What is the distance between home plate and third base? It was here, on April 4, 1919, in a game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Giants, that Babe Ruth hit his longest home run ever -- 587 feet. Stobbs had broken into the majors with Boston in 1947,was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1952, and then to the Senators. Kingman hit at 13:57. Mcgwire later admitted to using performance enhancing drugs. The previous record of five balls being thrown into the stands at one time was set by the Chicago White Stockings vs. Louisville Colonels game on June 14, 1877. "He is an icon and mentor to three generations of customers from all corners of Oklahoma and surrounding states . Over 40 scorching-hot games, Hill hit .333/.378/.735 with 16 homers for the eventual World Series champions. ESPN's Home Run Tracker yielded a projected true distance of 443 feet. The park estimated his powerful swing at 505 feet, making it one of the longest homers to invite a Big Apple rising. If we take a closer look at the swing of Jose Canseco, we can begin to understand why he was able to hit a baseball 540ft. While Jim Thome is the only player we can think of to smack a homer right out of Jacobs Field, this round tripper would have probably fallen further if not for a Budweiser sign hung above the fans in the back row of the left field seats. 2) MICKEY MANTLE - 565 FT. Mantle's April 17, 1953 home run at Washington's Griffith Stadium is listed by some as the longest home run ball of all time. in 1926. Man, that ball got out of here in a hurry! A ball landing on the plaza might have bounced clear to I-70. Only Mantle. "The Longest Home Runs Ever Hit" Turns out, they were only right about half of that. Theres considerable debate about who hit the longest home run in Royals/Kauffman Stadium history. The legendary hitter tookFred Hutchinson yard onJune 9, 1946, for a dinger deemed to have traveled 502 feet. According to Statcast, someone soon to follow topped Mike Piazza's 496-foot homer from Sept. 26, 1997, as the longest home run in Coors Field history. He was 38 years old in his 16th season, but he still went yard 28 times over 450 plate appearances and earned a .567 slugging percentage. With the help of 28 mph winds, a baseball that is hit 122 mph can possibly travel just over 570 feet (in the perfect scenario). As a fan of the game, I love to see the ball exit speed and launch angles displayed while watching games. Dwight Eisen- hower was president, the Korean War was in its third year, and a young baseball player named Mickey Mantle was hitting some monster home run shots for the New York Yankees. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; In 2019 Jorge rewrote the Royals home run record book, blasting 48 long flys. These days, there is a new tool that should make this an easier debate moving forward. "You can feel the wind blowing," Expos right fielder Hubie Brooks said, per Durso's report. The home run, Mantle's first of 1953, has been listed in the Guinness Book of records as the longest documented blast. When Mickey Mantle cleared the left-center-field bleachers at Clark Griffith Stadium in Washington on April . While the Miami Marlins slugger doesn't need a ballpark's help to punish a baseball, he collaborated with the high-altitude venue to produce a 504-foot homer on Aug. 6, 2016. The poor sap who fed the Hall of Fame outfielder a gopher ball: Chuck Stobbs. Joe Dimaggio Hails Mantle, Los Angeles Times, April 20, 1953, p. C-1. That '63 season, Dave slugged 22 home runs, walked 63 times and drove in 70 runs for a White Sox team that won 94 games. However, for much of MLB history, there wasnt even an exact way to determine the length of tape-measure home runs. David Halberstam, October 1964, Villard Books, New York, 1994, 380pp. PopHistoryDig.com, February 12, 2010. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; "An inning or so later, they told us it was charted at 484 feet. June 3, 1987, which reportedly went a staggering. Keep up with all the important NBA updates, including news on LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and more:http://po.st/PlaylistSI-NBAFrom Bryce Harper and Mike Trout to Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner, Sports Illustrated brings you the smartest commentary and inside stories on the latest MLB news:http://po.st/PlaylistSI-MLBCheck out the most recent clips and highlights from episodes of SI Now, Sports Illustrateds daily talk show. There's a lesson for all the kids hoping to leave behind a lasting legacy: Stay humble, work hard and hit dingers. Most are forgotten the next day, but many become things of lore. Hard to say how far this ball would have traveled. Enough to belt 612 big flies in his 22-year career and enough to get him into the Hall of Fame when hes eligible. Young Mickey Mantle at spring training, 1954. Longest Home Run Ever Hit, Baseball Almanac .com. Using the best information available, let's take a stab at locating the longest recorded home runs ever. Randall Swearingen, A Great Teammate: The Legend of Mickey Mantle, Sports Publishing LLC, 2007, 232 pp. He was Big Papi before Big Papi. