A Major League benchmark for a truly great offensive season lasted nearly a century and was the attainment of thirty home runs and thirty stolen bases (30-30 Club).
On September 23, 1988, an all-time plateau was reached by Jose Canseco who set the new benchmark for power & speed, crushing forty-two home runs and swiping forty bases during the same season (1988). The elite 40-40 Club, research by Baseball Almanac.
"That's very amazing for me, because there's a lot of players that can play this game. That's an amazing number. I'm proud of myself that I did 40-40 this year. When I slid, I saw the fans screaming. When I was safe, I said, 'I did it.' I'm so happy. I was thinking about my family. I'm glad they could see me do 40-40. I knew he threw a fastball up. At the last moment, I said, 'What happened?' I didn't see anyone catch the ball." - Soriano, Alfonso. Ladson, Bill. MLB Staff Writer. 17 September 2006.
40-40 ClubAmerican League Players Who Are Members of the 40-40-Club |
||||||||
AL | MLB | 40-40 Players | Team | Roster | POS | 40th HR | 40th SB | HRs | SBs |
1. | 1. | Jose Canseco | 1988 Athletics | RF | 09-18-1988 | 09-23-1988 | 42 | 40 |
2. | 3. | Alex Rodriguez | 1998 Mariners | SS | 09-19-1998 | 09-05-1998 | 42 | 46 |
AL | MLB | 40-40 Players | Team | Roster | POS | 40th HR | 40th SB | HRs | SBs |
40-40 ClubNational League Players Who Are Members of the 40-40-Club |
||||||||
NL | MLB | 40-40 Players | Team | Roster | POS | 40th HR | 40th SB | HRs | SBs |
1. | 2. | Barry Bonds | 1996 Giants | LF | 09-16-1996 | 09-27-1996 | 42 | 40 |
2. | 4. | Alfonso Soriano | 2006 Nationals | LF | 08-19-2006 | 09-16-2006 | 46 | 41 |
3. | 5. | Ronald Acuña Jr. | 2023 Braves | RF | 09-22-2023 | 07-03-2023 | 41 | 73 |
NL | MLB | 40-40 Players | Team | Roster | POS | 40th HR | 40th SB | HRs | SBs |
40-40 Club | 30-30 Club | Research by Baseball Almanac |
In December 1999, the first ever 40-40 autograph show was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey — bring back another for fans soon please. Agree? Disagee? Who will be the sixth player in baseball history to join? Share your opinions with us on our Baseball Almanac Facebook Group, on Baseball Almanac Twitter, via Baseball Almanac Messenger, or our baseball forum — Baseball Fever.
Alex Rodriguez is the only infielder in the 40-40 Club and one of the few shortstops who ever made it into the 30-30 Club. A-Rod was the only member of the 40-40 Club who reached 40 stolen bases before hitting 40 home runs, a feat duplicated in 2023 by Ronald Acuña Jr..
Did you know that Jose Canseco won the American League Most Valuable Player Award for the season (1988) that he started this new club? By comparison, in the seasons that they became members of the 40-40 Club, Barry Bonds finished fifth in the 1996 National League MVP voting, Alex Rodriguez finished ninth in the 1998 American League MVP voting, and Alfonso Soriano finished sixth in the 2006 National League MVP voting.