On Oct. 2, 1977, history was made at Dodger Stadium. It was the last game of the regular season, and the Los Angeles Dodgers — in first place by 10 games — were cruising toward the post season.
With 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th inning, L.A.’s Dusty Baker drilled a pitch by Houston’s J.R. Richard over the center field wall for his 30th home run of the year.
As Baker crossed home plate, he was greeted by the on-deck hitter who raised his hand head-high. Baker did likewise, and the two men slapped their hands together in celebration.
The on-deck hitter then proceeded to hit a home run during his at bat, the first in his Major League career. As he rounded the bases, Baker trotted out to home plate and greeted the hitter with another raised-hand hand slap.
It was the first two recorded high-fives in baseball history. The on-deck hitter became known as the inventor of the high-five, though many cultural historians note that the gesture has been around for centuries.
Who is the Dodger player credited as being the inventor of the high-five, and how many home runs did he hit during his Major League career?
UPDATE: Glenn Burke is the man credited with introducing the high-five to Major League Baseball, though as noted above, the gesture has been around for centuries. During his Major League career, Burke hit two home runs.
Dan The Man Trivia 