On July 21, 1915, as a rookie with the Boston Red Sox, Ruth struck a prodigious drive that sailed far over the rightfield bleachers at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. They represent a fraction of those who have applied their ability to the act of hitting a baseball. Thats one of the reasons fans in Detroit were dumbfounded on July 18, when The Big Fella, a muscular slugger for the Yankees named Babe Ruth, did something no one had ever done before. I read that the ball nearly hit a police car on Trumbull ave.That is the longest HR i ever witnessed in person. Dock Ellis was the pitcher, and Jim Palmer is among those who. So Kight, who was working as the Twins chief usher on June 3, 1967, instantly knew Harmon Killebrew had hit the sweet spot when Kight looked up from counting the turnstile numbers. The homer had an exit velocity of 112.1 mph was Harpers 12th of the season. Almost every year, it is the man who strikes the ball the farthest during the competition who receives the highest plaudits. The City of Wilkes-Barre built a permanent display in Kirby Park honoring Ruths prodigious Pennsylvania poke. Mickey Mantle 1973 - His Last Home Run in Yankee Stadium, OTD, 8/11/1973 YanksAtShea 6.23K subscribers 1.4M views 11 years ago YanksAtShea finds another archival goodie (some video-audio. J.P. Arencibia, Sept. 7, 2015 (464 feet)Sadly, there is no video archive of this launch by the then-Rays catcher off Tigers starter Randy Wolf. Accounts from that gray afternoon put Hills rooftop homer at 490 feet; Hill told the Chicago Tribune to move that up to 700 feet. Almost everyone in attendance believed that the ball was still rising when it was interrupted in midflight by the roof structure. On June 26, 2021, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt hit a 470-foot home run to center field off of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher J.T. Mantle is generally credited with the longest home run of all time, a clout that left Tiger Stadium on Sept. 10, 1960, and landed in a lumberyard across the street. "Hat worn by J.A. Cecil Fielder In 1921 there was no SportsCenter, no 24-hour highlight machine called the Internet. One of the major highlights as a kid back then was that game and especially that Jackson blast that Curt Gowdy called for a national viewing audience. On June 27, 2007, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard launched a 505-foot home run off of Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Aaron Harang. Years after the fact, Brouthers was credited with a 500-foot home run on the aforementioned date, but it seems highly unlikely that the ball traveled nearly that far. But there are others. This dinger off Torontos Giovanni Carrara was pretty much that scene come to life. His trail of National League home runs was already legendary when he moved to the American League in 1965. Kingman hit a famously long homer on April 14, 1976, at Wrigley Field. The exact date is unknown. He had 107 home runs in his four-season career. His regular bombardment of the left-field roof at Tiger Stadium has not been approximated in the 60-year history of that structure. the Nearest to me was Vintage. That ball is measured at 634 feet by the Guinness Book of World Records, but few really believe it went that far on the fly. The drive to left had an exit velocity of 109 mph, according to Statcast, and reached the base of the brick wall behind the left-field seats. The longest home run ever hit at Comerica Park came off the bat of J.D. Statcast has tracked games at every Major League ballpark for eight seasons now, and with each passing year were getting a better understanding of just how hard and how far a big leaguer can hit a baseball. Having hit 31 home runs in 506 at-bats with Toronto, in Japan Fielder produced 38 in only 384 at-bats. Mickey Mantle was no stranger to long home runs. By 1995, the sponsorship had changed, but the program had been expanded to include every big league ballpark. Detroit Tigers pitchers and catchers went through drills and a bullpen session during Spring Training Tuesday, February 14, 2023. The distance traveled through the air has been obscured with the passage of time and herein lies an interesting aspect of this subject. In the case of Nicholson, who was a powerful man, as was Kingman, the figure of 573 feet was provided by "White Sox mathematicians." COLUMBIA, Mo. Recently got a blank jersey stitched at Vintage Detroit and the finished product looks awesome! The home run had an exit velocity of 114.6 mph to center field. Long gone! That was a big