History of Pete Alonso in Timeline

Pete Alonso, nicknamed the "Polar Bear," is a professional baseball first baseman playing for the New York Mets in MLB. He also represents the United States in international baseball competitions. He's known for his power-hitting and has quickly become a fan favorite.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1900: First Player in MLB History

Since 1900, Pete Alonso became the first player in MLB history to hit 11 extra-base hits in his first 10 career games.

1938: Johnny Rizzo's Single-Season Home Run Record

In 1938, Johnny Rizzo set the Pittsburgh Pirates' single-season home run record as a rookie.

1942: Grandfather's Military Service Begins

In 1942, Peter Conrad Alonso's grandfather served in World War II.

1945: Grandfather's Military Service Ends

In 1945, Peter Conrad Alonso's grandfather finished his military service in World War II.

1951: Grandfather's Marriage

In 1951, Peter Conrad Alonso's grandfather married Anna Pirraglia after meeting at New York University.

1963: Family Resettles in Lancaster, Ohio

In 1963, Peter Conrad Alonso moved his family to Lancaster, Ohio.

1975: Felix Millán Appears in Every Game of the Season

In 1975, Félix Millán appeared in every game of the season for the Mets.

1976: Dave Kingman's Home Run Record

In 1976, Dave Kingman had the most home runs before the All-Star break.

1976: Tied Mets Player Home Run Record

In April 1976, Dave Kingman tied for the most home runs by a Mets player before May 1.

1983: Darryl Strawberry's Rookie Home Run Record

In 1983, Darryl Strawberry set the Mets rookie home run record, which Alonso later broke.

December 7, 1994: Peter Morgan Alonso Born

On December 7, 1994, Peter Morgan Alonso, nicknamed "Polar Bear", was born. He is an American professional baseball first baseman.

Others born on this day/year

1999: Mike Piazza's RBI Record

In 1999, Mike Piazza held the Mets' single-season RBI record, which Alonso later broke.

2006: Tied Mets Player Home Run Record

In April 2006, Carlos Delgado tied for the most home runs by a Mets player before May 1.

2008: David Wright's RBI Record

In 2008, David Wright held the Mets' single-season RBI record, which Alonso later broke.

2013: Tied Mets Player Home Run Record

In April 2013, John Buck tied for the most home runs by a Mets player before May 1.

2014: Plays for Madison Mallards

In 2014, Pete Alonso played collegiate summer baseball with the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League.

2015: Meeting Haley Walsh

In the summer of 2015, Pete Alonso met Haley Walsh while playing in the Cape Cod collegiate summer league. They then maintained a long-distance relationship.

2015: Plays for Bourne Braves

In the summer of 2015, Pete Alonso played for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

2016: Professional Debut with Brooklyn Cyclones

In 2016, Pete Alonso signed with the Mets and made his professional debut with the Brooklyn Cyclones, posting a .322 batting average with 5 home runs and 21 RBIs in 30 games.

2016: Drafted by the Mets

In 2016, Pete Alonso was drafted by the New York Mets in the MLB draft after playing college baseball for the Florida Gators.

2016: Junior Year at University of Florida

In 2016, during his junior year at the University of Florida, Pete Alonso hit .374/.469/.659 with 14 home runs and 60 RBIs in 58 games.

2016: Tied Mets Player Home Run Record

In April 2016, Neil Walker tied for the most home runs by a Mets player before May 1.

2017: Promotion to Binghamton Rumble Ponies

In 2017, after playing with the St. Lucie Mets, Pete Alonso was promoted to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, where he batted .311 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs in 11 games.

November 2018: Engagement of Pete Alonso and Haley Walsh

In November 2018, Pete Alonso and Haley Walsh got engaged.

2018: Promotion to Las Vegas 51s

In 2018, Pete Alonso received a midseason promotion to the Las Vegas 51s and represented the Mets in the All-Star Futures Game. He also won the Joe Bauman Home Run Award.

2019: Home Run Derby Earning

From 2019-2021, Pete Alonso made $1.47 million in base salary while playing for the Mets.

2019: Breaks Rookie Home Run Record

In 2019, Pete Alonso broke the MLB rookie home run record with his 53rd home run on September 28. He was awarded the National League Rookie of the Year on November 11 and named to the All-MLB Team on December 10.

2019: Record-Breaking Home Runs and All-Star Selection

In 2019, Pete Alonso broke the National League record for most home runs by a rookie before the All-Star break on June 22, and broke the Mets rookie home run record on June 23. He was also selected as a reserve to the 2019 MLB All-Star Game and won the NL Rookie of the Month Award for June.

2019: MLB Debut and Rookie of the Year

In 2019, Pete Alonso made his MLB debut on Opening Day and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award, setting a major league record for rookies with 53 home runs.

