The designated hitter rule is a rule that has generated some controversy among generations of baseball fans.
Before the rule was put in place, pitchers took their hacks in both the American League and National League.
In 1973, the rule was added to the American League.
Fans from the older generation prefer the old-school style of play with pitchers hitting, while those in the younger generation prefer to see more offense instead of small ball whenever pitchers came to the plate.
The DH is now used in both leagues.
But Thursday marks an important anniversary for the game of baseball.
On April 6, 1973, New York Yankees slugger Ron Blomberg became the first designated hitter.
MLB posted a tweet to commemorate the day.
On this day 50 years ago, Ron Blomberg became the 1st ever Designated Hitter!
From Edgar Martinez and David Ortiz to Shohei Ohtani now, we’ve witnessed some incredible DHs! pic.twitter.com/NX5VAtaOWm
— MLB Vault (@MLBVault) April 6, 2023
Since the inception of the rule, many great designated hitters have followed.
Some of the most notable are Edgar Martinez and David Ortiz.
Both are now in the Hall of Fame, but these sluggers were legends in their own right and made the game quite interesting by just hitting and doing nothing else.
But their hitting was quite something.
Martinez hit 309 career home runs and had a lifetime average of .312, while Ortiz hit 541 homers and had a career average of .286.
Today, there is one designated hitter who essentially steals the show everywhere he goes.
His name?
But interestingly, he could serve as an arguing point for both sides of the debate.
He is a pitcher who can hit, but having him in the lineup on days when he isn’t pitching gives the Los Angeles Angels a little extra thump in their lineup.
50 years have gone by, and the designated hitter is now a staple of baseball.
