Based on our age, all of us have a share of players creating a share of baseball history.

For me, the most prominent point was Hank Aaron becoming baseball’s all-time home run king, back as a 14-year-old in 1974, off Dodgers’ lefthander Al Downing.

I recall Aaron in that classic, dominant blue-and white Braves’ uniform rounding the bases and being confronted by a pair of fans who ran alongside him to try and congratulate him. Dodger’s left fielder Bill Buckner hung over the short left-field wall as the ball deposited behind him.

It’s moments like Aaron’s and many other that continues to make the game priceless.

We were fortunate to witness another remarkable moment from the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, who proved why he is considered – and paid – to be the game’s best.

In today’s ever-changing game, Ohtani recently began the game’s 50-50 club – 50 stolen bases and homers in a season – on a night when went 6-for-6 with two homers, two doubles and 10 RBIs against Miami. Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. finished with 40 homers and 73 base swipes in 2023.

Ohtani has set the new trend of a 50-50 club instead of the once coveted 40-40 mark.

In this week’s edition of my Behind the Plate column - investigating present and past trends of the Phillies, Yankees, and Mets as well as the overall game – I’ll look at the run toward the 40-40 club and overall steal leaders through the years.

The Fab Five: In the game, the 40-40 club is an elite crowd: Jose Canseco, 42 homers and 41 steals in 1988; Barry Bonds, 42, 40, 1996; Alex Rodriguez, 42, 46, 1998; Alfonso Soriano, 46, 41, 1996; and Acuna Jr.

On the Cusp: There have been a number of players who made a run and fell short of the 40-40 club. Some are Eric Davis, who hit 37 homers and stole 50 bases in 1987; Willie Mays hit 39 and stole 40 in 1956; and Bobby Bonds had 39 and 43, losing a pair of homers in a rained-out game.

On the Local Front: The closest Phillies to the mark were Jimmy Rollins in 2007 with 30 homers, 41 steals; and Bobby Abreu in 2004 with 30 and 40, and in 2001 with 31 and 36.

Besides hitting the mark with the Nationals, Soriano just missed it with the Yankees in 2003 (39 and 40), and the only other Yankee close was Bobby Bonds who collected a 32-30 ratio in 1975.

For the Mets, their near 40-40 participants were Francisco Lindor, 2023, 31 homers, 31 stolen bases; David Wright, 2007, 30, 34; Darryl Strawberry, 1987, 39, 36; and Howard Johnson, who nearly did it three times -1991 38, 30; 1989, 36, 41; and 1987, 36 HR, 32.

Billy and His Jets: Looking way back in Phillies annals, “Sliding” Billy Hamilton was a base-stealing machine for the Phils back in the late 1880s. Hamilton stole a club-high 111 in 1889, had 102 in 1890, again produced 111 in 1891, and tallied 100 in 1994.

Over six Phillies’ seasons, Hamilton had 510 steals. In his 14-year career – spending time with the fabled Boston Braves and the Kansas City Cowboys- Hamilton swiped 914 bags.

Rollins took 470 and ranks 46th on the all-time list.

Rickey, Lou and a Base Stolen Too: As we probably know, Rickey Henderson is the game’s all-time stolen base leaders with 1,406 over his incredible 25 years in the game.

Over two consecutive years with the Yankees in 1985-86, Henderson hit 24 homers and stole 80 bases and the following year, he hit 28 homers and purloined 87 bags. That was the closest Henderson came to the mark.

Brock broke Hamilton’s record in 1974 with 118, and I remember him seemingly always successfully stealing against the Phillies. He finished his career with 938. Brock’s best combination season was 15 homers and 74 steals in 1966, and a 21-52 line the next year.

Yes, They Did: On the Phillies’ all-time list, you may have forgotten that Von Hayes, Milt Thompson, and Ben Revere, and Rollins made the list.

Revere had 49 with two homers in 2014; Hayes had 48 steals to go along with 16 homers in 1984; Rollins had 47 and 11 in 2008 and 14 and 14 in 2001; and Thompson had 46 and seven in 1987.

Sammy Super-Sized: In 1987, Juan Samuel then became the closest Phillie to near the 40-40 club with 28 homers and 35 stolen bases, as both were career highs. He also set personal marks in homers (28), RBIs (100), and triples (15), the latter in which he led the league.

“Sammy” has the team’s modern-day record for a season and the league’s rookie record with 72 in 1984 when he hit 15 homers.

Maybe forgotten by many, Samuel had a 16-year career –seven with the Phillies –that had stops at Mets, Dodgers, Royals, Reds, Tigers, and Blue Jays. He had a career-ending, three-year stay in Toronto, where his career finished in 1998.

Constant Coleman: Do you remember Vince Coleman’s base-running dominance?

For three years beginning with his Rookie-of-the-Year season in 1985, Coleman led the league in steals for three consecutive seasons with 110, 107, and 109 respectively. He finished with a total of 752.

A Dodger, an Expo and a Pirate: Among those who you may have forgotten who hovered around the century mark for steals were the Dodgers’ Maury Wills with 104 in 1962; the Expos’ Ron LeFlore with 97 in 1980; and the Pirates’ Omar Moreno with 97 in 1996.

Wills’ craft was later overshadowed by Brock, but the Dodger was considered the game’s best for quite some time.

Time Passages: Each week, I’ll recall a game, personality or game situation of the past.

In 1973, the Mets’ donned the phrase “Ya Gotta Believe” as their mantra toward their World Series run. It is a Mets’ team that is overlooked from their 1969 and ’86 World Series runs.

It as a team led offensively by John “The Hammer” Milner (23 homers, 92 RBIs), Wayne Garrett (16-58), and Rusty Staub (15-76).

But the real gem was the pitching staff of Tom Seaver (19-10, 2.08, 18 complete games), Jon Matlack (14-16, 3.26, 14 CG), Jerry Koosman (14-15, 2.84, 15 CG), and George Stone (12-3, 2.80). Tug McGraw, who coined their mantra, had 25 saves and a 3.26 ERA.

Future Phils’ skipper Jim Fregosi was a part-time player as was former Whitehall star Dave Schneck.

They were 36-47 on July 11 and went 46-32 to finish with an 82-79 mark.

The current Mets, after winning two of three against the Phillies over the weekend, were a season-low 24-35 in June 2, and have gone 62-34 after Sunday’s win.

Your thoughts, comments, and suggestions are always welcomed. Email them to tnsports@tnonline.com