed any suspense from the score while increasing anticipation for every Mays plate appearance.
The feat followed an unusual pregame adjustment. Mays had borrowed a lighter bat from teammate Joey Amalfitano after struggling at the plate. Whether the bat made the difference or simply freed his timing, Mays produced one of the greatest power games in major-league history and then returned the borrowed equipment with a story attached to it forever.
Mays finished his career with 660 home runs, two Most Valuable Player awards and a reputation for excelling in every phase of the game. The four-homer afternoon captures only one dimension of that greatness, but it does so vividly. Four swings left the park, eight runners scored and a routine April game became inseparable from the name Willie Mays.
San Francisco beat Milwaukee 14-4.
Mays hit four home runs.
He drove in eight runs.
The performance produced 16 total bases.
Mays used a lighter borrowed bat.
He finished his career with 660 home runs.
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