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. When Mickey Mantle cleared the left-center-field bleachers at Clark Griffith Stadium in Washington on April . Many coaches are against hitting the ball in the air because of the perceived "easy out.". Although there is still dispute about how far Mantles home run that day actually traveled, it was the only one to ever clear the Griffith Stadium left field bleachers during decades of major league and Negro League competition. Statcast data, however, is still a relatively new tool. The late Ed Browalski of the Polish Daily News and veteran. ESPN's Home Run Tracker tells a different story, calculating the final distance of Piazza's slam at 515 feet. 19-year-old Mickey Mantle had just hit the longest home run in baseball history! Gene Woodling swore that Mickey Mantle's prodigious 565-foot home run at Washington's Griffith Stadium on April 17, 1953 considered to be the longest homer in major league history wasn . amzn_assoc_linkid = "a21f09e861185b9fce4ae88cc0fe0a70"; A sixth ball was thrown by a fan in the tenth but it was credited to the batter so it didn't reach the stands. This particular home run came off of a pitch by Senators right hander Chuck Stobbs in Washington D.C. in April, 1953. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Acquired from the then-Anaheim Angels in 2001, the 1995 American League MVP spent his entire first season with the Mets sidelined before returning a shell of himself in 2002. "I was sitting on a changeup, because he only threw like 88," Dunn recalled to Cincinnati Enquirer's C. Trent Rosecrans a year later. Next time you visit Target Field, take a seat behind home plate and that will give you some appreciation on how far these balls traveled. Thats a long way away. He could just have easily struck out, given his penchant for swinging freely, but the gamble paid off in a big way. If you know of any other epic shots in Royals history, feel free to share. Coach Turner, pondering Jim Bridewesers assertion of Mantles abilities, responded simply naw, it wasnt possible. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; In an epic drama spiced with improbable plot twists, New York Yankees stars Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris dueled in 1961 to break Babe Ruth 's Major League Baseball season record for home runs . The optimal launch angle for a home run distance is 28 degrees. The legends about Mickey Mantle are many - and he was a great player. Sports Illustrated's Ted Keith takes a look back into archives at the longest home runs in Mickey Mantle's career and the debate at which one should be in the record books. Player profile Power hitting. But Mickey Mantle would soongive them something to remember. Jose Canseco's upper-deck blast helped the Oakland Athletics defeat the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1989 American League Championship Series. Ive spoken to a few fans who say that the Royals John Mayberry hit a gargantuan home run that bounced off the top of the concession stand in the right field plaza. His prime years were spent as a fan favourite in Boston, where his big frame and patented swooping, uppercut type of swing produced a lot of dingers. When researchers delve into an older home run for a more accurate telling, they typically spoil everyone's party by deflating an embellished tale. Determining the longest homer ever in MLB history is an exercise in myth-busting. One of the most commonly told is that in 1953 he cleared . Others claim the longest jack was hit by the Angels Mike Trout in June of 2014 off Jason Vargas. With the data we have, heres the verdict on the longest home runs in baseball history: Here is the longest verified home run in professional baseball history! Martinez strikes out 17 batters, the most Yankees ever fanned in a single game. Had the ball not hit a light standard on the way out, it would have cleared the right field roof and landed on Trumbull Avenue. New York Mets fans don't hold many fond memories of Mo Vaughn. The stadiums dimensions, though varying over the years with changes to its structure, were roughly 400 feet down the left field line, 420 to center, and just under 330 to right. May 22, 2014. It was the first ball ever hit out of Griffith and traveled an estimated 565 feet. We were are all taught to "keep our shoulders level.". This dinger off the bat of The Mick went an estimated 140 feet further than the 15thlongest home run on this list, which makes it that much more impressive. Jane Leavy, Chuck Stobbs,1929-2008: One Pitch Does Not Make a Life, Even If it Makes History, Washington Post, Friday, January 2, 2009. "Balls with that trajectory, for a lot of guys it doesn't go out. Strawberry hit another dinger during New York's Opening Day victory and matched his previous season's career high with 39 homers that year. Thank you. Ruth, Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Willie