One late-inning swing reshaped the all-time leaderboard and sparked an unforgettable clubhouse celebration.
Pinch-hitting to lead off the bottom of the ninth on June 23, 2012, 41-year-old Jim Thome launched a game-winning homer to lift the Phillies over Tampa Bay, 7-6. The blast gave Thome his 13th career walk-off home run, breaking a tie with Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Jimmie Foxx, Stan Musial, Frank Robinson, and Albert Pujols for the most in major league history. Even more fitting, the historic swing came after Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon promised Thome $5,000 if he could bail him out with a homer after blowing the save.
🕵️ Inside The Original Newspaper Coverage:
The homer moved Thome beside another legendary slugger.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel celebrated more than just a dramatic victory.
Papelbon backed up his dugout promise with real cash.
Thome appreciated one key detail about the clubhouse pie.
🕵️ Replay Today: May 9, 1976
See one original newspaper page giving a snapshot of baseball as fans saw it that day.
box scores, standings, and leader boards
Willie Mays breaks up a masterpiece
Juan Marichal completes a masterpiece
Phillies continued to plummet
The Original Newspaper Coverage is Just Below
These are the exact pages fans read the next day. Start your 7-day free trial to see them now.