50th Home Run: team game number and dates. Will Aaron Judge join the earliest?

Aaron Judge has hit 46 Home Runs (HR) through his Yankee team's first 116 (72-44) games. Judge hit 52 HR in his 2017 rookie season and seems a lock to hit at least 50 HR in 2022 and should challenge the Yankee and American League records. Yankee records:

Babe Ruth: 60 in the 154 game schedule

Roger Maris: 61 in the 162 game schedule; there was never an asterisk (*)

Aaron Judge: where will his 2022 Home Runs rank among 50 homer seasons by HR Rate (AB/HR) percent above league? Friday, August 12, 2022

Stop staring at Batting Average and Home Runs. Look at their percentage above the league. Sunday, January 30, 2022

We baseball fans are simple. That's a euphemism for stupid. We stare at numbers and marvel at them even when they are completely lacking context. The two traditional stats stared at the most are:

Batting Average: Hits divided by At Bats (AB).

Home Runs: uh, that's it. Just a total. Not even a simple average or rate like AB divided by HR to get the common sense stat of the average number of AB to hit a homer. Some may prefer using Plate Appearances (PA), which is mostly AB + Bases on Balls (BB) also known as Walks. The idea is the same.

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So, in keeping with the simple approach and staring at HR total, here are most 50 HR seasons first sorted by the month and day then by HR and year. They contain the date and team game number when the 50th HR was hit. The tables include every season of at least 54 HR plus a few more, usually when a player hit 50 HR more than once ... plus Willie Mays and Jim Thome.

50th Tgame is the game number of the player's team, NOT the number of games played by the player.

#yr is the HR total after that game; in some cases it is the second of two HR; usually 50; Ryan Howard hit three HR in that game, the first was #50, so his total was 52

#gm: the player may have hit HR #49 and #50 in the same game; if so, this field contains 2

Note: Because of the events of 9/11/2001, MLB did not play again until 9/17/2001. Players below for 2001 have dates that are about a week later than they otherwise might be.

Sorted by MMDD:

qryHomeRunLog50th	50th
Player	Tgame	MMDD	theYear	#car	#yr	HR	Pitcher	theDate	#gm	Player
Barry Bonds	117	08-11	2001	544	50	73	Joe Borowski	Sat, Aug 11, 2001	1	Barry Bonds
Mark McGwire	125	08-20	1998	437	50	70	Willie Blair	Thu, Aug 20, 1998	1	Mark McGwire
Sammy Sosa	121	08-21	1999	323	51	63	John Thomson	Sat, Aug 21, 1999	1	Sammy Sosa
Roger Maris	125	08-22	1961	147	50	61	Ken McBride	Tue, Aug 22, 1961	1	Roger Maris
Mark McGwire	124	08-22	1999	507	50	65	Jeff Tam	Sun, Aug 22, 1999	2	Mark McGwire
Sammy Sosa	130	08-23	1998	257	51	66	Jose Lima	Sun, Aug 23, 1998	1	Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa	130	08-26	2001	436	51	64	Dustin Hermanson	Sun, Aug 26, 2001	1	Sammy Sosa
Giancarlo Stanton	129	08-27	2017	258	50	59	Clayton Richard	Sun, Aug 27, 2017	1	Giancarlo Stanton
Luis Gonzales	132	08-29	2001	214	50	57	Kirk Rueter	Wed, Aug 29, 2001	1	Luis Gonzales
Jimmie Foxx	135	09-03	1932	166	51	58	Gordon Rhodes	Sat, Sep 3, 1932	1	Jimmie Foxx
Babe Ruth	125	09-03	1921	153	50	59	Harry Courtney	Sat, Sep 3, 1921	1	Babe Ruth
Mickey Mantle	135	09-03	1961	370	51	54	Gerry Staley	Sun, Sep 3, 1961	2	Mickey Mantle
Ryan Howard	136	09-03	2006	74	52	58	Tim Hudson	Sun, Sep 3, 2006	1	Ryan Howard
Alex Rodriguez	139	09-05	2002	291	50	57	Jason Johnson	Thu, Sep 5, 2002	2	Alex Rodriguez
Ken Griffey	141	09-07	1997	288	50	56	Bob Tewksbury	Sun, Sep 7, 1997	1	Ken Griffey
Ken Griffey	142	09-07	1998	344	50	56	Jimmy Key	Mon, Sep 7, 1998	2	Ken Griffey
Alex Rodriguez	142	09-08	2007	514	51	54	Brian Bannister	Sat, Sep 8, 2007	1	Alex Rodriguez
Mark McGwire	145	09-10	1997	379	50	58	Shawn Estes	Wed, Sep 10, 1997	1	Mark McGwire
Babe Ruth	137	09-11	1927	406	50	60	Milt Gaston	Sun, Sep 11, 1927	1	Babe Ruth
Hank Greenberg	134	09-12	1938	165	50	58	Jack Knott	Mon, Sep 12, 1938	1	Hank Greenberg
Mark McGwire	150	09-14	1996	327	50	52	Chad Ogea	Sat, Sep 14, 1996	1	Mark McGwire
Babe Ruth	140	09-15	1928	466	50	54	General Crowder	Sat, Sep 15, 1928	1	Babe Ruth
Hack Wilson	145	09-15	1930	187	50	56	Phil Collins	Mon, Sep 15, 1930	1	Hack Wilson
Sammy Sosa	148	09-16	2000	386	50	50	Gene Stechschulte	Sat, Sep 16, 2000	1	Sammy Sosa
Mickey Mantle	145	09-18	1956	171	50	52	Billy Pierce	Tue, Sep 18, 1956	1	Mickey Mantle
Ralph Kiner	143	09-19	1949	164	50	54	Kirby Higbe	Mon, Sep 19, 1949	1	Ralph Kiner
Willie Mays	149	09-20	1955	115	50	51	Vern Law	Tue, Sep 20, 1955	1	Willie Mays
David Ortiz	152	09-20	2006	227	50	54	Boof Bonser	Wed, Sep 20, 2006	1	David Ortiz
Jose Bautista	152	09-23	2010	109	50	54	Felix Hernandez	Thu, Sep 23, 2010	1	Jose Bautista
Babe Ruth	148	09-24	1920	99	50	54	Jose Acosta	Fri, Sep 24, 1920	1	Babe Ruth
Jim Thome	158	09-25	2002	332	50	52	Rick Reed	Wed, Sep 25, 2002	2	Jim Thome
Willie Mays	155	09-25	1965	503	50	52	Bob Sadowski	Sat, Sep 25, 1965	1	Willie Mays
Alex Rodriguez	154	09-28	2001	239	50	52	Ismael Valdez	Fri, Sep 28, 2001	1	Alex Rodriguez
Jimmie Foxx	148	10-01	1938	429	50	50	Johnny Murphy	Sat, Oct 1, 1938	2	Jimmie Foxx
Player	Tgame	MMDD	theYear	#car	#yr	HR	Pitcher	theDate	#gm	Player
	50th

Sorted by total HR, then year:

qryHomeRunLog50th	50th
Player	Tgame	MMDD	theYear	#car	#yr	HR	Pitcher	theDate	#gm	Player
Barry Bonds	117	08-11	2001	544	50	73	Joe Borowski	Sat, Aug 11, 2001	1	Barry Bonds
Mark McGwire	125	08-20	1998	437	50	70	Willie Blair	Thu, Aug 20, 1998	1	Mark McGwire
Sammy Sosa	130	08-23	1998	257	51	66	Jose Lima	Sun, Aug 23, 1998	1	Sammy Sosa
Mark McGwire	124	08-22	1999	507	50	65	Jeff Tam	Sun, Aug 22, 1999	2	Mark McGwire
Sammy Sosa	130	08-26	2001	436	51	64	Dustin Hermanson	Sun, Aug 26, 2001	1	Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa	121	08-21	1999	323	51	63	John Thomson	Sat, Aug 21, 1999	1	Sammy Sosa
Roger Maris	125	08-22	1961	147	50	61	Ken McBride	Tue, Aug 22, 1961	1	Roger Maris
Babe Ruth	137	09-11	1927	406	50	60	Milt Gaston	Sun, Sep 11, 1927	1	Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth	125	09-03	1921	153	50	59	Harry Courtney	Sat, Sep 3, 1921	1	Babe Ruth
Giancarlo Stanton	129	08-27	2017	258	50	59	Clayton Richard	Sun, Aug 27, 2017	1	Giancarlo Stanton
Jimmie Foxx	135	09-03	1932	166	51	58	Gordon Rhodes	Sat, Sep 3, 1932	1	Jimmie Foxx
Hank Greenberg	134	09-12	1938	165	50	58	Jack Knott	Mon, Sep 12, 1938	1	Hank Greenberg
Mark McGwire	145	09-10	1997	379	50	58	Shawn Estes	Wed, Sep 10, 1997	1	Mark McGwire
Ryan Howard	136	09-03	2006	74	52	58	Tim Hudson	Sun, Sep 3, 2006	1	Ryan Howard
Luis Gonzales	132	08-29	2001	214	50	57	Kirk Rueter	Wed, Aug 29, 2001	1	Luis Gonzales
Alex Rodriguez	139	09-05	2002	291	50	57	Jason Johnson	Thu, Sep 5, 2002	2	Alex Rodriguez
Hack Wilson	145	09-15	1930	187	50	56	Phil Collins	Mon, Sep 15, 1930	1	Hack Wilson
Ken Griffey	141	09-07	1997	288	50	56	Bob Tewksbury	Sun, Sep 7, 1997	1	Ken Griffey
Ken Griffey	142	09-07	1998	344	50	56	Jimmy Key	Mon, Sep 7, 1998	2	Ken Griffey
Babe Ruth	148	09-24	1920	99	50	54	Jose Acosta	Fri, Sep 24, 1920	1	Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth	140	09-15	1928	466	50	54	General Crowder	Sat, Sep 15, 1928	1	Babe Ruth
Ralph Kiner	143	09-19	1949	164	50	54	Kirby Higbe	Mon, Sep 19, 1949	1	Ralph Kiner
Mickey Mantle	135	09-03	1961	370	51	54	Gerry Staley	Sun, Sep 3, 1961	2	Mickey Mantle
David Ortiz	152	09-20	2006	227	50	54	Boof Bonser	Wed, Sep 20, 2006	1	David Ortiz
Alex Rodriguez	142	09-08	2007	514	51	54	Brian Bannister	Sat, Sep 8, 2007	1	Alex Rodriguez
Jose Bautista	152	09-23	2010	109	50	54	Felix Hernandez	Thu, Sep 23, 2010	1	Jose Bautista
Mickey Mantle	145	09-18	1956	171	50	52	Billy Pierce	Tue, Sep 18, 1956	1	Mickey Mantle
Willie Mays	155	09-25	1965	503	50	52	Bob Sadowski	Sat, Sep 25, 1965	1	Willie Mays
Mark McGwire	150	09-14	1996	327	50	52	Chad Ogea	Sat, Sep 14, 1996	1	Mark McGwire
Alex Rodriguez	154	09-28	2001	239	50	52	Ismael Valdez	Fri, Sep 28, 2001	1	Alex Rodriguez
Jim Thome	158	09-25	2002	332	50	52	Rick Reed	Wed, Sep 25, 2002	2	Jim Thome
Willie Mays	149	09-20	1955	115	50	51	Vern Law	Tue, Sep 20, 1955	1	Willie Mays
Jimmie Foxx	148	10-01	1938	429	50	50	Johnny Murphy	Sat, Oct 1, 1938	2	Jimmie Foxx
Sammy Sosa	148	09-16	2000	386	50	50	Gene Stechschulte	Sat, Sep 16, 2000	1	Sammy Sosa
Player	Tgame	MMDD	theYear	#car	#yr	HR	Pitcher	theDate	#gm	Player
	50th

When will Aaron Judge join on his way past 54 HR?

60 Home Runs in 154 games: Ruth yes. Maris no. Bonds, McGwire, Sosa? Monday, June 12, 2017