Ichiro's 3,000th hit was just the latest incredible baseball moment to happen on August 7th
From the moment Ichiro announced he'd be coming back for the 2016 season, one question has been on the minds of baseball fans and lovers of joy the world over: When will he hit No. 3,000? The answer, it turns out, was Aug. 7. In the eighth inning of the Marlins' 10-7 win in Colorado, Ichiro entered history in appropriately awesome style: with a triple off the right-field wall.
But for all the time spent prognosticating the day of this momentous occasion, it turns out all we had to do is take a look back into history. Because Aug. 7 isn't just another day, you see. It's one of the greatest days on the baseball calendar, featuring enough milestone moments to fill a whole year -- and that's not even including this year's version, which saw Manny Machado hit three homers in three innings and Mike Trout continue his quest to foil any ball that dare fly over the center-field fence.
It's a day that's had it all. And now, it's got Ichiro.
Barry Bonds hits No. 756
On Aug. 7, 2007, the Nationals and Giants met at AT&T Park for a game that didn't have much of an impact on the season -- Washington won, 8-6, and improved to 11 1/2 games out of first place. Oh, and there was one more thing: Barry Bonds finally completed his assault on baseball's record books with his 756th long ball, surpassing Hank Aaron for first all-time.
A little less than a month later, Bonds went deep at Coors Field for his 762nd and final blast.
Greg Maddux picks up his 300th win
Maddux wasn't quite Greg Maddux by the time the 2004 season rolled around -- he was 38, after all, and had long cemented his status as an inner-circle Hall of Famer. There was still some business to attend too, though: He was looking to become the 22nd member of the 300-win club.
And on Aug. 7, he did just that. It wasn't vintage Mad Dog -- he gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks -- but the Cubs offense picked him up in a 8-4 victory against the Giants.
Wade Boggs joins the 3,000-hit club
Sure, entering one of baseball's most exclusive fraternities is a big deal. But as Ichiro himself can attest, there's getting your 3,000th hit, and then there's getting your 3,000th hit. Boggs fell in the latter category: On Aug. 7, 1999, the Chicken Man left no doubt, launching a home run into the right-field stands at the Trop -- just the 118th of his Hall of Fame career.