3,000-hit club explained

The 3,000-hit club is the group of 33 batters who have collected 3,000 or more regular-season hits in their careers in Major League Baseball (MLB). Reaching 3,000 hits has been "long considered the greatest measure of superior bat handling" and is often described as a guarantee of eventual entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Cap Anson was the first MLB player to reach 3,000 hits, although his precise career hit total is unclear.^[5] Two players—Nap Lajoie and Honus Wagner—reached 3,000 hits during the 1914 season. Ty Cobb did so in 1921 and became the first player in MLB history to reach 4,000 hits in 1927, ultimately finishing his career with 4,189.^[6] Pete Rose, the current hit leader, became the second player to reach 4,000 hits on April 13, 1984, and surpassed Cobb in September 1985, finishing his career with 4,256.^{[7] [8]} Roberto Clemente's career ended with precisely 3,000 hits, which he reached in the last at bat of his career on September 30, 1972.^{[9] [10]}

Of the 33 members, 18 were right-handed batters, 13 were left-handed, and two were switch hitters. The Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers are the only franchises to see three players reach 3,000 hits while on their roster: for Cleveland, Lajoie, while the team was the Naps, Tris Speaker, and most recently Eddie Murray, both when the franchise was known as the Indians, and, for the Tigers, Cobb, Al Kaline, and most recently Miguel Cabrera. Ten of these players have played for only one major league team. Seven players—Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, and Miguel Cabrera—are also members of the 500 home run club. Cobb holds the highest career batting average at .366, while Cal Ripken Jr. holds the lowest at .276. Derek Jeter, Wade Boggs, and Alex Rodriguez are the only players to hit a home run for their 3,000th hit, and Paul Molitor and Ichiro Suzuki are the only players to hit a triple for their 3,000th; all others hit a single or double. Stan Musial was the first to collect an extra-base hit for his 3,000th hit, and is also the only one to have done so as a pinch-hitter. Craig Biggio is the only player to be thrown out for his 3,000th hit, while attempting to stretch the hit into a double.^[11] Biggio and Jeter are the only players whose 3,000th hit came in a game where they had five hits; Jeter reached base safely in all of his at bats.^[12] The most recent player to reach 3,000 hits is Cabrera, who did so on April 23, 2022, while playing for the Detroit Tigers.^[13]

All eligible players with 3,000 or more career hits have been elected to the Hall except Palmeiro and Rodriguez, whose careers have been tainted by steroid allegations, and since 1962 all except Biggio were elected on the first ballot. Rose is ineligible for the Hall of Fame because he was permanently banned from baseball in 1989.^{[14] [15] [16]} After four years on the ballot, Palmeiro failed to be named on 5% of ballots in 2014, after which his name was removed from the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballots, although it is possible that the Veterans Committee could select him.^[17] Rodriguez garnered 34.3% of the vote during his first year of eligibility in 2022.^[16] Twenty-one different teams have had a player reach 3,000 hits. Cabrera, Pujols, and Suzuki are not yet eligible for the Hall because they haven’t been retired for 5 years.

Key

Player	Name of the player
Hits	Career hits
Average	Career batting average
Date	Date of the player's 3,000th hit
Team	The batter's team for his 3,000th hit
Seasons	The seasons this player played in the major leagues
3,000th hit	The type of hit the batter recorded for his 3,000th hit
	Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
	Player is active
	Also hit 500 home runs

Members

Statistics updated as of the end of the 2023 season.

Ref

	4,256	.303		Cincinnati Reds	1963–1986		^[18]
	4,189	.366		Detroit Tigers	1905–1928		^[19]
	3,771	.305		Atlanta Braves	1954–1976		^[20]
	3,630	.331		St. Louis Cardinals	1941–1944, 1946–1963		^[21]
	3,514	.345		Cleveland Indians	1907–1928		^[22]
	3,465	.310		New York Yankees	1995–2014		^[23]
	3,430	.329		Pittsburgh Pirates	1897–1917		^[24]
	3,419	.285		Boston Red Sox	1961–1983		^[25]
	3,384	.296		Los Angeles Angels	2001–2022		^[26]
	3,319	.306		Minnesota Twins	1978–1998		^[27]
	3,314	.333		Chicago White Sox	1906–1930		^[28]
	3,293	.301		San Francisco Giants	1948, 1951–1952, 1954–1973		^[29]
	3,255	.287		Cleveland Indians	1977–1997		^[30]
	3,252	.339		Cleveland Naps	1896–1916		^[31]
	3,184	.276		Baltimore Orioles	1981–2001		^[32]
	3,174	.307		Detroit Tigers	2003–2023		^[33]
	3,166	.286		Texas Rangers	1998–2018		^[34]
	3,154	.305		Kansas City Royals	1973–1993		^[35]
	3,152	.333		Boston Braves	1926–1945		^[36]
	3,142	.285		Milwaukee Brewers	1974–1993		^[37]
	3,141	.338		San Diego Padres	1982–2001		^[38]
	3,115	.295		New York Yankees	1994–2013, 2015–2016		^[39]
	3,110	.283		Minnesota Twins	1973–1995		^[40]
	3,089	.311		Miami Marlins	2001–2019		^[41]
	3,060	.281		Houston Astros	1988–2007		^[42]
	3,055	.279		San Diego Padres	1979–2003		^[43]
	3,053	.328		California Angels	1967–1985		^[44]
	3,023	.293		St. Louis Cardinals	1961–1979		^[45]
	3,020	.288		Baltimore Orioles	1986–2005		^[46]
	3,011	.331		Chicago Colts	1871–1897
	3,010	.328		Tampa Bay Devil Rays	1982–1999		^[47]
	3,007	.297		Detroit Tigers	1953–1974		^[48]
	3,000	.317		Pittsburgh Pirates	1955–1972		^[49]

