Tuffy Rhodes. We’ve all heard the name…but do you know why?
Of course you do.
On April 4, 1994, during a 12-8 loss to the New York Mets, Rhodes, a sometimes starting outfielder for the Chicago Cubs, connected on three home runs…all off Dwight Gooden. It was then, however, an Opening Day legend was born.
Rhodes, would hit five more home runs in the big leagues and fourteen months later, he would be out of the Major Leagues forever…nothing more than an answer to a trivia question.
Thankfully, that wasn’t the end of the road for Rhodes. In 1996, he’d head overseas…and a Japanese legend was born.
From 1996 to 2009, Rhodes would hit 464 home runs (good for 13th all-time) with a .286 batting average. Ten times he’d be named to the Nippon Pro Baseball All-Star Game and in 2001, he was award the Pacific League MVP. That same year, he’d best the legendary Sadaharu Oh’s single-season record of 55 home runs. For 12 years, he would be the Japanese equivalent of Roger Maris. In 2013, Wladimir Balentien would set the new record.
Despite posted a career best batting average, 2009 would be Rhodes’ last hurrah…but he wasn’t done.
In 2015, a 47-year-old Rhodes would emerge after a six-year layoff from professional baseball. He’d hit .315 with five home runs in 146 plate appearances for the independent Toyama Thunderbirds.
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