2019: MLB Debut and First Home Run

In 2019, Pete Alonso made the Mets Opening Day roster and recorded his first major league hit on March 28. On April 1, he hit his first major league home run against the Miami Marlins. On April 9, he had his first career multi-home run game against the Minnesota Twins.

2019: Origin of "Polar Bear" Nickname

In 2019, during spring training, Pete Alonso was given the nickname "Polar Bear" by Mets third baseman Todd Frazier, due to his large size.

September 3, 2020: First Career Walk-Off Home Run

On September 3, 2020, Pete Alonso hit his first career walk-off home run in a 9–7 victory against the New York Yankees. Alonso had the highest maximum exit velocity of all major league hitters, at 118.4 miles per hour (190.5 km/h) during the 2020 season.

2020: Formation of The Alonso Foundation

In 2020, Pete Alonso and his wife formed The Alonso Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to supporting youth, veterans, and animal welfare causes.

November 12, 2021: Pete Alonso's Marriage

On November 12, 2021, Pete Alonso married Haley Walsh at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Tampa, Florida.

2021: Potential First Baseman

Heading into the 2021 season, some talent evaluators favored Dominic Smith as the team's starting first baseman due to Alonso's sophomore slump and Smith's breakout season.

2021: Won MLB Home Run Derby

In 2021, Pete Alonso won the MLB Home Run Derby for the second time.

2021: 100th Career Home Run

On September 7, 2021, Pete Alonso hit his 100th career home run, becoming the second-fastest player to reach 100 career home runs. He played in 152 games for the Mets in 2021, batting .262/.344/.519 with 37 home runs and 94 RBIs.

March 13, 2022: Car Accident in Tampa

On March 13, 2022, Pete Alonso was involved in a car accident in Tampa, Florida, where his vehicle was struck by another driver and flipped over multiple times; Alonso was unharmed.

March 22, 2022: Signs $7.4 Million Contract with Mets

On March 22, 2022, Pete Alonso signed a $7.4 million contract with the Mets. On April 9, he hit his first career grand slam against the Washington Nationals.

August 17, 2022: Alonso Joins US National Baseball Team

On August 17, 2022, Pete Alonso announced his decision to join the United States national baseball team for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

2022: Franchise Record in RBIs

In 2022, Pete Alonso broke the Mets' franchise record with 131 RBIs, tying Aaron Judge for the most RBI in the major leagues. He also played in 160 games for the Mets.

2022: Led the league in runs batted in

In 2022, Pete Alonso led the league in runs batted in (RBIs).

2022: All-Star Selection and RBI Record

In 2022, Pete Alonso was named to the MLB All-Star Game for the second time. On September 25, he set a new Mets' single-season RBI record with 125 RBIs.

January 13, 2023: Signs $14.5 Million Contract with Mets

On January 13, 2023, Pete Alonso and the Mets agreed to a one-year, $14.5 million contract. On April 7, Alonso hit his 150th career home run, passing Carlos Beltrán for 6th place on the Mets all-time home run list.

2023: Ties Howard Johnson on Mets All-Time Home Run List

On September 27, 2023, Pete Alonso hit his 46th home run of the season, tying him with Howard Johnson for 4th place on the Mets all-time home run list. Alonso played in 154 games for the Mets in 2023.

January 11, 2024: Signs $20.5 Million Contract with Mets

On January 11, 2024, Pete Alonso and the Mets agreed on a one-year, $20.5 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. Alonso recorded his 500th career RBI on April 4, and hit his 200th career home run on April 27.

2024: Becomes a Free Agent

After the 2024 season, Pete Alonso's contract with the Mets expired and he became a free agent for the first time in his career. He declined a qualifying offer from the Mets.

2024: Appears in Every Game of the Season

In 2024, Pete Alonso played in all 162 games for the Mets, making him the second player in Mets history to appear in every game in a single season. He finished the season batting .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBI.

2024: Inducted into Hall of Fame

In 2024, Pete Alonso was inducted into the Madison Mallards Hall of Fame.

2024: MLB Postseason Performance

In the 2024 MLB postseason, Pete Alonso played in 13 games for the Mets, batting .273/.431/.568 with 4 home runs and 10 RBI.

2024: Named to All-Star Game

On July 7, 2024, Pete Alonso was named to the MLB All-Star Game, passing Keith Hernandez for the most appearances by a Mets first baseman.

2024: Game 3 National League Wild Card Series

On October 3, 2024, in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Pete Alonso hit a go-ahead, three-run home run in the top of the 9th inning. The Mets would then win 4-2 and eliminate the Brewers from the playoffs. With that home run, Alonso became the first major league player in history to hit a go-ahead homer while trailing in the ninth inning or later of a winner-take-all postseason game.

February 12, 2025: Agreement on Two-Year Contract with Mets

On February 12, 2025, Pete Alonso and the Mets finalized a two-year, $54 million contract that includes an opt-out clause after the 2025 season, following negotiations with his agent Scott Boras.