Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa thrilled Major League Baseball fans in 1998 with their race to break Roger Maris's home run record. High school baseball has its own version of the McGwire-Sosa battle when Jeff Clement of Marshalltown (Iowa) and James Peterson of Winterset (Iowa) competed in 2002 to become the nation's all-time home run leader.
Clement entered his senior season with 59 career home runs, including 21 in both his freshman and sophomore season. Peterson, meanwhile, started his junior season 12 home runs behind Clement, but closed the gap to one, 59-58, after out homering Clement 28-17 during their junior seasons.
That set up a 2002 season in which Clement and Peterson both tried to slug their way to the national record of 70 career home runs, set by Drew Henson of Brighton (Mich.) from 1995-98. Clement jumped out to a fast start and tied Henson with No. 70 on July 1 (Iowa plays a summer baseball season). He moved past Henson six at-bats later on July 3. Peterson, meanwhile, had fallen off the pace and was at 68 career homers, including one on the same day that Clement broke the record.
However, while Clement hit just one more home run over the next 13 days while Peterson went on a tear, homering four times. He tied Clement at 72 on July 16. Clement regained the lead with his 73rd home run on July 18 and Peterson tied him again with his 73rd on July 19. The duo entered the state tournament on July 25 tied at 73. Clement played in the 4A tournament and Peterson competed in the 3A tournament.
That's where Peterson's good fortune ended and Clement's began. Clement hit home runs in his first two at-bats in the first game of the tournament for No. 74 and 75 while Peterson went homerless in Winterset's first-round loss. Marshalltown went on to win the 4A championship.
Clement remains the all-time high school home run king of the spring season, but the record has received some challengers over the past decade, including Taylor Hawkins of Carl Albert (Midwest City, Okla.) in 2012 with 72 career home runs and Christian Stewart of Providence Christian Academy (Lilburn, Ga.), who ended his career in 2012 with 69.
Another player who came close is Brendan McCurry of Roff (Okla.), who ended his spring career with 72. However, if spring and fall seasons are counted together, McCurry has an astounding 130 career home runs. Other spring-fall players with triple digit home run totals include Will Hunt of Asher (Okla.) with 106 and Kyle Wingfield of Rock Creek (Bokchito, Okla.) with 100.
MaxPreps has compiled a list of players with 50 or more career spring home runs. All but one player on the list reached the milestone prior to 2014. Slade Wilks of Columbia Academy (Miss.) reached 50 last year before COVID ended his season.
Butch Harris of Broken Bow (Okla.) reached 50 home runs first, finishing with 51 in 1986. Dan Ruff of Fairfield Christian Academy (Lancaster, Ohio) took the national lead with 53 in 1987 and Will Hunt of Asher (Okla.) moved to the top in 1989 with 62. Paul Morse of Danville (Ky.) took over first place with 65 home runs in 1992 and Henson claimed the all-time lead in 1998 with 70, setting up the race to the top between Clement and Peterson.
Sources include the NFHS record book, state association record books, Cal-Hi Sports Record Book by Mark and Nelson Tennis, Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association record book, MaxPreps leaderboards and newspapers accessed via newspapers.com.
