May 13, 1983 – Reggie Jackson became the first MLB player to strikeout 2,000 times

Reggie Jackson played 21 seasons and reached the post-season in 11 of them, winning six pennants and five World Series. His accomplishments include winning both the regular-season and World Series MVP awards in 1973, hitting 563 career home runs (sixth all-time at the time of his retirement), maintaining a .490 career slugging percentage, being named to 14 All-Star teams, and the dubious distinction of being the all-time leader in strikeouts with 2,597 (he finished with 13 more career strikeouts than hits). Jackson was the first major leaguer to hit one hundred home runs for three different clubs, having hit over 100 for the Athletics, Yankees, and Angels.

Jackson was the first player to reach the 2,000 strikeout plateau, in 2003 he finally had company when Andrés Galarraga joined the “club” and Sammy Sosa made it a trio in 2004.

“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.” – Babe Ruth

Feb. 7, 1949 – Joe DiMaggio signed the first six-figure contract in MLB history

Joe DiMaggio signed a contract with the New York Yankees that was worth $100,000.

DiMaggio played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak (May 15 – July 16, 1941), a record that still stands.

DiMaggio was a three-time MVP winner and an All-Star in each of his 13 seasons. During his tenure with the Yankees, the club won ten American League pennants and nine World Series championships.

After a poor 1951 season, and various injuries, DiMaggio announced his retirement on December 11, 1951:

“I feel like I have reached the stage where I can no longer produce for my club, my manager, and my teammates. I had a poor year, but even if I had hit .350, this would have been my last year. I was full of aches and pains and it had become a chore for me to play. When baseball is no longer fun, it’s no longer a game, and so, I’ve played my last game.”

At the time of his retirement, he ranked fifth in career home runs (361) and sixth in career slugging percentage (.579). His number 5 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1952. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955, and was voted the sport’s greatest living player in a poll taken during the baseball centennial year of 1969.