surprise, that somebody could hit the ball that far, said Tony Oliva, a slugger himself. Mickey Mantle famously hit a ball 565 feet (or so the Yankees then-publicist claimed) into a neighborhood behind Washingtons Griffith Stadium, and he clubbed another that came feet from clearing Yankee Stadium. Reggie Jackson's 1971 All-Star Game shot at Tiger Stadium would have travelled more than. Detroit Ruth crushed a pitch out of Navin Field versus Ty Cobbs Tigers on July 18, 1921. Reid, an engineer, estimates the distance in the air as no less than 610 feet, theTampa Bay Times wrote. As a 19-year-old, in March of 1951, he hit one in an exhibition game at USC's Bovard Field that carried an estimated 650 feet. J.D. So who really did hit the longest home run ever? Again, the vast talents of Herculean Mickey Mantle have been comprised by individuals who have unwittingly perpetrated a hoax. She is very accommodating and made me feel at home, especially since I was unaware they don't operate a standard retail shop. What is the highest mountain in the world? It should be noted that those regular references over the years to 500- and 600-foot home runs were born out of scientific ignorance, misinformation, or even deliberate exaggeration. You've got to see him." And, how far did it go? Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. One of the largest men ever to play major league baseball, at six feet seven inches, 275 pounds, Howard was the absolute epitome of size and strength. Adam Dunn, 535 Feet, Out of the Park The Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati isn't a classic hitter's field, statistically at least, but Adam Dunn sure tamed it. So, you didnt have much of a chance to see a four-bagger back in those days. The vast popularity of major league baseball's home run hitting contest before the annual All-Star Game is ample evidence that we remain enamored of the players blessed with unique levels of power. Sadly, the COVID pandemic denied fans the chance to marvel at this drive in person, save for the few fans enjoying dinner atop the Detroit Athletic Club across the street. The people there are awesome and they clearly don't get much walk in business however they know their product while intending in only buying one jersey I walked out with much more! I think they left Dick Allen in 1973 for the White Sox. Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Ruth took a train to Wilkes-Barre two days after the 1926 World Series (imagine Kris Bryant playing an exhibition game later this weekfor a couple thousand people) and tattooed a ball 650 feet, according to members ofWilkes-Barre's City Government. Those are amazing stats, and yet they dont measure to Killebrews 522-foot blast. Martinez last season -- a ball that traveled 466 feet and ended up on top of the camera well in center field. Mike, I was at that game in 1996 when Delgado hit that blast, sitting the Box Seats in the upper deck in right. Not since Hank Greenberg in the 1940s, had Tiger fans seen a power hitter like Cecil Fielder. A six-city mystery. On June 3, 2012, Texas Rangers right fielder Nelson Cruz hit a 484-foot home run to left-center field off Angels reliever Bobby Cassevah. Here, in no particular order, are 12 absolutely massive homers we wish came under Statcast tracking. By the time Detroit's Tiger Stadium bade farewell 87 years, it had witnessed 11,111 home runs, six World Series, three memorable All-Star games, NFL Championship games and championship boxing. It is for that reason that home run hitters have always been and always will be the most popular players. The home run cleared the right-field pavilion, hitting a bus outside the stadium. The 34 home runs were the most by a Cardinal since Stan Musial hit 35 in 1954, and the most by a Cardinals right-handed batter since Ken Boyer had 32 in 1960. It's the kind of homer that would give Ellis flashbacks even without the LSD. Nomar Mazara, who played for the Rangers, held the longest home run . They did not or could not find a way to further reward the batter who hit a ball significantly farther than the established home run distance. Mantle was a switch-hitter who was equally powerful from both sides of the plate. When researching longest home runs, you'll likely run across claims that legends like Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth hit home runs well over 600 feet. That list is topped by the legendary Josh Gibson, and includes George "Mule" Suttles, Norman "Turkey" Stearnes, and John Beckwith. Directly behind Allen in the historic ranking of tape measure hitters were