Kyle Schwarber Is Indiana's New All-Time MLB Home Run King

Kyle Schwarber's solo blast on Monday lifted the slugger past Ted Kluszewski on the all-time Indiana home run list among major leaguers.

Todd Golden | Sep 9, 2024

\Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) reacts after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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Indiana Hoosiers

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Ted Kluszewski stood on top of the Indiana University home run mountain for 63 years, but on Monday, another former Hoosier took his place.

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run in the 6th inning of the Phillies' 2-1 victory over Tampa Bay at Citizens' Bank Park.

It was career home run No. 280 for Schwarber and lifted him above "Big Klu" at the top of the all-time career Major League Baseball home run list by former Indiana players. Kluszewski finished his career with 279 home runs.

Schwarber's home run tied the game in the sixth inning and it was done in trademark Schwarber fashion.

My word, what a Schwarbomb#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/ygwFn1WVh8
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 10, 2024

Schwarber hit a mammoth home run off Tampa Bay reliever Tyler Alexander to the Rays bullpen in right-center field at Citizens Bank Park and bounced into a fan concourse above it. The home run traveled 447 feet.

It was Schwarber's 34th home run of the season as the Middletown, Ohio native has had six seasons where he hit at least 30 home runs in his career.

Schwarber has hit six home runs in the span of a week. He had a three-home run game against Toronto on Sept. 3. He added another four-bagger against the Blue Jays the following day. On Sept. 6, he hit a home run at Miami.

Schwarber and Kluszewski are the only two former Indiana players who have topped 100 career home runs, much less approach 300 career home runs. Passing Kluszewski is no mean feat as he is a baseball legend in his own right.

Kluszewski played in the big leagues from 1947-61, primarily for the Cincinnati Reds. From 1947-57, Kluszewski slugged 251 home runs for Cincinnati. He also popularized the sleeve-less look, cutting off his sleeves to show off his formidable biceps.

Kluszewski did it because he felt the sleeves restricted his swing, according to the Society of Baseball Research, but his all-bicep look was one of the iconic images of 1950s baseball.

Kluszewski was an Indiana football star when discovered by the Reds in the 1940s. He was also a star end for Indiana's great World War II-era football teams. He only played one season on the Indiana baseball team in 1945.

The Reds used the Indiana campus as their spring training site with World War II travel restrictions in effect. According to SABR, Kluszewski was invited to take some batting practice swings and hit a few long home runs. The Reds signed him on the spot.

After a stop in Pittsburgh, Kluszewski later played in the 1959 World Series with the Chicago White Sox before he concluded his career with the expansion Los Angeles Angels in 1961.

Kluszewski was inducted into the Indiana Athletic Hall Of Fame in 1982 for both his baseball and his football careers with the Hoosiers. For many years, his .442 batting average in 1945 was the school record.

Schwarber, who played catcher at Indiana from 2012-14, is one of the most decorated Hoosier baseball alums. After helping Indiana reach the College World Series in 2013, Schwarber was drafted fourth overall in the 2014 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs. Schwarber helped the Cubs win the World Series in 2016.

Schwarber played for the Cubs from 2015-20 and then the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox in 2021 before he revived his career when he signed with the Phillies as a free agent in 2022.

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