Hajek breaks Stars single-season hit record

Tim Graham

Thursday, Sept. 3, 1998 | 10:04 a.m.

Dave Hajek was told a television shopping network has offered $250,000 for the home run ball that breaks Roger Maris' hallowed record.

"Then what's this worth?" asked Hajek, pointing his thumb toward the ball in his locker. "Twenty-five cents?"

The ball in question was the one Hajek smacked Wednesday night for his 173rd hit, breaking the Las Vegas Stars' single-season record. The Stars capitalized on the ninth- inning hit as Aaron Guiel knocked Hajek in to post a 7-6 victory over the Tucson Sidewinders at Cashman Field.

Hajek surpassed the mark set by Paul Faries in 1990, but he didn't want to savor the moment by saving the ball. Breaking a single-season record in the minor leagues generally is an indicator of a player's inability to make the majors.

That's why Hajek appraised the value of his feat at one-1 millionth the worth of home run No. 62.

"I guess there's a sense of accomplishment," the 30-year-old second baseman said. "But you don't want to be here long enough to get this type of record. I definitely would trade it for a couple of months somewhere else."

Hajek went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored Wednesday night. He is hitting .332 and is only three doubles away from breaking the Stars record set by Kevin McReynolds in 1983.

"It's remarkable," said Stars manager Jerry Royster, who stopped the game to collect Hajek's record-breaking ball. "He got 173 hits whether he likes it or not. I told him 'That's pretty special.'

"Two hundred hits is the plateau in the major leagues. If he had as many hits up there as he has here, he'd still have a whole month left to play. That's an incredible effort."

Hajek recorded his 173 hits in 126 games. If he were to keep that pace for a 162-game big-league campaign, he would finish with 222 hits.

"I know this isn't the major leagues," Royster said. "But this is the only league they let him play in this year."

Hajek played parts of two seasons -- 1995 and '96 -- with the Houston Astros, registering 12 at-bats over 13 games. He played in the Detroit Tigers chain for the first part of last year before being claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres.

San Diego has indicated if it does call anyone up from Las Vegas it won't be until the Stars visit Colorado Springs on Friday. The Stars will be there for the final four games of their season, while the Padres will be playing against the Colorado Rockies in Denver.

Hajek, who resides in Colorado Springs, is holding out hope that going home will mean going to the Show.

"The dream is still making it to the major leagues," Hajek said. "That's hasn't happened yet, so for me the season hasn't been as satisfying, regardless of how many hits I have."