Who hit the first home run in each state?

Now that we’ve seen the maps, we can meet the players who first hit a home run in each state. The first National League and first American League players are listed for each state. These are the first home runs, not necessarily the first ledgers. An * denotes an alternate site game.

The first game played in the Modern Era (1901-present) is the game of record unless there have been no games played within that state during the Modern Era. Then, we go back to the earlier major leagues or the Negro Leagues to find the first game played.

Alabama

First game: June 20, 2024 – San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals @ Rickwood Field, Birmingham*

First home run: June 20, 2024 – Brendan Donovan (NL, St. Louis)

No American League player has hit a home run in Alabama.

Alaska

No MLB games have been played in Alaska.

Arizona

First game: March 31, 1998 – Colorado Rockies at Arizona Diamondbacks @ Bank One Ballpark, Phoenix

First home run: March 31, 1998 – Vinny Castilla (NL, Colorado)

First AL home run: June 9, 1998 – Cecil Fielder (Los Angeles Angels at Arizona)

Arkansas

No MLB games have been played in Arkansas in the Modern Era. The Little Rock Grays played for the Negro Southern League in 1932.

California

First game: April 15, 1958 – Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants @ Seals Stadium, San Francisco

First home run: April 15, 1958 – Daryl Spencer (NL, San Fran Francisco)

First AL home run: April 27, 1961 – Earl Averill (Los Angeles vs Minnesota)

Colorado

First game: April 9, 1993 – Montreal Expos at Colorado Rockies @ Mile High Stadium, Denver

First home run: April 9 1993 – Eric Young Sr. (NL, Colorado)

First AL home run: June 17, 1997 – Juan Gonzalez (Texas at Colorado @ Coors Field, Denver)

Connecticut

No MLB games have been played in Connecticut in the Modern Era. The Hartford Dark Blues of the early National League hosted the Boston Braves on May 1, 1876.

Delaware

No MLB games have been played in Delaware in the Modern Era. The Wilmington Quicksteps of the Union Association hosted the Cincinnati Outlaw Reds on September 2, 1884. The Fairview Park Fair Grounds in Dover hosted a neutral site game between New Haven and Philadelphia of the National Association on June 24, 1875.

Florida

First game: April 5, 1993 – Los Angeles Dodgers at Florida Marlins @ Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami Gardens

First home run: April 5, 1993 – Tim Wallach (NL, Los Angeles)

First AL home run: September 1, 1997 – Lenny Webster (Baltimore at Florida @ Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens)

Georgia

First game: April 12, 1966 – Pittsburgh Pirates at Atlanta Braves @ Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta

First home run: April 12, 1966 – Joe Torre, (NL, Atlanta)

First AL home run: June 14, 1997 – Brady Anderson (Baltimore at Atlanta @ Turner Field, Atlanta)

Hawaii

First game: April 19, 1997 – St. Louis Cardinals at San Diego Padres @ Aloha Stadium, Honolulu*

First home run: April 20, 1997 (Game 2) – Ron Gant (NL, Cardinals)

No American League player has hit a home run in Hawaii.

Idaho

No MLB games have been played in Idaho.

Illinois

First game: April 24, 1901 – Cleveland Blues at Chicago White Sox @ South Side Park III, Chicago

First home run: April 25, 1901 – Erve Beck, (AL, Cleveland)

First NL home run: April 27, 1901 – Sam Crawford (Cincinnati at Chicago @ West Side Grounds, Chicago)

Indiana

No MLB games have been played in Indiana in the Modern Era. The Indianapolis Blues of the early National League hosted the Chicago White Stockings (Cubs) on May 1, 1878.

Iowa

First game: August 21, 2021 – New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox @ Field of Dreams, Dyersville*

First home run: August 21, 2021 – Jose Abreu, (AL, Chicago)

No National League player has hit a home run in Iowa.

Kansas

No MLB games have been played in Kansas. To the best of my knowledge, all pre-Modern Era and Negro League teams played their home games in Kansas City, Missouri.

Kentucky

No MLB games have been played in Kentucky in the Modern Era. The Louisville Grays of the early National League hosted the Chicago White Stockings (Cubs) on April 25, 1876.