See also

• List of lifetime Major League Baseball hit leaders through history
• List of Major League Baseball hit records
• List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
• Mr. 3000
• Chasing 3000
• 500 home run club

References

General

• Web site: Career Leaders & Records for Hits. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. July 4, 2010. October 14, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121014200416/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/H_career.shtml. live.
• Web site: 3,000 Hits Club – Milestones. MLB.com. Major League Baseball. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100624065009/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/milestones/index.jsp?feature=three_thousand_h. June 24, 2010. live.
• Web site: The 3,000 Hit Club . National Baseball Hall of Fame . July 4, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100325031514/http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/3000_hit_club/index.htm . March 25, 2010 .

Specific

Notes and References

1. Book: Pahigian, Josh . Josh Pahigian . The Seventh Inning Stretch: Baseball's Most Essential and Inane Debates . 80 . 2010 . . . 978-1-59921-805-2 . 2016-11-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129220822/http://books.google.com/books?id=vnl0a09mk-cC&lpg=PA80&dq=3000%20hit%20club&pg=PA80 . 2014-11-29 . live .
2. News: Bloom . Barry M. . Hoffman definitely Hall of Fame caliber . April 27, 2005 . . MLB Advanced Media, L.P. . https://web.archive.org/web/20110308155300/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050427&content_id=1029860&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb . March 8, 2011 . There are milestones in other areas that always have been instant Hall of Fame qualifiers: 3,000 hits, 500 homers and 300 wins. . dead .
3. Haudricourt. Tom. November 1999. Hall of Fame File. Baseball Digest. 75.
4. News: Baseball; Ripken Gets One More Big Number: 3,000 hits. Murray. Chass. Murray Chass. The New York Times. April 16, 2000. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20140310174843/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/16/sports/baseball-ripken-gets-one-more-big-number-3000-hits.html. March 10, 2014. live. mdy-all.
5. Web site: Every member of the 3,000-hit club . . 2022-04-24 . 2023-09-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230930100822/https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/3-000-hit-club-baseball-s-rare-feats-c273059328.html . live .
6. Web site: Progressive Leaders & Records for Hits. July 4, 2010. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. https://web.archive.org/web/20110429085453/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/H_progress.shtml. April 29, 2011. live. mdy-all.
7. Book: Constantino, Rocco. 50 Moments That Defined Major League Baseball. Rowman & Littlefield. 2016. Lanham, Maryland. 27–28. 978-1-4422-6055-9.
8. News: 'Charlie Hustle' gets hit 4,192 to surpass Cobb, then another. September 12, 1985. The Washington Post. Thomas. Boswell.
9. Web site: Roberto Clemente 1972 Batting Gamelogs. July 4, 2010. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. https://web.archive.org/web/20121110041843/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?n1=clemero01&t=b&year=1972. November 10, 2012. live. mdy-all.
10. Web site: September 30, 1972 New York Mets at Pittsburgh Pirates Play by Play and Box Score. July 4, 2010. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. https://web.archive.org/web/20110616185643/http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT197209300.shtml. June 16, 2011. live. mdy-all.
11. News: Houston's Biggio lashes 3,000th: 'Tonight is the best'. June 29, 2007. Associated Press. USA Today. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20091228093916/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-06-28-astros-rockies-biggio-3000_N.htm. December 28, 2009. live. mdy-all.
12. Web site: Derek Jeter gets 3,000th hit. Marchand. Andrew. July 9, 2011. ESPN.com. July 9, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110711044048/http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6746024. July 11, 2011. live. mdy-all.
13. Web site: Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera becomes 33rd player in MLB history with 3,000 hits . 2022-04-23 . 2023-05-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230530024112/https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/04/23/miguel-cabrera-3000-hits-detroit-tigers-colorado-rockies-milestone/7329463001/ . live .
14. Web site: Rules for Election. National Baseball Hall of Fame. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100530074537/http://baseballhall.org/hall-famers/rules-election/bbwaa. May 30, 2010 . live.
15. Web site: What is Pete Rose's true legacy?. John. Erardi. August 23, 2009. The Cincinnati Enquirer. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20140222070935/http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090823/SPT04/308230009/What-is-Pete-Rose-s-true-legacy-. February 22, 2014. live. mdy-all.
16. Web site: Alex Rodriguez's Hall of Fame results 2022 . 2022-02-27 . www.mlb.com . 2023-09-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230930100632/https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/alex-rodriguez-hall-of-fame-results-2022-mariners.html . live .
17. Web site: 2014 Hall of Fame Voting. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. February 17, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20121219085837/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof_2014.shtml. December 19, 2012. live. mdy-all.
18. Web site: Pete Rose Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20090412052216/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rosepe01.shtml. April 12, 2009. live. mdy-all.
19. Web site: Ty Cobb Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. 2010-07-04. 2010-01-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20100104102154/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cobbty01.shtml.
20. Web site: Hank Aaron Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110623201923/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/aaronha01.shtml. June 23, 2011. live. mdy-all.
