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Red Sox: Top 10 most important home runs in team history

By Drew Athans

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 10: David Ortiz #34 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the final at bat of his career during the eighth inning of game three of the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Indians on October 10, 2016 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 10: David Ortiz #34 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the final at bat of his career during the eighth inning of game three of the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Indians on October 10, 2016 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON – CIRCA 1955: (UNDATED FILE PHOTO) Baseball legend Ted Williams (1918 – 2002) of the Boston Red Sox swings a bat circa 1955. The 83-year-old Williams, who was the last major league player to bat .400 when he hit .406 in 1941, died July 5, 2002 at Citrus County Memorial Hospital in Florida. He died of an apparent heart attack. (Photo by Getty Images)
BOSTON – CIRCA 1955: (UNDATED FILE PHOTO) Baseball legend Ted Williams (1918 – 2002) of the Boston Red Sox swings a bat circa 1955. The 83-year-old Williams, who was the last major league player to bat .400 when he hit .406 in 1941, died July 5, 2002 at Citrus County Memorial Hospital in Florida. He died of an apparent heart attack. (Photo by Getty Images) /

1941 All-Star Game

Okay, right off the bat I lied…but only a little. Hear me out first, though! This home run didn’t win a World Series or even a regular season game. It did win a game that was considered important in its time, though, as the All-Star Game used to be an actual event and one of the most popular sporting events of its time, especially back in the days before interleague play.

As every Red Sox fan knows, 1941 was a fantastic year for both Ted Williams and baseball as a whole. While Joe DiMaggio would have a 56 game hitting streak and end up winning MVP (an award which, in all honesty, Williams deserved), Ted would hit .406 for the season while having one of the greatest offensive seasons in history.

Williams finished 1941 with the aforementioned .406 average to go along with 37 home runs, 120 RBI, 185 hits, 135 runs scored, 147 walks, a ludicrous .553 OBP, and an OPS of 1.287. However, one of the most famous home runs in Williams’ career happened during that season’s Midsummer Classic.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, the National League was leading 5-4 with two outs. There was a runner at third base and DiMaggio, who moments ago had almost grounded into a double play to end the game before being safe on a wild throw, was at first. Williams stepped to the plate and, on a 2-1 pitch, crushed a walk-off three-run homer off the upper deck at Tiger Stadium to win the game.

The video of Williams clapping and jumping for joy as he runs around the bases has become iconic and for added context, Williams had entered the All-Star break hitting .405 on the season. Passions were running high among both players and fans as this All-Star Game and season would be the last before the United States entered World War II.

While this home run didn’t help the Red Sox win a game that helped them in the standings or the postseason, it was still important and has become an iconic part of baseball lore. That it was hit by arguably their greatest player in his most historic season makes it truly important.

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