On the first strike out , he threw his bat, so the fans were booing loudly, and banging the wood seats each time he came up to bat! Kingman hit a famously long homer on April 14, 1976, at Wrigley Field. There should be no doubt about the authentication of these conclusions. 15 15. Killabrew was in 62. Its remarkable, and comforting, that, despite their conspicuous increase in muscle mass, todays sluggers dont really hit the ball any farther than their predecessors. While some memorable drives predate Statcast, such as Carlos Penas drive to the right-center-field concourse in 2005 or Wily Mo Penas estimated 454-foot drive to left in 2011, here are the five longest homers in Comerica Park since Statcast became the standard in 2015: Long gone! I ended up buy a very nice winter Tiger jacket and as I tried it on and decided on it they noticed a very minor blemish on the back and quickly informed me I had a hard time even seeing it & probably would have never noticed it. None other than Darren Holmes, the Rockies pitcher who coughed it up, estimates that this ball went probably 560 feet -- off a changeup, no less. One of the most common question asked here at Baseball Almanac is who hit the longest home run ever. Awed by such a demonstration of power, the writers would then describe the event for posterity as a 500-and-some-foot home run. If Bo Jackson had not been forced into early retirement, he might have challenged Fielder for modern supremacy. Advertisement That puts it up there with legendary home runs from the likes of Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle. In returning the discussion to Babe Ruth, it can be said that he defies rational analysis. By looking back, we can confirm the preoccupation with long-distance hitting in the early stages of baseball history. Mantle was a switch-hitter who was equally powerful from both sides of the plate. Returns & Exchanges Glenallen Hill at Wrigley Field (May 11, 2000)When the wind is blowing out at Wrigley, everything seems possible for a slugger -- including the rooftops across Waveland Avenue. The roof was 94 feet high and the left-field fence was 340 feet from home plate . Boucher of Albany, June 9, 1946, when Ted Williams of Red Sox bounced his longest Boston home run off owner's head. Franchy Cordero's 489-foot bomb was the longest home run of the season coming into the night per Statcast. 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. Ruths tape measure mystery is part of the lore surrounding the most famous player of all-time. 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. 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! Excited to work with Vintage Detroit on future orders. In order to fully understand and appreciate long-distance hitting, a frame of reference should be established. Thank you so much, I can't wait to wear my jersey to a Wings game! Unlike the 1971 All Star game blast when his Famous homer hit the light tower in right center and came back onto the field, his 1984 blast TOTALLY cleared the roof and left the stadium. 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. Ted Williams hit a 502-foot blast to the right-field bleachers on June 9, 1946. Ruth's 575-foot blast against the Detroit Tigers in 1921 often comes up. Before he retired after the 1973 season, he had performed even more extraordinary feats of long-distance hitting in the junior circuit. The winning pitcher that day for the Blue Jays was Pat Hentgen of Fraser. Windy days at Wrigley are the best. After Ruth and Foxx, Mantle ranks as high as or higher than anyone else who ever tried to hit a baseball to faroff places. Respect to the camera crew for not flinching and focusing on their work. Privacy Policy On September 26, 1997, future Hall of Famer, Mike Piazza of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit a 496-foot home run to left-center off of Colorado Rockies reliever Darren Holmes. 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. This ball cleared the Hard Rock Cafe and landed well into the fifth deck, and Griffeys classic swing made the feat look effortless. 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. Like other home runs mentioned on this list, Thome's blast bounced through the streets after leaving the stadium by flying over the center field fence. On July 6, 1974, he powered a torrid drive that crashed against the roof facade in deep left-center field at Tiger Stadium. Mike Piazza at Coors Field (Sept 26, 1997)Our obligatory Coors Field selection goes to this Piazza blast that just kept going and going. Houston Astros Jake Marisnick hit a 469-foot home run to center field off Boston Red Sox pitcher David Price on June 18, 2017. Despite his extraordinary accomplishments, Babe Ruth is not immune. No sooner than the last word had left his mouth, he did it again.. While All-Stars like Joey Gallo, Shohei Ohtani and Salvador Perez will try to crush balls deep into the Denver . The pitch came from Chicago Cubs righty pitcher Francis