21. Web site: Stan Musial Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101203164941/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/musiast01.shtml. December 3, 2010. live. mdy-all.
22. Web site: Tris Speaker Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 14, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20091127112739/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/speaktr01.shtml. November 27, 2009. live. mdy-all.
23. Web site: Derek Jeter Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 9, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110629105557/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jeterde01.shtml. June 29, 2011 . live.
24. Web site: Honus Wagner Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101203193531/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wagneho01.shtml. December 3, 2010. live. mdy-all.
25. Web site: Carl Yastrzemski Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101204172521/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/yastrca01.shtml. December 4, 2010. live. mdy-all.
26. Web site: Albert Pujols Statistics and History . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20090707094651/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pujolal01.shtml . July 7, 2009 . May 5, 2018 . Baseball-Reference.com . Sports Reference . mdy-all.
27. Web site: Paul Molitor Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110430121031/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/molitpa01.shtml. April 30, 2011. live. mdy-all.
28. Web site: Eddie Collins Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110430114852/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/collied01.shtml. April 30, 2011. live. mdy-all.
29. Web site: Willie Mays Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20090413190522/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mayswi01.shtml. April 13, 2009. live. mdy-all.
30. Web site: Eddie Murray Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20090519220801/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/murraed02.shtml. May 19, 2009. live. mdy-all.
31. Web site: Nap Lajoie Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. 2010-07-04. 2010-02-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20100208153427/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lajoina01.shtml.
32. Web site: Cal Ripken Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100104080335/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ripkeca01.shtml. January 4, 2010. live. mdy-all.
33. Web site: Miguel Cabrera Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. April 24, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20090406000937/http://www.baseball-reference.com:80/players/c/cabremi01.shtml . 2009-04-06 . live. mdy-all.
34. Web site: Adrian Beltre Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. September 29, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180927073420/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beltrad01.shtml. September 27, 2018. live. mdy-all.
35. Web site: George Brett Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110425171123/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brettge01.shtml. April 25, 2011. live. mdy-all.
36. Web site: Paul Waner Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101203063748/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wanerpa01.shtml. December 3, 2010. live. mdy-all.
37. Web site: Robin Yount Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110427081840/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/yountro01.shtml. April 27, 2011. live. mdy-all.
38. Web site: Tony Gwynn Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110430121128/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gwynnto01.shtml. April 30, 2011. live. mdy-all.
39. Web site: Alex Rodriguez Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. June 19, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20100712225632/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodrial01.shtml. July 12, 2010. live. mdy-all.
40. Web site: Dave Winfield Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110430123008/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/winfida01.shtml. April 30, 2011. live. mdy-all.
41. Web site: Ichiro Suzuki Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. August 7, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20090518030310/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/suzukic01.shtml. May 18, 2009. live. mdy-all.
42. Web site: Craig Biggio Statistics and History . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101203144022/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/biggicr01.shtml . December 3, 2010 . July 4, 2010 . Baseball-Reference.com . Sports Reference . mdy-all.
43. Web site: Rickey Henderson Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101203164621/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/henderi01.shtml. December 3, 2010. live. mdy-all.
44. Web site: Rod Carew Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20121015205910/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carewro01.shtml. October 15, 2012. live. mdy-all.
45. Web site: Lou Brock Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100322200532/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brocklo01.shtml. March 22, 2010. live. mdy-all.
46. Web site: Rafael Palmeiro Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110430120559/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/palmera01.shtml. April 30, 2011. live. mdy-all.
47. Web site: Wade Boggs Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110430112240/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/boggswa01.shtml. April 30, 2011. live. mdy-all.
48. Web site: Al Kaline Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110629133828/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kalinal01.shtml. June 29, 2011. live. mdy-all.
49. Web site: Roberto Clemente Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. July 30, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170722085009/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clemero01.shtml. July 22, 2017. live. mdy-all.