Rumble, Young Manny, Rumble

The Young Machado continues to amaze. I had the pleasure of being in Chicago on Sunday as the Orioles’ superstar homered in his first three at-bats at U.S. Cellular Field to power a 10-2 victory. A good time was had by all wearing orange, and there were plenty of O’s fans there.

Back in the Orioles’ dark days, Ron Snyder wrote a wonderful column about attending Nick Markakis’ three-homer game in 2006 with his son. At a time when young fans had few memorable moments to connect with the team, Markakis’ effort proved meaningful for Snyder and his son.

The link to Snyder’s column is no longer active, so all I have to quote from that piece is this line: “In its purest form, baseball can still hold a special place in the hearts of frustrated Charm City residents.”

Snyder’s work was on my mind as I watched Manny Machado on Sunday. Things are much brighter in Birdland these days; regardless, it was still special to be there for a rare moment that has happened only 20 times before in team history.

My kids weren’t with me at the game as this past weekend’s trip to Chicago was a getaway with two good friends. I cut out of work early with one of those buddies back in 1999 in a failed attempt to see Cal Ripken’s 400th home run. (Read more about that in this Roar from 34 post.)

Whether it’s a milestone moment for an O’s legend in the twilight of his career or a rare accomplishment  for an emerging superstar, you never know when you might witness something special at the ballpark. As they say, can’t predict baseball.

Now, let’s consider some historical context.

Back in June I reviewed three-homer games at Camden Yards and Memorial Stadium. You can read that post in the Roar from 34 archives. This time around, I’m curious about youth and power in Baltimore.

These are my Manny Machado-inspired questions:

Question 1: Who was the youngest Orioles batter with a three-homer game?

Question 2: Who was the youngest Orioles batter with consecutive 30-homer seasons?

Question 1: Who was the youngest Orioles batter with a three-homer game?

Machado turned 24 in July. He’s practically an aged veteran when it comes to three-homer games in Baltimore. Boog Powell was the babe of the group.

• Boog Powell was a week shy of his 22nd birthday when had a three-homer game at age 21 in 1963.
• Nick Markakis was 22 when he powered a trio of long balls into the Camden Yards night in 2006.
• Eddie Murray’s first three-homer game came at age 23 in 1979.
• Curt Blefary was the same age as Murray for his own three-homer day at age 23 in 1967.

Question 2: Who was the youngest Orioles batter with consecutive 30-homer seasons?

Machado is a young pup, by comparison, when it comes to consecutive 30-homer seasons. The third baseman currently has 25 home runs and will presumably reach 30 barring injury or an unfathomable slump. That would make him the youngest Orioles batter to have consecutive 30-homer seasons.

Boog Powell stroked 39 home runs for the O’s at age 22 in 1964. He then had 34 homers two seasons later at age 24. However, there was a 17 home run season sandwiched in-between in 1965. Powell didn’t actually have consecutive 3o-homer seasons until his age 27 and age 28 seasons.

Eddie Murray, whose five seasons with 30 or more home runs is the most in club history, first topped 30 homers at age 24 in 1980. His first consecutive seasons of 30 homers came in his age 26 and age 27 seasons.

Rumble, Young Manny, Rumble.

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