Beltran. Chicago Cubs right fielder Sammy Sosa hit a 484-foot home run to left-center field on April 12, 2002. On September 14, 1986, Kansas City Royals right fielder Bo Jackson hit a 475-foot home run to left-center off of Seattle Mariners pitcher Mike Moore. By his own account he hit the longest home run of his career on May 22, 1963 at Yankee Stadium. The City of Wilkes-Barre built a permanent display in Kirby Park honoring Ruths prodigious Pennsylvania poke. However, fans don't need additional inducements to maintain their fascination with "tape measure" home runs. Their displays of pure power were greeted with passionate enthusiasm, though they did not occur in an actual game. I put the location into google maps off I went. Dock Ellis was the pitcher, and Jim Palmer is among those who. Stanton hit a ball in the Coors Field, one of the highest . 565-foot home run at Washington's Griffith Stadium on April 17, 1953 considered to be . Wily Mo Pena at GABP (April 17, 2005)This ball was river-bound too, if it wasnt for that pesky upper deck standing in the way. Juan Gonzalez and Ken Griffey, Jr. were the most widely discussed participants at Baltimore's 1993 All-Star celebration, though neither player did anything heroic in the game itself. That list is topped by the legendary Josh Gibson, and includes George "Mule" Suttles, Norman "Turkey" Stearnes, and John Beckwith. His tremendous blow to right-center field in Detroit on June 8, 1926, has often been reported as traveling over 600 feet. During Mantle's rookie season in 1951, he had struck several impressive drives, but it was not until he cleared the left-center-field bleachers at Griffith Stadium two years later that he was crowned as the new King of the Tape Measure. Bonus points for clubbing this off As ace Dave Stewart, when Smoke was near the peak of his powers. On September 25, 2020, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., hit a 495-foot home run to left-center field off Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Mazza. Thome had over 600 home runs in his career. Yes, Killebrew did it again, the next day. Purchased a New Era Gruff Michigan Syaye hat, and I absolutely love it. Almost every year, it is the man who strikes the ball the farthest during the competition who receives the highest plaudits. The new parks are smaller, built for power hitters to entertain todays fans. As I recall, it was a sunny Sunday afternoon that day. "Hat worn by J.A. Whats the longest home run in every MLB stadium heading into the 2022 season? The longest home runs hit at Tiger Stadium in Detroit by Dan Holmes on January 24, 2022 I could hit for average, but that's not my job. He was an honest, sometimes even self-effacing individual, who was never known to overstate his accomplishments. 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 next truly great slugger in the chronology of long-distance hitting was Ted Williams, who arrived on the major league scene in 1939. Note aperture." 18 Sources In addition to the sources mentioned in the notes, the author consulted baseball-reference.com and retrosheet.org. Ruth hit the ball clear out of Navin Field (Tiger Stadium) to center field, a shot Jenkinson estimates would have traveled 575 feet unencumbered, Sports Illustrated recapped. Amazingly, many of those records remain unequaled, which is to say that Ruth is a true athletic anachronism. The longest home run in the seven-year history of Montreal's Olympic Stadium came off the bat of retired Pittsburgh slugger Willie Stargell. The same process was at work for Mantle on September 10, 1960, in Detroit, where his right-center-field rooftopper was reported to have traveled more than 600 feet. Martinez hit a 467-foot home run off of Seattle Mariners Taijuan Walker on July 21, 2015. With the OPEN sign light I though well came all this way just aswell give it a try and am I glad I did. Cecil Fielder of the Detroit Tigers is credited with powering a ball 502 feet in the air over the left-field bleachers at Milwaukee's County Stadium on September 14, 1991. The homer that traveled to center field with an exit velocity of 113.2 mph, and was Martinezs 13th home run of the season. 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. Reggie Jackson was the player who hit one over the right field roof while playing for the California Angels during the May 15, 1984 game at Tiger Stadium. Other great distance hitters from the sixties were Harmon Killebrew, Dick Stuart, and Boog Powell. * Click on a player to see more information about their specific events including videos of plays if available. One other aspect of misrepresentation should be explored. I'm here to drive home runs. His 1971 All-Star blast off the light tower atop the right-center-field roof at Tiger Stadium ranks as one of the 10 longest drives in major league history. 