Yankee 21
09-25-2002, 11:54 AM
09/24/2002 11:32 pm ET
Giambis set brother homer mark
Jason hits two as brothers pass DiMaggios' record
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- Jason and Jeremy Giambi set a new standard for siblings in baseball on Tuesday, as they passed Joe and Vince DiMaggio for the most home runs hit by brothers in a single season.
Jason Giambi, the Yankees' All-Star first baseman, homered in his first two at-bats against Tampa Bay, giving him 40 for the season. Tack on Jeremy's career-high 20 homers with the Oakland A's and Philadelphia Phillies, and the Giambi brothers have combined to hit 60 homers.
"He had a great year this year hitting 20 homers, and my 40th broke the record," Jason said. "This way, we can keep it in pinstripes and keep it in the Italian family, which is nice."
"It's nice. I think it's something we'll always remember as a family," said Jeremy, who sat out Tuesday's Phillies-Braves game. "It's something special to look back and hopefully it will be a record for a long time, especially the elite names that are with it."
The previous record was set in 1937, when Joe DiMaggio hit 46 for the Yankees and his brother Vince had 13 homers for the Boston Bees.
"It's a little more evened-out," said Jeremy of the 40-20 breakdown. "I'm sure Vince had more at-bats than me, too."
Jeremy Giambi has had 311 at-bats this season. Vince DiMaggio had 493 at-bats in 1937, his rookie season.
Jason hit a two-run shot off Tampa Bay starter Travis Harper in the first inning, tying the record. Two innings later, Jason hit his second of the game, another two-run shot off Harper, putting his family's name in the record books. The Yankees went on to win, 6-0.
"It's nice for my mom and dad, having two sons in the big leagues," Jason said. "My brother had a great year, hitting 20 homers. I know he was talking about trying to hit a couple of extra homers to put us over the top."
Jeremy hit his 20th homer last Wednesday, the same night that Jason hit his 38th. It took six days for them to tie the record, but only two more innings to make it their own.
This was not the first season in which the Giambi boys had challenged the mark. In 2000, when Jason won the American League MVP Award, he hit 43 homers. Jeremy hit 10 that season, giving them 53 together.
The brothers were teammates last season in Oakland, combining for 50 homers (Jason hit 38, Jeremy 12). Jason left for New York as a free agent after the 2001 season, and the A's traded Jeremy to Philadelphia earlier this season. They still speak every day or two, keeping up with each other as often as possible.
"He's probably called me already," Jason said about an hour after the game.
Jason said last week that if they were able to pass the DiMaggios' record, they would try to retrieve the record-setting ball and give it to their parents, who live in California. The ball was in Jason's locker after the game, and he said he will hand it over to mom and dad next week when the Giambis travel to New York to watch the Yankees open the AL Division Series at Yankee Stadium.
"Anything that we've done in baseball has been given to my dad," Jeremy said. "We owe a lot to him. He's done a lot for us. He has both of our first home runs and our first hits. They've meant a lot more to him than they have to us. Of course they're special to us, but he's raised us and taught us a lot in the game of baseball."
When asked who would sign the "sweet spot" of the ball, Jason answered quickly with a wide grin.
"I'll let him," he said of his brother. "He pulled his weight this year."
Giambis set brother homer mark
Jason hits two as brothers pass DiMaggios' record
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- Jason and Jeremy Giambi set a new standard for siblings in baseball on Tuesday, as they passed Joe and Vince DiMaggio for the most home runs hit by brothers in a single season.
Jason Giambi, the Yankees' All-Star first baseman, homered in his first two at-bats against Tampa Bay, giving him 40 for the season. Tack on Jeremy's career-high 20 homers with the Oakland A's and Philadelphia Phillies, and the Giambi brothers have combined to hit 60 homers.
"He had a great year this year hitting 20 homers, and my 40th broke the record," Jason said. "This way, we can keep it in pinstripes and keep it in the Italian family, which is nice."
"It's nice. I think it's something we'll always remember as a family," said Jeremy, who sat out Tuesday's Phillies-Braves game. "It's something special to look back and hopefully it will be a record for a long time, especially the elite names that are with it."
The previous record was set in 1937, when Joe DiMaggio hit 46 for the Yankees and his brother Vince had 13 homers for the Boston Bees.
"It's a little more evened-out," said Jeremy of the 40-20 breakdown. "I'm sure Vince had more at-bats than me, too."
Jeremy Giambi has had 311 at-bats this season. Vince DiMaggio had 493 at-bats in 1937, his rookie season.
Jason hit a two-run shot off Tampa Bay starter Travis Harper in the first inning, tying the record. Two innings later, Jason hit his second of the game, another two-run shot off Harper, putting his family's name in the record books. The Yankees went on to win, 6-0.
"It's nice for my mom and dad, having two sons in the big leagues," Jason said. "My brother had a great year, hitting 20 homers. I know he was talking about trying to hit a couple of extra homers to put us over the top."
Jeremy hit his 20th homer last Wednesday, the same night that Jason hit his 38th. It took six days for them to tie the record, but only two more innings to make it their own.
This was not the first season in which the Giambi boys had challenged the mark. In 2000, when Jason won the American League MVP Award, he hit 43 homers. Jeremy hit 10 that season, giving them 53 together.
The brothers were teammates last season in Oakland, combining for 50 homers (Jason hit 38, Jeremy 12). Jason left for New York as a free agent after the 2001 season, and the A's traded Jeremy to Philadelphia earlier this season. They still speak every day or two, keeping up with each other as often as possible.
"He's probably called me already," Jason said about an hour after the game.
Jason said last week that if they were able to pass the DiMaggios' record, they would try to retrieve the record-setting ball and give it to their parents, who live in California. The ball was in Jason's locker after the game, and he said he will hand it over to mom and dad next week when the Giambis travel to New York to watch the Yankees open the AL Division Series at Yankee Stadium.
"Anything that we've done in baseball has been given to my dad," Jeremy said. "We owe a lot to him. He's done a lot for us. He has both of our first home runs and our first hits. They've meant a lot more to him than they have to us. Of course they're special to us, but he's raised us and taught us a lot in the game of baseball."
When asked who would sign the "sweet spot" of the ball, Jason answered quickly with a wide grin.
"I'll let him," he said of his brother. "He pulled his weight this year."