Barry Bonds became the fifth player in baseball history to hit 60 home runs in a season, making the 60th hit in the second inning of San Francisco's game against Arizona on September 6, 2001. Bonds had never hit more than 49 homers in a season before this one. He joined Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa as the only players to hit 60 home runs or more.
Ever since Babe Ruth hit 60 homers to break his own record, the number has held almost mythical significance among baseball players and fans. All eyes were focused on the long ball again in 1998, when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa dueled through the entire summer to finish with Mark McGwire at 70 homers.
Barry Bonds, at the age of 37 years is the oldest player to reach hit number 60. Not only is he the oldest but he also did it in the fewest at-bats. September 6th homer came on his 411th at-bat this season. Mark McGwire was five days shy of his 36th birthday in 1998, and he needed 439 at-bats. Bonds has a 554 career total homers, nine behind Reggie Jackson for seventh place on baseball's career homers list.
Bonds hit his 60th homer in the Giants' 141st game, reaching the mark faster than the other four players. Mark McGwire, the previous fastest to hit 60, needed 142 games in 1998. That year he set the record with 70 home runs in a season.