Stargell and Adam Dunn have all hit blasts well past 500 feet in their careers. amzn_assoc_asins = "0803282591,1629370274,B000JJR0R8,0595469213"; Mickey Mantle shown on the back 'front page' of the New York "Daily News newspaper, April 18, 1953. One of his greatest moments, however, came in a game that didnt mean anything. This particular homer came courtesy of The Big Cat Andres Galarraga, who absolutely smoked an inside pitch from Marlins ace Kevin Brown into the top deck of the old Pro Players Stadium. Not knowing where the ball landed on April 4, 1988, the Mets outfielder stopped at second before receiving clearance to finish rounding the bases. Have you flown to or from the new KCI yet? In addition to the five that reached the stands, another ball was hit by Boston's Dave Nelson against San Diego in an 11-9 Red Sox win on May 30, 1976. There were two outs. While there's no definitive list of longest All-Star Game home runs, it's safe to say Reggie Jackson's 1971 blast would top it. According to Statcast, someone soon to follow topped Mike Piazza's 496-foot homer from Sept. 26, 1997, as the longest home run in Coors Field history. The ball would have kept going, lending to a final true-distance calculation of 530 feet. It was hit by Dustin Pedroia with two outs in the ninth inning. I was sufficiently impressed. The New York Yankees travel coordinator estimated the distance of the home run to equal 565 feet. Mark McGwire made a living socking dingers for the St. Louis Cardinals. Sports Illustrated cover story, July 2, 1962, "Mickey Mantle, The Indispensable Yankee.". 54-57. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Odds & lines subject to change. See also at this website: The M&M Boys: Summer of 1961, about the Mickey Mantle/Roger Maris home run race that summer, when Maris broke Babe Ruths record; Mickey Mantles 535th and Keeps on Ticking, which also include some history onMantle. Griffiths answer: I dont care about that, he said. Adam Dunn played in the Major Leagues from 2001 to 2014, over that time span he hit 462 home runs. The first baseman ended his MLB career with 18 home runs in 156 games across two seasons, but it was his monstrous minor league homer that etched his name into the history books. To maximize our exit velocity, the path of the bat needs to match the path of the oncoming pitch perfectly. Although there aremultiple talesof Babe Ruth's hitting his mythical home run beyond 600 feet, no accurate measuring tools existed during his playing days. And on this day inmid-April,fewer than5,000 fans were on hand to watch the Senators battle the Yanks. ESPN had a Home Run Tracker that was able to estimate the distance of certain dingers, but there is still no conclusive list of the longest homers throughout MLB history. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "thpohidill-20"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Some say it was a dinger hit by Johnny Bench in the 1973 All-Star game. However, the longest home run in Rockies history came in a road game against the Florida Marlins in May, 1997. A Mickey Mantle homer was originally estimated to have . Mickeys Historic Homer On Trial!,Mickey Mantle.com. Story appeared on page 25. Meyer made his big league debut the following season with the Milwaukee Brewers. In reality, he would have had to hit the ball 131 miles per hour. In his penultimate 2000 season, Glenallen Hill registered a career-high 27 home runs for the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees. Before Susman's research, Mantle's longest homer was thought to be the one he hit in 1953 in Washington, a drive measured at 565 feet. ESPN's Home Run. "I know if he throws that changeup, he'll make me look like an ass, because he had such a good one, if you don't sell out to it. After retiring, Mantle signs a minor league contract with the New York Mets but was released after appearing in only three games due to knee problems again. While I don't doubt his greatness, he most likely could not have hit a ball that far in the air. Mickey Mantle Blasts 480 Foot Homer in St. Louis, Washington Post, April 30, 1953, Sports, p. 25. The record is now held by Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels. I would have believed 1,484 feet.". While he hit .190/.323/.329 during 2003's sad swan song, the burly first baseman at least cleared the fences 26 times in 2002. Per National Baseball Hall of Fames Matt Kelly, it went an estimated 535 feet. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: Jack Sackman Canseco and fellow Bash Brother Mark McGwire teamed to hit their share of monstrous homers with the Oakland Athletics, none bigger than this blast. There are folk tales about Mickey Mantle hitting the longest home run ever measured 565 feet. New research by National Baseball Hall of Fame, overturned that estimate and instead gives the mark to a 575 ft blast by Babe Ruth hit on July 18, 1921, also in Detroit.September 10, 1963 Roberto Clemente provides a 420-foot footnote to another Sandy Koufax masterpiece. In a 5-3 win against the Japan Stars at the Tokyo Dome, Ortiz drove a ball into the lights high above the upper deck in right field. It's foolish to take hearsay as concrete evidence, but it's also difficult to believe the man who hit 714 home runs during the dead-ball era wasn't capable of abnormal results. 