More 2001 Baseball Season Highlights

Below are more highlights of the 2001 baseball season, including Sammy Sosa's 64 homers and Tim Raines Sr. and Jr. appearing in the same game.

  • Rickey Henderson breaks Babe Ruth's walk record of 2,062 on April 24. He also collects his 3,000th hit on the season's final day.

  • Sammy Sosa of the Cubs smashes 64 homers and paces the majors with 146 runs and 160 RBI.

  • Colorado's Larry Walker captures his third batting crown in four years with a .350 mark.

  • Arizona's Curt Schilling wins 22 games to tie for the National League lead. He finishes second among National League hurlers in ERA (2.98) and strikeouts (293).

  • Cardinals ace Matt Morris wins 22 games to tie Schilling for the National League lead.

  • Seattle's Freddy Garcia leads the American League in ERA at 3.05.

  • Boston's Hideo Nomo paces the American League in strikeouts (220).

  • Nomo throws a no-hitter against the Orioles on April 4.

  • Oakland lefty Mark Mulder paces the American League in wins with 21.

  • Yankees closer Mariano Rivera collects a major league-leading 50 saves.

  • Colorado's Juan Pierre ties for the National League lead with 46 stolen bases.

  • Rookie shortstop Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies swipes 46 sacks to tie for the National League lead.

  • Luis Gonzalez of the Diamondbacks clubs 57 home runs, 26 more than he had previously hit in a season.

  • Todd Helton cracks .336 with 49 homers and 146 RBI, but the Rockies still finish last in the National League West.

  • St. Louis's Albert Pujols wins the National League 2001 ROTY Award and finishes fourth in MVP balloting.

  • Pujols rips .329 with 37 homers, 47 doubles, and 130 RBI.

  • Suzuki's 2001 MVP win over Oakland's Jason Giambi is one of the closest votes ever.

  • Giambi leads the American League in doubles (47), walks (129), on-base percentage (.477), and slugging (.660). He places second to Suzuki in batting (.342).

  • Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez leads the American League with 52 home runs (an major league record for a shortstop) and 133 runs scored.

  • Seattle second baseman Bret Boone leads the American League in RBI with 141.

  • Three icons of the 1980s and 1990s -- Tony Gwynn, McGwire, and Cal Ripken -- choose to retire.

  • Spending most of the year on the disabled list, Gwynn collects only 33 of his 3,141 career hits.

  • McGwire leaves the game with 583 home runs, fifth on the all-time list, but hits only .187 with 29 dingers in 2001.

  • Ripken retires with 3,184 hits, 14th all-time.

  • Florida's A.J. Burnett no-hits the Padres on May 12, walking nine men and plunking another in the process.

  • Cardinals rookie Bud Smith no-hits San Diego on September 3.

  • L.A.'s Shawn Green clubs 49 homers.

  • Juan Gonzalez of the Indians bats in 140 runs.

  • Baltimore's Tim Raines Sr. and Tim Raines Jr. appear in the same game on October 3, becoming the second father-son duo ever to do so (Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr.).

  • Milwaukee establishes a major league record by striking out 1,399 times. Three Brewers total at least 150 whiffs.

  • The Brewers draw 2,811,041 fans to new Miller Park, which features a retractable dome.

  • Pittsburgh's PNC Park also opens, but the Pirates finish at 62-100.

  • Colorado's Mike Hampton ties a National League pitcher record by bashing seven home runs. He bats .291 with a .582 slugging percentage.

  • Just 38-42 on July 1, the Athletics go 64-18 over their final 82 games and capture the American League wildcard.

  • Houston's Lance Berkman cracks .331-34-126 and leads the majors with 55 doubles.

  • Pittsburgh reserve Craig Wilson bombs seven pinch-hit homers to tie the all-time single-season record.

  • Dave Winfield and Kirby Puckett are elected to the Hall of Fame.

  • Two days after the World Series, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig announces plans to eliminate at least two small-market teams.

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