Worth the wait: 42yo Bartolo Colon oldest to hit 1st major league baseball home run

After 19 years, and at just three weeks shy of his 43rd birthday, New York Mets pitcher Bartolo Colon has made history. The veteran became the oldest player to hit his first major league home run, launching a two-run shot in the second inning off San Diego’s James Shields. The impressive drive hit the lower balcony on the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left-field corner at Petco Park to give the Mets a 4-0 lead. Colon watched the ball all the way, and didn’t toss his bat until he was well over halfway to first base.

Henceforth, May 7 will always be known as Bartolo Colon Day. The day the baseball world stood still.

Anthony DiComo on Twitter

The portly pitcher’s trot around the bases took about 30 seconds. When he returned to the dugout, his teammates were hiding in the tunnel before coming out to mob him. Randy Johnson hit his only homer shortly after turning 40 in 2003. He was the oldest to finally hit a home run before Colon. At 42 years, 349 days, Colon is the second-oldest Mets player to homer. Julio Franco homered on May 4, 2007, when he was 48 years, 254 days old.

Bartolo Colon