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.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HSo2WuJE6s]Rhodes, would hit five more home runs in the big leagues and fourteen months later, he would be out of the Major Leagues…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, Rhodes, now 47-years old man, 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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