Gene Richards set a modern-era rookie record with 56 steals in 1977. He still had his wheels on this date — July 10 — in 1982 when he collected an inside-the-park home run during a 5-for-5 game in the Padres’ 9-7 loss to the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.
The 28-year-old left fielder singled in the first inning off Pete Falcone and added his second hit in the third inning with the first of two career inside-the-park homers.
Richards also singled off Falcone in the fifth and seventh innings and added a two-run single off Neil Allen in the eighth.