12/9 Tennessee. Mark McGwires shot off Randy Johnson (June 24, 1997)Big Mac is one of the few players to ever launch a ball completely out of Dodger Stadium, but were highlighting this one instead thanks to the quality of the pitcher. At the time, we did not know what a big deal that was. Franmil Reyes, Aug. 14, 2020 (462 feet)Reyes hit four of his nine home runs in 2020 off Tigers pitchers, but this was the memorable one. The best distance guess at the time: 538 feet. We could hit the ball as far as they hit today, or farther. This ball might have evaporated into the clouds if the Big O roof wasnt in its path. 1. McGowan didnt bother looking. Let it be emphasized that the mighty Mick was undoubtedly one of baseball's all time longest hitters. The ball landed. Detroit Outfielder Cullenbines Skills Were Ahead of His Time, Jon Warden made the most of his one season with Tigers, The longest home runs hit at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. While some records may be several decades old, some are recent and fresh to the memory. Stopped by Wed morning 7/6 and had the pleasure of dealing directly with Lynne. Top 10 Tigers homers of the decade. Share your opinion on our baseball message boards where a topic on the longest hit ever has already begun. 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. If he had the power to clear the roof by over 100 feet, he surely would have cleared it marginally on many occasions. ET, 5:00 p.m. MT on Monday, July 12. Mike, I was at that game in 1996 when Delgado hit that blast, sitting the Box Seats in the upper deck in right. Such renowned sluggers and extraordinary physical specimens as Jose Canseco and Juan Gonzalez have never come genuinely close to the 500-foot threshold. The massive slugger connected with a hanging breaking ball from Ivan Nova and crushed it, sending it nearly onto the concourse beyond center field. Did the Babes longest homer really challenge 600 feet? & 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 . Legend has it that Bonds promised Bobby Bonilla before the game that hed hit the ball out of the stadium if Yankees pitcher Ted Lilly challenged him inside. Mo Vaughn at Shea Stadium (June 26, 2002)When the Shea Stadium workers put up that giant beer ad, did any of them think someone would hit a baseball off the blue part, three-quarters of the way up? I also saw Reggie Jackson with the As strike out about 3 times late in the 1969 season at Tiger Stadium. It is a scientific fact that if Mantle, or anyone else, had sufficient strength to hit a ball that was still traveling upward when it met the towering facade, he would also have enough strength to clear that same facade by a distance of at least 100 feet. You've got to see him." Cardinals switch-hitter Rip Collins hit 35 in 1934. It would have left Tiger Stadium, like Fielders shot, if not for a transformer perched on top of the right-field roof. Back then, Oliva said, fans liked to see games that were 3-2, 2-1 or 1-0.. 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. The blast had an exit velocity of 111.6 to right-center field. 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. Probably well over 600 feet in total. Batting for the Reds against the Cardinals, Wally Post boldly launched a baseball where none had gone before at the original Busch Stadium in St. Louis. 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. If not for the obstruction, the ball would have carried . As I approached the area I quickly realized I was in more an industrial & commercial area then retail. Miguel Cabrera later became known for reaching the camera perch above that. Griffey shared center stage the following year in Pittsburgh with Frank Thomas, as the two men took turns bombarding the upper decks at Three Rivers Stadium. That homeric deed was performed by the powerful Jimmie Foxx on June 16, 1936. Yon Moncada, April 19, 2019 (458 feet)The ball doesnt normally carry well at Comerica Park during cold weather early in the season, but Yon Moncadas drive off Jordan Zimmermann had no regard for the 40-degree temperature at first pitch. Before, if you had power, you could hit the ball, said Oliva, who hit 220 home runs in 15 seasons. Reggie Jackson's 1971 All-Star homer off the transformer atop Tiger Stadium's rightfield roof is one of the most famous long shots. That ball that Killebrew hit, Oliva said, it was unbelievable someone could hit the ball that far.. Cleveland Indians first baseman, and future Hall of Famer, Jim Thome hit a 511-foot home run to center field on July 3, 1999, off of Kansas City Royals pitcher Don Wengert. Mike Piazza at Coors Field (Sept 26, 1997), skyscraper in Game 2 of the 2002 World Series, Cecil Fielder at Tiger Stadium (Aug. 25, 1990), physicist from Montreals McGill University. On April 4, 2001, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Vinny Castilla hit a 478-foot home run to left field off of Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Joey Hamilton. 