In the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim infielder Albert Pujols came to bat against pitcher Preston Guilmet.

With one swing of the bat, Pujols smacked the ball out Tropicana Field. The Angels won the game 6-2, but history was made in the process. That was Pujols' 17th home run of the season, but more importantly, his 537th career home run.

That broke a tie with New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle on the all-time career home run list. Pujols now has sole possession of 16th place on the all-time list. Mike Schmidt is next on the list with 548 career home runs. Pujols is 35 years old, and he has never been tied to performance enhancers in his incredible career despite playing in the "steroid era."

Pujols has an impressive 17 home runs this season, which is the second most in the American League behind only Nelson Cruz of the Seattle Mariners.

The most career home runs is of course held by Barry Bonds, which some fans feel should have an asterisk next to it. Bonds has 762 career home runs, and Hank Aaron sits in second place with 755. Alex Rodriguez has the most career home runs (665) of any active player. Pujols has the second most home runs by an active player. Dominican great David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox has the third most home runs of any active player with 472.

Sammy Sosa has the most home runs of any player born outside the United States. Sosa (out of the Dominican Republic) hit an incredible 609 home runs in his outstanding career with the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles. Sosa also holds the record for most career home runs hit by a Latin American born player in a single season. He hit 66 in 1998.

So, getting back to Pujols.

Pujols has always been more of a Hank Aaron type of hitter as opposed to a Sosa or Babe Ruth type of slugger. Pujols, like Aaron, has never hit 50 home runs in a season. Pujols has, however, hit 40 home runs in a season on six separate occasions, including a 49-home run season in 2006. Aaron hit 40 home runs in a season eight times, and his career high was 47 in 1971.

Pujols has maintained a very efficient career at the plate as well. He has a career .316 batting average, which ranks ahead of Sosa (.273), Bonds (.298) and even Aaron (.305) himself. Pujols also won two world series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals.

In order for Pujols to surpass fellow countrymen Sosa for most home runs by a Latin American born player, he must hit 73 more homers. Manny Ramirez has 555 home runs, and Rafael Palmeiro, from Havana, Cuba, sits in 12th place with 569 home runs.

The Angels currently sit in third place in the American League West at 30-30. The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers each have a better record in the division at the moment.

Pujols will easily make the Baseball Hall of Fame one day because of his incredible play on the field. Where he finishes his career on the all-time home run list remains to be seen.

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