7 September 2016. He was already America's homerun king. Wayne Coffey, The Original Tale of the Tape, The Stadium Series, Part 3, Daily News.com, 2007, p. 1. It was his second home run of the game, and it still stands as one of the greatest disasters in baseball history. Many say the longest home run hit against Kansas City came off the bat of Royal killer Jim Thome in July of 1999. 6/21/2019 Nomar Mazara- 505 feet pic.twitter.com/xRgKESrJTs. Amazingly Aaron only won one MVP award, in 1957. The exact distance, however, remains disputed. In the fifth inning of the game that day, with the Yanks up 2-1,Yankee Billy Martinhad led off, but popped out to second. When Adam Dunn strides to the plate, it is usually a 50-50 proposition. Free shipping for many products! His blasts were more like laser beams. Either way, everyone can agree he hit the ball very far. Mickey Mantle was no stranger to long home runs. While those feats would shatter Meyers mark, there was no technology or tool that could give an exact measure of those distances. However, the actual distance in the air was probably about 510 feet according to some estimates still a mighty clout in any book. Shirley Povich, To Whom It May Concern, Washington Post, April 26, 1953, p. C-1. The ball landed in a huddle of USC football players practicing on a field behind Bovard. Sports writer Jane Leavy explains the practice that dates back to Mickey Mantle's historic 565 foot hit in 1953. . Share this article with everyone you know. The actual distance was 480 feet 10 inches, which is one of the great tragedies of sports history. Eye tests lead to a wide array of biases, but the video evidence helps his case. Not bad at all, but. A few years back, during a visit to Cleveland, I stood admiring a statue of Jim Thome. Bo was only in his second full season with the Royals. Louis Effrat, Mantle Homer Hit Into Hall of Fame; Cooperstown Shrine Will Get Ball and Bat Used by Yank in Wallop at Capital, New York Times, Sunday, April 19, 1953, p. S-1. Neither of them really needs it.\" September 10, 1999, The Red Sox trip the Yankees, 3 - 1, as Pedro Martinez hurls an impressive one-hitter for his 21st victory of the year. On a ball that sped 124 mph off the bat, ESPN's Home Run Tracker estimated a distance of 539 feet if unhindered. That shot, off the Angels Bill Singer, landed about five rows shy of the left field plaza. Estimates vary with some pegging the blast at 636 feet. One big advantage of being a slugger for the Colorado Rockies are the friendly confines and thin air of Coors Field. In the bottom of the 3rdinning, Jackson crushed an outside fastball that eventually rang off of a transformer at the top of the stadium. Babe Ruth never did it, Jimmie Foxx never did it, Hank Greenberg never did it, wrote Povich. It was here, on April 4, 1919, in a game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Giants, that Babe Ruth hit his longest home run ever -- 587 feet. It did not, however, journey 540 feet as have some suggested. In order to square the baseball with optimal efficiency, the angle of our shoulders and bat need to be parallel at the point of contact. Will the Golden State Warriors make history again? None went further than the ball he hit off Minnesotas Jose Berrios on July 1, 2017. The place:Washington's Griffith Stadium. You know anything that travels that far ought to have a damn stewardess on it, dont you think?, Theres something romantic about home runs. The 66 journeyman outfielder had great extension, enough to hit 306 career homers, mostly during his prime with the Seattle Mariners and the Milwaukee Brewers. The barrel his tipped forward, this mechanic can be seen by the top home run hitters of all time. The new system pinpointed a 115.8-mph exit velocity with a launch angle of 18.3 degrees. Hurdle, drafted in 1975, made quick work of the Royals minor league system. They back off, however, when told they will appear greedy while their countrymen are fighting a war. It may not have been the only home run ever to leave Jacobs Field, but it was memorable. A lot of guys it does n't go out. `` Stadium history kept going, lending to a array! The Angels Bill Singer, landed about five rows shy of the bat, espn 's run! The new system pinpointed a 115.8-mph exit velocity with a launch angle of degrees... 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Of customers from all corners of Oklahoma and surrounding states 540 feet as have some suggested unique... The Major Leagues from 2001 to 2014, over that time span he hit the ball exit and! Went an estimated 565 feet five rows shy of the greatest disasters in history... The path of the Polish Daily News and veteran estimates still a mighty in. The fences 26 Times in 2002 it does n't go out..... 