Louisiana

No MLB games have been played in Louisiana in the Modern Era. The Monroe Monarchs played in 1931 and 1932 while the St. Louis–New Orleans Stars of the Negro American league played games at Pelican Stadium in New Orleans in 1940 and 1941.

Maine

No MLB games have been played in Maine.

Maryland

First game: April 26, 1901 – Boston Americans at Baltimore Orioles @ Oriole Park IV, Baltimore

First home run: May 8, 1901 – Mike Donlin (AL, Baltimore vs Washington)

First NL home run: June 16, 1997 – Mike Lansing (Montreal at Baltimore @ Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore)

Massachusetts

First game: April 19, 1901 – New York Giants at Boston Nationals @ South End Grounds III, Boston

First home run: May 7, 1901 – Tom Daly (NL, Brooklyn at Boston)

First AL home run: May 8, 1901 – Buck Freeman (Boston vs Philadelphia @ Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds, Boston)

Michigan

First game: April 25, 1901 – Milwaukee Brewers at Detroit Tigers @ Bennett Park, Detroit)

First home run: April 28, 1901 – Wid Conroy (AL, Milwaukee @ Burns Park in Detriot, a frequent location for Tigers’ Sunday home games)

First NL home run: June 17, 1997 – Bobby Bonilla (Florida at Detroit @ Tiger Stadium, Detroit)

Minnesota

First game: April 21, 1961 – Washington Senators at Minnesota Twins @ Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington

First home run: April 21, 1961 – Dale Long (AL, Washington)

First NL home run: June 16, 1997 – Mark Smith (Pittsburgh at Minnesota @ Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis)

Mississippi

No MLB games have been played in Mississippi.

Missouri

First game: April 19, 1901 – Chicago Orphans at St. Louis Cardinals @ Robison Field, St. Louis

First home run: April 19, 1901 – Jack Powell (NL, St. Louis)

First AL home run: April 23, 1902 – Bobby Wallace (Cleveland at St. Louis @ Sportsman’s Park II, St. Louis)

Montana

No MLB games have been played in Montana.

Nebraska

First game: June 13, 2019 – Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals @ TD Ameritrade Park, Omaha*

First home run: June 13, 2019 – Nicky Lopez (AL, Kansas City)

No National League player has hit a home run in Nebraska.

Nevada

First game: April 1, 1996 – Toronto Blue Jays at Oakland Athletics @ Cashman Field, Las Vegas*

First home run: April 1, 1996 – Domingo Cedeño (AL, Toronto)

No National League player has hit a home run in Nevada.

New Hampshire

No MLB games have been played in New Hampshire.

New Jersey

First game: July 17, 1904 – Detroit Tigers vs New York Highlanders @ Wiedenmeyer’s Park, Newark*

First home run: May 16, 1956 – Wally Moon, (NL, St. Louis at Brooklyn @ Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City)

No American League player has hit a home run in New Jersey.

New Mexico

No MLB games have been played in New Mexico.

New York

First game: April 19, 1901 – Philadelphia Phillies at Brooklyn Superbas @ Washington Park III, Brooklyn

First home run: April 19, 1901 – Tom McCreery (NL, Brooklyn)

First AL home run: June 1, 1903 – Buck Freeman (Boston at New York @ Hilltop Park, New York)

North Carolina

First game: July 3, 2016 – Miami Marlins at Atlanta Braves @ Fort Bragg Park, Fort Bragg

First home run: July 3, 2016 – J.T. Realmuto (NL, Miami)

No American League player has hit a home run in North Carolina.

North Dakota

No MLB games have been played in North Dakota.

Ohio

First game: April 20, 1901 – Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds @ League Park II, Cincinnati

First home run: May 7, 1901 – Emmet Heidrick (NL, St. Louis at Cincinnati)

First AL home run: May 31, 1901 – Harry Davis (Philadelphia at Cleveland @ League Park I, Cleveland)

Oklahoma

No MLB games have been played in Oklahoma.

Oregon

No MLB games have been played in Oregon.