contemporaries Willie Stargell and Willie McCovey. I measured it at 435 feet, said Tom Mee, longtime Twins public relations man and official scorer. Fewer than one in a million men are capable of powering a ball 450 feet against major league caliber pitching. Mantle is generally credited with the longest home run of all time, a clout that left Tiger Stadium on Sept. 10, 1960, and landed in a lumberyard across the street. But not so fast. Ken Griffey Jr. at Rogers Centre (April 12, 1996)Remember that scene in Little Big League when Griffey, the big bad villain, launches one to the upper deck and then lazily flips his bat? Reggie Jacksons light-tower shot in the 1971 ASG (July 13, 1971)Has a pinch-hitter ever hit a ball farther? The homer had an exit velocity of 111.3 mph. They have always liked them, and always will. I seem to recall Big Frank Howard (Hondo) of the Washington Senators, blast one over the left field roof sometime between 1966 and 68 (I think). Editors note: This story was originally published on June 29, 2006. In case you're not familiar with it, Jackson hit what I believe is the longest home run of my lifetime, and I've been around a while. The longest home run in Men's College World Series history at Charles Schwab Field Omaha unofficially belongs to Arkansas' Brady Slavens, who went deep 436 feet in 2022. Detroit's Tiger Stadium (the name was changed from Briggs Stadium) was a favorite Mantle hunting ground for legendary home run blasts. & quot;According to the Detroit Free Press book "The Corner", the following have hit HR's out of Tiger Stadium: Norm Cash (did it 4 times) Mickey Mantle (did it 3 times) Kirk Gibson (did it 3 times) Jason Thompson (did it twice) Mickey Tettlton (did it twice) Tony Clark . Yes, Killebrew did it again, the next day. A suitable example can be identified in Ruth's classic Comiskey Park rooftopper on August 16, 1927. He can still hear the ball . This ball cleared the Hard Rock Cafe and landed well into the fifth deck, and Griffeys classic swing made the feat look effortless. The home run had an exit velocity of 116 mph and was Zuninos 12 homer of the season. In 1921 there was no SportsCenter, no 24-hour highlight machine called the Internet. Guinness also clarifies that Mickey Mantle's home run measured at 643 feet (approximately 196 meters) is the longest home run measured "mathematically after the fact." This home run was hit at Tiger Stadium in Detroit on September 10, 1960. As I recall, it was a sunny Sunday afternoon that day. Who is baseball's mightiest batsman and how far can he hit a baseball? Note aperture." 18 Sources In addition to the sources mentioned in the notes, the author consulted baseball-reference.com and retrosheet.org. Ted Williams called it one of the hardest hit balls hed ever seen. After Ruth and Foxx, Mantle ranks as high as or higher than anyone else who ever tried to hit a baseball to faroff places. The Metrodome home run record is owned by Ben Oglivie, who was with Milwaukee when, on July 27, 1983, he parked one about 12 rows back in the upper deck in right-center. He holds the record for longest home run in Cleveland Indians history at 511 feet, which he hit against the Kansas City Royals in 1999. Allen walloped 18 home runs over the 75-foot-high left-field grandstand at Philadelphia's Connie Mack Stadium, but his opposite-field drives to right and right-center fields may have been even more impressive. The other great distance hitters of that period were Lou Gehrig and Hank Greenberg, but their optimum drives fell about 50 feet short of those struck by Ruth and Foxx. And, as was the case with Mantle, Allen was one of the few men in the entire history of the game who possessed legitimate 500-foot-plus power. A local youngster finally ran it down some 825 feet from home plate. That magnitude of Ruth's accomplishment can be understood with the knowledge that, because home plate had been moved, the distance to the grandstand for Gibson was 341 feet, while for Ruth it was 365 feet. It was not until Babe Ruth came upon the scene that we can find confirmed accounts of batted balls that can favorably compare with any hit during subsequent generations. MORE:Where was baseball's first night game? When gargantuan Frank Howard hit a mighty home run off Robin Roberts in Philadelphia on September 1, 1958, the next great tape measure home run career was initiated. On June 3, 2001, Boston Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez hit a 491-foot blast to left field off of Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Carpenter. George Kight says it was easy to