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 Tigers' Kirk Gibson hit a home run onto the street in 1983 but it was less than 600 feet. The thing is I said " no big deal" yet they would let me leave with it they got another one from their very advanced warehouse. however, subsequent investigation indicated that the ball landed on the back of the roof before bouncing into the night. Some fans in attendance swear the ball was still going up before it struck the roof, and a physicist from Montreals McGill University put his local bias aside to estimate that it would have traveled 525 feet, had it not been stopped. Future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux was pitching for the Chicago Cubs. You didnt even have to see it; the crack of the bat said it all. As late as 1960, Teddy Ballgame was still going strong, when he opened the season in Washington with a 475-foot bolt to right-center field. But baseball has been around way longer than that, obviously. Cecil Fielder In 1921 there was no SportsCenter, no 24-hour highlight machine called the Internet. I found it refreshing to be served by people who truly knew everything and who came across as glad i stopped in and only care about me getting the service beyond what i deserved. The baseball traveled past the flag pole located in deep center field, over the head of Charles Chick Shorten, over the lower deck, which undoubtedly had only a smattering of fans, and out onto the street. Not only did he set distance records in every major league ballpark (including National League stadiums where he played only infrequently), he also set similar standards in hundreds of other fields, where he made exhibition and barnstorming appearances. His 1974 blast certainly traveled over 500 feet, but just as certainly it was not rising when it was forced to as sudden stop. So, you didnt have much of a chance to see a four-bagger back in those days. The homer had an exit velocity of 111.3 mph. Ruth played during the height of American's newspaper culture, when approximately 10 New York papers gave first hand accounts of each Yankee game. Dozens of players have peppered the left field roof at batting practice, though. If you have the power, you hit the ball; if you dont have the power, you dont.. 460 . It is only fair to also mention the great distance sluggers of the old Negro Leagues. Only six batters hit as many as 20 homers that year. The ball struck the facade on the right-field roof approximately 370 feet from home plate and 115 feet above field level. The enigmatic Dick Allen was also one of baseball's greatest long-distance hitters. The aforementioned fictional home run could have been reported at 550 feet in a prominent newspaper, and re-created at that length by historians for years thereafter, when in fact it traveled about 100 feet less. 5/5 Clemson Tigers split action on Saturday morning at the USF Tournament in Tampa, Florida. Reggie came off the bench in the 1971 Midsummer Classic and golfed a ball off Pirates righty Dock Ellis that traveled an estimated 530-some odd feet. Home runs that are hit out of the ball park are measured from where the batter stands to where the ball . - Bill Dickey. Tim Hagerty is the broadcaster for the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, and is on Twitter at @MinorsTeamNames. George Kight says it was easy to tell how well a ball was hit at the old Metropolitan Stadium. For perspective, consider the computerized measuring system implemented by IBM in most major league cities in 1982. Giancarlo Stanton, 504 Feet (2016) Since the installment of technology, Giancarlo Stanton's home run is the longest homer ever recorded. Allen may have hit some of his sport's longest home runs, but neither he nor anyone else ever hit a baseball nearly that far. 507 meters (right field) Only four times in history has a ball been hit entirely out of Dodger Stadium, with two of those balls being hit by Pirates legend Willie Stargell. J.D. 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. Mantle hit the facade on two or perhaps three occasions, but never cleared it. I saw Jason Rooftop Thompson hit one out of Tiger Stadium over right center field off of Dick Tidrow of the Yankees. On June 27, 2007, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard launched a 505-foot home run off of Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Aaron Harang. Almost predictably, it is not the winners of the formal contest who receive the greatest admiration. These were men of great skill and power, and they unquestionable set the distance standards for their times. 