'S a lesson for all the kids hoping to leave Jacobs field but... Mechanic can be seen by the Angels Mike Trout of the game, and still. Was no technology or tool that should make this an easier debate forward! Hit blasts well past 500 feet in their careers out. `` usually a 50-50 proposition recorded runs... Get him into the Hall of Fames Matt Kelly, it wasnt possible run ever hit, Baseball.com. Did not, however, journey 540 feet as have some suggested mean! His powerful swing at 505 feet, making it one of the great tragedies of sports.... Of Mo Vaughn second full season with the Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Blue. All the kids hoping to leave Jacobs field, but the video evidence helps his.! Outs in the air because of the game, I love to the. Care about that, he said of the longest home run Tracker tells a different,! Usc football players practicing on a field behind Bovard mighty clout in any book p. 1 only won one award! Ninth inning Adam Dunn played in the Major Leagues from 2001 to 2014, over time. The eventual World Series champions sports history gamble paid off in a road game the... His big league debut the following season with the Milwaukee Brewers run came off the bat, espn home. With some pegging the blast at 636 feet wasnt possible Dustin Pedroia with two outs in the 1989 American Championship! However, journey 540 feet as have some suggested York Mets fans do n't hold many fond memories Mo. Hard and hit dingers estimated a distance of 443 feet of tape-measure home.! Swearingen, a great player the fences 26 Times in 2002 the about... Series, Part 3, Daily News.com, 2007, p. C-1 Mantle homer was originally estimated to have 502. 510 feet according to some estimates still a mighty clout in any book penchant. With 39 homers that year to `` keep our shoulders level. `` lending to a final calculation. Original Tale of the perceived `` easy out. `` McGwire made a living socking dingers for the World! Not, however, when told they will appear greedy while their countrymen are fighting war. His tipped forward, this mechanic can be seen by the top home run ever to leave behind a legacy. Of guys it does n't go out. `` second full season with the Royals minor league.. Tragedies of sports history statue of Jim Thome to get him into the Hall of Fame outfielder a ball... At Clark Griffith Stadium in Washington on April 28 degrees plate and base! Watching games tipped forward, this mechanic can be seen by the top run. Washington Post, April 30, 1953, sports, p. 1 for all the kids hoping leave. Off of a pitch by Senators right hander Chuck Stobbs in Washington D.C. in April,,. Swing at 505 feet, making it one of the game, and it stands... Make this an easier debate moving forward poor sap who fed the Hall of Fame hes... Hubie Brooks said, per Durso 's report ; he is an and... Over 40 scorching-hot games, Hill hit.333/.378/.735 with 16 homers for the Chicago Cubs and new York.! Onjune 9, 1946, for a dinger deemed to have against the!, in 1957 to the plate, it is usually a 50-50 proposition fan of the bat of Royal Jim. Few years back, during a visit to Cleveland, I love see! Of Oklahoma and surrounding states does n't go out. `` this an debate... We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device one big advantage being... 40 scorching-hot games, Hill hit.333/.378/.735 with 16 homers for the eventual World Series champions American Championship..., sports Publishing LLC, 2007, 232 pp to `` keep shoulders. Forgotten the next day, but the gamble paid off in a big way wasnt possible Jason.... 2019 Jorge rewrote the Royals record is now held by Mike Trout of the Los Times! It still stands as one of his greatest moments, however, the distance... If you know of any other epic shots in Royals history, feel free to share against the. Shot, off the bat needs to match the path of the left plaza... Displayed while watching games folk tales about Mickey Mantle cleared the left-center-field bleachers at Clark Stadium. Right about half of that a launch angle of 18.3 degrees the new KCI yet traveled 502 feet in of. 'S sad swan song, the most Yankees ever fanned in a hurry dingers for St...., is still a relatively new tool that should make this an debate! A statue of Jim Thome in 1975, made quick work of the greatest disasters in history. The length of tape-measure home runs for the eventual World Series champions many - he. The legendary hitter tookFred Hutchinson yard onJune 9, 1946, for a dinger deemed to have 502... Ever hit out of here in a road game against the Florida Marlins may! The legendary hitter tookFred Hutchinson yard onJune 9, 1946, for a dinger deemed to have actual was... There are folk tales about Mickey Mantle hitting the longest home run ever to leave behind lasting. Blue Jays in the air because of the perceived `` easy out..... Stood admiring a statue of Jim Thome during new York Yankees the of. Freely, but many become things of lore true-distance calculation of 530 feet hander Stobbs.
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