Joey Gallo, Bishop Gorman
File photo by Alyson Boyer Rode
1. 75 — Jeff Clement,
Marshalltown (Iowa), 1999-2002
2. 73 — James Peterson,
Winterset (Iowa), 1999-2002
3. 72 — Brendan McCurry,
Roff (Okla.), 2007-10
3. 72 — Taylor Hawkins,
Carl Albert (Midwest City, Okla.), 2009-12
5. 70 — Drew Henson,
Brighton (Mich.), 1995-98
6. 69 — Micah Owings,
Gainesville (Ga.), 1999-2002
6. 69 — Christian Stewart,
Providence Christian Academy (Lilburn, Ga.), 2009-12
8. 67 — Joey Gallo,
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 2009-12
9. 66 — Nick Masonia,
Brooks (Killen, Ala.), 2007-11
9. 66 — Gavin LaValley, Carl Albert (Okla.), 2011-14
11. 65 — Paul Morse,
Danville (Ky.), 1988-92
11. 65 — Kevin Bookout,
Stroud (Okla.), 1999-2002
13. 63 — Mike Wilson,
Central (Marlow, Okla.), 1993-96
13. 63 — Kyle Wingfield,
Rock Creek (Bokchito, Okla.), 1996-99
13. 63 — Rich Witten, Danville (Ky.), 2003-07
13. 63 — Clint Frazier,
Loganville (Ga.), 2010-13
17. 62 — Will Hunt,
Asher (Okla.), 1986-89
17. 62 — Matt Robbins,
Calhoun (Ga.), 1999-2002
19. 60 — Heath Graham,
Stringer (Miss.), 1989-93
19. 60 — Steven Lerud,
Galena (Reno, Nev.), 2000-03
19. 60 — Kevin Cron,
Mountain Pointe (Phoenix, Ariz.), 2008-11
22. 58 — Jeremy Reed,
Lookout Valley (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 1995-98
22. 58 — Matt Ames,
Stanhope Elmore (Millbrook, Ala.), 1996-99
22. 58 — Brian Barnett,
McQueen (Reno, Nev.), 2005-07
22. 58 — Blake Logan, Roff (Okla.), 2007-10
26. 57 — Jake Fields,
Jefferson (Ga.), 2007-10
27. 55 — Jeff Francouer,
Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.), 1999-2002
27. 55 — David Thompson,
Westminster Christian (Miami, Fla.), 2009-12
29. 54 — Tyler Williams,
Davenport North (Davenport, Iowa), 1986-89
29. 54 — Rod Walker,
Morristown-Hamblen West (Morristown, Tenn.), 1986-89
29. 54 — Wade Miller,
Long (Skipperville, Ala.), 1997-00
29. 54 — Jon Mark Owings,
Gainesville (Ga.), 2001-04
33. 53 — Dan Ruff,
Fairfield Christian Academy (Lancaster, Ohio), 1984-87
33. 53 — John Sanders,
Tishomingo County (Iuka, Miss.), 1986-89
33. 53 — Dayne Parker, Roff (Okla.), 2007-10
33. 53 — Tim Barry,
Oak Forest (Ill.), 2008-11
33. 53 — Jose Trevino,
John Paul II (Corpus Christi, Texas), 2008-11
38. 52 — Shon Walker,
Harrison County (Cynthiana, Ky.), 1989-92
38. 52 — Matt Daeges,
Harlan (Iowa), 1996-2000
38. 52 — Taylor Harbin,
Travelers Rest (S.C.), 1999-2004
38. 52 — Mike Moustakas,
Chatsworth (Calif.), 2004-07
38. 52 — Jordan Adams,
Newman Catholic (Mason City, Iowa), 2005-09
43. 51 — Butch Harris,
Broken Bow (Okla.), 1983-86
43. 51 — Jared Martin,
Riverton Parke (Montezuma, Ind.), 1998-01
43. 51 — Jake Goodwin,
Parkers Chapel (El Dorado, Ark.), 1999-02
43. 51 — Justin Pickett,
White House (Tenn.), 2001-04
43. 51 — Shane Dougherty,
Rockwood (Tenn.), 2005-08
43. 51 — Justin O'Connor,
Cowan (Muncie, Ind.), 2007-10
49. 50 — Brad Wilson,
Towns County (Hiawassee, Ga.), 1986-89
49. 50 — Joe Little,
Butner (Cromwell, Okla.), 1995-97
49. 50 — Jonathan Johnson,
Unicoi County (Erwin, Tenn.), 1996-98
49. 50 — Drew Miller, Long (Skipperville, Ala.), 1995-98
49. 50 — Tommy Pearce,
Marion (Ind.), 1995-98
49. 50 — Josh Gray, Rock Creek (Bokchito, Okla.), 1998-2000
49. 50 — Mike Breyman,
Seneca East (Attica, Ohio), 1997-2000
49. 50 — Tyler Howe, Goose Lake (Iowa), 2000-04
49. 50 — Russ Henderson,
Lexington (Tenn.), 2008-11
49. 50 — Slade Wilks,
Columbia Academy (Columbia, Miss.), 2015-20
