On August 11, 1929 New York Yankee Babe Ruth was the first ever player in Major League Baseball history to hit 500 home runs. The game took place in Cleveland, OH at League Park VI. The pitcher that gave up this historic home run was Willis Hudlin of the Cleveland Indians. Ruth went 2-4 with 2 runs and 1 RBI. The Yankees would end up losing the game by a score of 6-5.
Babe Ruth ended his career with 714 home runs when he retired in 1935. His record would stand until Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run in 1974. Aaron (755) and the current career home run leader Barry Bonds (762) are the only players to surpass Ruth’s record.
In the history of baseball only twenty-five men have hit 500 or more home runs in their career. Fifteen of those players are in the Baseball Hall Of Fame. The last player to reach this milestone was Gary Sheffield on April 17, 2009.