tell how well a ball was hit at the old Metropolitan Stadium. ! I said, Thats where it landed; thats how we measure them.. update=copyright.getFullYear(); Where was the longest home run ever hit at Yankee Stadium? The blast had an exit velocity of 111.6 to right-center field. Barry Bonds at Yankee Stadium (June 8, 2002)Has there ever been a more satisfying payoff from a hitter stepping to the plate and doing exactly what everyone hopes he would do? Kight always stopped what he was doing when Killebrew was at the plate, but even he didnt guess where this one would wind up. When Kingman launched his wind-aided blow in Chicago, The New York Times somehow concluded that it had flown 630 feet. Chicago White Sox right fielder Joe Borchard hit a 504-foot home run to right-center field off of Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Brett Myers. Entering the 1970s, Reggie Jackson was already established as one of the best ever. Arizona Diamondbacks first-baseman Richie Sexson hit a 503-foot home run to center field on April 26, 2004. Americans, along with people everywhere, are fascinated with power. The new parks are smaller, built for power hitters to entertain todays fans. By looking back, we can confirm the preoccupation with long-distance hitting in the early stages of baseball history. The Tigers' Kirk Gibson hit a home run onto the street in 1983 but it was less than 600 feet. Dr. Paul E. Susman, a . With the OPEN sign light I though well came all this way just aswell give it a try and am I glad I did. Comerica Park is big enough all around that there are no cheap home runs. No sooner than the last word had left his mouth, he did it again.. Oliva said it was harder to hit one out at Metropolitan than at the Metrodome. His slender physique belied his subtle strength and natural ability to generate bat speed. Before participating in the varsity squad of William Howard Taft Charter High School, he developed his baseball skills in the West Valley Little League. Shipping Service Coincidentally, that was the same ballpark where Mickey Mantle had supplanted Williams as the game's longest hitter seven years earlier. Perhaps the ball had already flown over 400 feet, whereupon it was interrupted in midflight at a height of 70 feet above field level. Hyperbole has always been part of the phenomenon of long-distance home runs, and this factor must also be considered. The 22-year-old, who was called into England camp under Eddie Jones, fell awkwardly after being tackled by Tommy Reffell and injured his leg. Order Tracking As long as baseball has been played, observers and participants alike have been fascinated with those rare individuals who have been capable of batting balls farther than others of their time. It was hit into the second level of the. You are correct about Howard. FAQ. Martinez, July 21, 2015 (467 feet)This is the standard by which all Comerica Park homers are measured these days. If Mantle had provided the same power or velocity, but had launched the ball at a higher and more efficient angle, it would have passed out of Yankee Stadium at a height of over 200 feet! And Giancarlo Stanton has hit the hardest tracked homer at a scorching 121.7 mph. If not for the obstruction, the ball would have carried . BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 26: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees at bat during the top of the first inning of the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on September 26, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. The home run was the 100th of Howards career in his 325th game. 50 years ago today, Harmon Killebrew hit his, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Submit to Stumbleupon (Opens in new window), 50 years ago today, Harmon Killebrew hit his longest home run, A look at MLBs new rules and how they will affect the Twins, Getting reliever Jorge Lpez back on track key task for Twins, Jose Miranda pulls out of World Baseball Classic, per reports, Twins prospect Edouard Julien makes an impression at the plate, Jaw wired shut, Twins prospect Jordan Balazovic returns to baseball activities, Twins starter Pablo Lpez, soon off to compete in WBC, sharp in first spring start, John Shipley: Timing on Lindsay Whalen decision seems odd, Hastings delivers improbable rally to stun defending champ St. Michael-Albertville in 3A wrestling final, Boys hockey: Hill-Murray stops Gentry Academy, earns another trip to state, Two graduates allege in lawsuits sexual groping by fellow students, frat-like culture at St. Thomas Academy, How much is too much?