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Jason Heyward began his first major league game by catching the ceremonial first pitch from Hank Aaron.  You’d think nothing could top that, until he stepped up to the plate with two on and one out.

No doubt at least a little nervous, the Atlanta Braves right fielder watched Carlos Zambrano’s first two pitches sail by for balls.  Then came a 93 mph sinker.  Heyward jacked that sucker over the right field wall, and so began his big league career as the 104th player — the sixth in Braves history — to hit a bomb in his first at bat.   

He polished off the day by going 2-for-5 with four RBI in what turned out to be a historic Chicago Cubs beatdown of 16-5.  Was the 20-year-old rookie flashing the tip of the ice berg that could be his illustrious career, or was it just a case of beginners luck?  Either way, this is good for Atlanta Braves baseball.

Some big name players who failed to go yard in their first major league at bat: Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, and Barry Bonds.  A few of the guys who pulled it off in the last couple of seasons: Mark Worrell, Mark Saccomanno, Elijah Dukes, Luis Montanez, Gerardo Parra and Jordan Schafer.

Take from that what you will.  Anyway, hat tip to one of my favorite baseball blogs, 7th Inning Stache for this video, which more or less proves Heyward’s badassery.