Pennsylvania

First game: April 18, 1901 – Brooklyn Superbas at Philadelphia Phillies @ Baker Bowl, Philadelphia

First home run: April 22, 1901 – Elmer Flick (NL, Philadelphia vs Brooklyn)

First AL home run: April 27, 1901 – Billy Clingman (Washington at Philadelphia @ Columbia Park, Philadelphia)

Rhode Island

First game: September 6, 1903 – Philadelphia Phillies at Boston Nationals @ Rocky Point Park, Warwick

No home runs have been hit in Rhode Island.

South Carolina

No MLB games have been played in South Carolina.

South Dakota

No MLB games have been played in South Dakota.

Tennessee

No MLB games have been played in Tennessee in the Modern Era. The Memphis Red Sox played in three different Negro Leagues between 1923 and 1948.

Texas

First game: April 10, 1962 – Chicago Cubs at Houston Colt .45s @ Colt Stadium, Houston

First home run: April 10, 1962 – Román Mejías (NL, Houston)

First AL home run: April 21, 1972 – Frank Howard (Texas vs California @ Arlington Stadium, Arlington)

Utah

No MLB games have been played in Utah.

Vermont

No MLB games have been played in Vermont.

Virginia

No MLB games have been played in Virginia in the Modern Era. The Richmond Virginians of the American Association hosted the Philadelphia Athletics on August 5, 1884.

Washington

First game: April 11, 1969 – Chicago White Sox at Seattle Pilots @ Sick’s Stadium, Seattle

First home run: April 11, 1969 – Don Mincher (AL, Seattle)

First NL home run: June 13, 1997 – Eric Young Sr. (Colorado at Seattle Mariners @ Kingdome, Seattle)

West Virginia

No MLB games have been played in West Virginia in the Modern Era. Island Grounds in Wheeling hosted a game between the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Alleghenies of the National League on September 22, 1890.

Wisconsin

First game: May 3, 1901 – Chicago White Sox at Milwaukee Brewers @ Lloyd Street Grounds, Milwaukee

First home run: May 5, 1901 – Wid Conroy (AL, Milwaukee)

First NL home run: April 14, 1953 – Bill Bruton (Milwaukee Braves vs St. Louis @ County Stadium, Milwaukee)

Wyoming

No MLB games have been played in Wyoming.

Washington, District of Columbia

First game: April 29, 1901 – Baltimore Orioles at Washington Senators @ American League Park I, Washington, D.C.

First home run: April 30, 1901 – Frank Foutz (AL, Baltimore)

First NL home run: April 14, 2005 – Vinny Castilla (Washington Nationals vs Arizona @ Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington D.C.)

Puerto Rico

First game: April 1, 2001 – Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays @ Estadio Hiram Bithorn, Sam Juan

First home run: April 1, 2001 – Shannon Stewart (AL, Toronto)

First NL home run: April 11, 2003 – Brian Schneider (Montreal vs New York)

Canada

First game: April 14, 1969 – St. Louis Cardinals at Montreal Expos @ Parc Jarry, Montreal

First home run: April 14, 1969 – Mack Jones (NL, Montreal)

First AL home run: April 7, 1977 – Richie Zisk (Chicago at Toronto @ Exhibition Stadium, Toronto)

Mexico

First game: August 16, 1996 – New York Mets at San Diego Padres @ Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey, Monterrey

First home run: August 16, 1996 – Steve Finley (NL, San Diego)

First AL home run: May 4, 2019 – Alex Bregman (Houston at Los Angeles @ Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey, Monterrey)

Japan

First game: March 29, 2000 – Chicago Cubs at New York Mets @ Tokyo Dome, Tokyo

First home run: March 29, 2000 – Shane Andrews (NL, Chicago)

First AL home run: March 20, 2004 – Jason Giambi (New York at Rays @ Tokyo Dome, Tokyo)

Australia

First game: March 22, 2014 – Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks @ Sydney Cricket Grounds, Sydney

First home run: March 22, 2014 – Scott Van Slyke (NL, Los Angeles)

No American League player has hit a home run in Australia.

United Kingdom

First game: June 29, 2019 – New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox @ London Stadium, London

First home run: June 29, 2019 – Aaron Hicks (AL, New York)

First NL home run: June 24, 2023 – Ian Happ (Chicago at St. Louis @ London Stadium, London)