5:30 pm Darryl Strawberry hitting the large clock at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on October 1, 1985. We naturally like to quantify any phenomenon that interest us. The lore has it that Mickey Mantle hit a 565-foot home run against the Washington Senators in 1953. . It has been confirmed that the ball struck against the third house beyond Waveland Avenue, which is situated about 530 feet from home plate. However, the reality is that the ball was already on its way down, and those reporting the trajectory were victimized by a common optical illusion. The second one was Gibbys blast in 1983, when some friends and I got bleacher tickets, and sat dead center, giving us a great view of the ball as it sailed out of the ballpark. This dinger off Torontos Giovanni Carrara was pretty much that scene come to life. Fort Wayne, Ind. I measured it at 435 feet, said Tom Mee, longtime Twins public relations man and official scorer. The distance traveled through the air has been obscured with the passage of time and herein lies an interesting aspect of this subject. You are correct about Howard. And while were unable to go back and superimpose exit velocities and projected distances on homers from the past, we can certainly gawk at them and wonder, "What if they were tracked?" Andres Galarraga at Pro Player Stadium (May 31, 1997)A grand slam counts for four runs every time, but boy, this one had to feel even more satisfying than most. A six-city mystery. Not since Hank Greenberg in the 1940s, had Tiger fans seen a power hitter like Cecil Fielder. Im here to drive home runs. Fielder nearly swung out of his shoes while fouling off an earlier pitch in the at-bat, prompting the television broadcaster to ponder if Fielder would have hit it out of the stadium had he connected. 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Little could they have anticipated how great and immediate would be the return on their investment. I could hit for average, but thats not my job. Here is a highlight and a memory . It's the kind of homer that would give Ellis flashbacks even without the LSD. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alan Foster. Perhaps the longest of those not previously mentioned was Ralph Kiner, who bombarded all the National League left-field distance plateaus of his times. But where was Ruths longest homer? At least six cities claim the Bambinos biggest blast. One might say the Reds fans sitting up there werent expecting a home run souvenir that day, but then again, they were already plenty familiar with Wily Mos work. The . This memorable blow was knocked down at a linear distance of approximately 415 feet and an altitude of 85 feet. This time though, they have to make the ride down 15-501 to the Dean Dome, where they'll . What a great game! The list includes Larry Doby, Joe Adcock, Eddie Mathews, Henry Aaron, Willie Mays, and Frank Robinson. I told Bob Casey about the cover we put on the seat to commemorate the home run, Mee said, and he was telling the fans over the loudspeaker as Killebrew was coming up to bat. Broxton, naturally, was . During those years, only one drive of 500 feet was confirmed by this system. Some Long Home Runs at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium. The blast still stands over 40 years later as the longest homerun in MLB All-Star game history. Schoenfield: There have been only five home runs hit out of Dodger Stadium during an action game -- two by Willie Stargell and one each from Mark McGwire, Mike Piazza and Giancarlo Stanton. Benjamin Tetteh scored his first goal for . Estimates on this mammoth shot range anywhere from 500 to 535 feet, but the one thing we do know is that it cleared the 20-foot patch of grass and 32-foot-high batters eye behind the 404-foot center-field marker at Great American Ball Park. Long gone! I was a little concerned it would let look as good as I hoped, but when I put it on, I loved it. Again, the vast talents of Herculean Mickey Mantle have been comprised by individuals who have unwittingly perpetrated a hoax. When Kingman launched his wind-aided blow in Chicago, The New York Times somehow concluded that it had flown 630 feet. Order Tracking The home run cleared the right-field pavilion, hitting a bus outside the stadium. 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. What are your home run memories of Tiger Stadium? Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Russell Branyan hit a 480-foot blast on July 27, 2004. But that massive outfield makes it all the more majestic when sluggers crush tape-measure homers, making this ballpark somehow look small. Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today. Until the Statcast radar era, we really never had. The Babe cranked an exhibition game dinger there that traveled over the left-center field fence and into a moving train. No one had hit one that far before. 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. But not so fast. Jose Canseco hit a home run to center field lower deck. Thats 59 home runs for each team for the entire season. 1969 i attended my first game at Tiger Stadium the next day, Self correction. The founding fathers decided to reward a powerfully hit ball by allowing the batter to circle the bases for an automatic run. This home run was hit at Tiger Stadium in Detroit on September 10, 1960. Bay Area, Chicago, Milwaukee, Iowa City, Des Moines, St. Paul/Minneapolis. Martinez last season -- a ball that traveled 466 feet and ended up on top of the camera well in center field.