Birthdays this past week - Home Run Hitters

Here's the first installment of what I hope will be a weekly feature at Capewood's Collections. Each Friday I'll pick a different stat and feature a player who had a birthday during the week who lead all other players born that day. I hope to be able to accomplish this with cards I actually own. Let's start the year off with home run hitters.

January 1
2010 Topps National Chicle #206 Hank GreenbergHank Greenberg was born in 1911 and played from 1930 to 1947, all but one of those years for the Tigers. Hammerin' Hank mostly played first base and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1956. He hit 331 home runs.

January 2:
1996 Topps Laser #27 Edgar MartinezEdgar Martinez was born in 1963. He played from 1987 to 2004, all for the Mariners. Papi played 3rd base and hit 309 home runs. He was a 7-time All-Star. 2010 was his first year of eligibility for the Hall of Fame and he appeared 32.6% of the ballots.

January 3:
1994 Ultra Phillies Finest Autograph #2 Darren DaultonDarren Daulton was born in 1962 and played from 1983 to 1997, all but the end of 1997 with the Phillies. Dutch was mainly a catcher but played 1st base and right field late in his career as his knees gave out. He hit 137 home runs in his career. In his first year of eligibility for the HOF (2003) he only appeared on .2% of the ballots so he's likely not a future Hall of Famer.

January 4:
1990 Upper Deck #529 Daryl BostonGeorge Selkirk (1934-1942) actually leads players born this date in home runs with 108 but I don't own any of his cards. Daryl Boston is second on the January 4th list with 83. He played from 1984 to 1994, for the White Sox, Mets, Rockies and Yankees.

January 5:
2009 Tristar Obak #65 Ron KittleRon Kittle was born in 1958 in Gary IN. He played from 1982 to 1991. He played parts of 8 seasons with the White Sox but also played for the Yankees, Orioles, and Indians. Mainly an outfielder, he hit 176 home runs. He was the 1983 AL Rookie of the Year.

January 6:
1961 Topps #78 Lee WallsLee Walls was born in 1933 and played from 1952 to 1964. January 6th was not a big day for home run hitters. Walls leads all players born this day with 66 home runs. Walls played for the Pirates, Cubs, Reds, Phillies and Dodgers. Although he seems to have been mainly a utility player he did go to the All-Star game in 1958 when he batted for a .304 average and hit 24 home runs for the Cubs.

January 7:
2001 Bowman Heritage 1948 Reprints Relics Johnny MizeHall of Famer Johnny Mize was born in 1913 in Damorest GA. He played from 1936 to 1953. His career was about evenly split between the Cardinals, The NY Giants and the Yankees. He hit 359 home runs, leading all other players born this first week of January.

2007 Topps Turkey Red #140 Alfonso Soriano Alfonso Soriano was born in 1976 in San Pedro de Macoris, DR. Although he's second behind Johnny Mize for home runs for players born on January 7th, I included him because he's hit 314, third highest for players born the first week in January. And he's still an active player so his total should go higher. He has played for the Yankees, Rangers, Nationals and has been with the Cubs the last 4 years. He is also a 7-time All-Star.