Phillies: Top ten moments of Mike Schmidt’s Hall of Fame career

4.  Four Home Run Game (April 17. 1976)

Schmidt had already established himself as the premier home run hitter in the league by the time the 1976 season began. He led the league in home runs in 1974 with 36 and in 1975 with 38.

After hitting one home run over the first four games of the season, Schmidt faced the Cubs in Chicago on April 17, 1976, and had a game for the record books. He flew out in the second off Rick Reuschel and all the while Steve Carlton had an uncharacteristically bad game, failing to get out of the second inning.

Schmidt singled in the fourth and then down 13-2 in the fifth, Schmidt hit a two-run homer off Reuschel to cut the deficit to 13-4. Cutting the lead to 13-6 in the seventh, Schmidt again took Reuschel out and the Phillies trailed by only six.

With the score now 13-9 in the eighth, Schmidt hit his third consecutive home run, this time off Mike Garman to cut the deficit to 13-12.  After the Phillies went ahead by a 15-13 score in the ninth, the Cubs tied it off Tug McGraw.

Schmidt became the hero in extra innings, connecting on his fourth consecutive home run, this time off Paul Reuschel. The Phillies held on to win another wild one at Wrigley Field, 18-16.

After five games, Schmidt led the league in home runs with five. He went to hit 38 for the season, leading the league for a third consecutive season. He did not lead the league again in home runs until 1980 but finished his career leading eight times.