It seems only fitting to quote Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, two very smart and well-respected Cy Young award winning pitchers throughout the steroid era, when they put it best, "chicks dig the longball.". According to Tim Reid of the Committee to Commemorate Babe Ruth, the West Coast Inn home run is believed to be perhaps the longest ever hit off major league pitching. 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. 565-foot home run at Washington's Griffith Stadium on April 17, 1953 considered to be . Stantons homer had an exit velocity of 119.2 mph. 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. The . 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! Bay Area, Chicago, Milwaukee, Iowa City, Des Moines, St. Paul/Minneapolis. Hank Greenberg and Willie Horton might also qualify as long time Tigers. There were some very big hitters in the American League, but that was unbelievable.. But that massive outfield makes it all the more majestic when sluggers crush tape-measure homers, making this ballpark somehow look small. I think the Tigers won that game in the bottom of the 9th, when they were losing but then Jim Northrup hit a grand slam to win the game. His regular bombardment of the left-field roof at Tiger Stadium has not been approximated in the 60-year history of that structure. And Giancarlo Stanton has hit the hardest tracked homer at a scorching 121.7 mph. In truth, that figure derived from the distance from home plate to the place where a neighborhood child retrieved the ball. 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! If Bo Jackson had not been forced into early retirement, he might have challenged Fielder for modern supremacy. Along with Roger Connor, the longest hitters in the early days of the major leagues during the 19th century included such men as Harry Stovey, Buck Ewing, Jocko Milligan, and Ed Delahanty. The home run had an exit velocity of 116 mph and was Zuninos 12 homer of the season. By his own account he hit the longest home run of his career on May 22, 1963 at Yankee Stadium. The new parks are smaller, built for power hitters to entertain todays fans. This ball cleared the Hard Rock Cafe and landed well into the fifth deck, and Griffeys classic swing made the feat look effortless. The 2021 Home Run Derby begins at 7:00 p.m. Own This Day - https://thebaseballpage.comSeptember 10, 1960 - Mickey Mantle unloads a cannon shot clearing the RF roof in Detroit and landing in Brooks Lumb. The homer that traveled to center field with an exit velocity of 113.2 mph, and was Martinezs 13th home run of the season. Kingman hit a famously long homer on April 14, 1976, at Wrigley Field. Also I remember that it was thought to be a greater fete to hit one over the left field roof than in right field. But so did Killebrews, Mee said. And if Harmon Killebrew ever hit one farther, the 49th anniversary of that home run is today. The blast still stands over 40 years later as the longest homerun in MLB All-Star game history. It was the 485th home run of his career. DETROIT A Mickey Mantle buff claims a 1960 home run hit out of Tiger Stadium by the former New York Yankees star is the longest ever measured -- 643 feet, .0069 inches. Jason Thompson. 521, hit in his final at-bat in the majors at Fenway Park in 1960. On Sept. 27, 2008, Adam Dunn hit the longest home run of the last 6-plus major-league seasons, a 504-foot home run off the scoreboard in center field at Chase Field in Phoenix. We could hit the ball as far as they hit today, or farther. On July 7, 2021, Texas Rangers Joey Gallo hit a 462-foot home run off of Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize. 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. Duke came out on top in the first game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, part of their perfect record at home. Recently got a blank jersey stitched at Vintage Detroit and the finished product looks awesome! The home run was Reyes sixth of the season. But baseball has been around way longer than that, obviously. 2. This one hit the second-deck facade in left-center. 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. Most of those blasts, too, were prodigious, so the Tigers took a chance and signed Fielder. Respect to the camera crew for not flinching and focusing on their work. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alan Foster. Determining the longest homer ever in MLB history is an exercise in myth-busting. Seeing great drives land atop distant upper-deck roof, sportswriters observing the occurrence from a press box would resort to their limited skills in mathematics without any regard for the laws of physics. Fifteen writers from New York, Chicago, and other places emphatically stated that Ruth's fifth-inning drive cleared the 52-foot-wide grandstand roof by a considerable margin. 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. Although other sluggers occasionally reached the rooftops during Comiskey's long lifetime, the only other left-handed batter known to have flown the right-field roof was Detroit's Kirk Gibson in 1985. This was Piazzas 38th home run of the season. Entering the 1970s, Reggie Jackson was already established as one of the best ever. The homer had an exit velocity of 111.3 mph. By his own account he hit the longest home run of his career on May 22, 1963 at Yankee Stadium. These unidentified individuals based their calculations on the assumption that the ball traveled completely over the left-center-field roof. I don't live nearby so the ability to have it shipped for $10 was well worth the cost. This was Bonds, baseballs most fearsome slugger, digging in for a rare Interleague at-bat in iconic Yankee Stadium -- the House that Ruth Built -- and rewarding us with a towering rocket to the right-field nosebleeds. The roof was 94 feet high and the left-field fence was 340 feet from home plate . Share your opinion on our baseball message boards where a topic on the longest hit ever has already begun. Mantle hit the facade on two or perhaps three occasions, but never cleared it. 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. Perhaps the mightiest of all the early sluggers was Big Dan Brouthers, who played for several National League teams before the turn of the century. Reggie Jackson's 1971 All-Star Game shot at Tiger Stadium would have travelled more than. A few times, he was able to send the baseball up and out of Tiger Stadium with his left-handed swing. The home run went to straightaway center field, clearing the stadium and landing into the street. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Only one is honored at the Mall of America, where a stadium seat mounted in the malls amusement park marks the spot where his long homer landed in the upper deck. That homeric deed was performed by the powerful Jimmie Foxx on June 16, 1936. 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. The longest home runs hit at Comerica Park January 7th, 2021 Jason Beck @ beckjason 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.. Must have been 1977 or 1978. The homer had an exit velocity of 111.6 and was Healys tenth home run of the season. Boucher of Albany, June 9, 1946, when Ted Williams of Red Sox bounced his longest Boston home run off owner's head. Let it be emphasized that the mighty Mick was undoubtedly one of baseball's all time longest hitters. What are your home run memories of Tiger Stadium? Its remarkable, and comforting, that, despite their conspicuous increase in muscle mass, todays sluggers dont really hit the ball any farther than their predecessors. Stanton hit a ball in the Coors Field, one of the highest . 5. I saw Jason Rooftop Thompson hit one out of Tiger Stadium over right center field off of Dick Tidrow of the Yankees. 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. Ruth's 575-foot blast against the Detroit Tigers in 1921 often comes up. 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. Before, if you had power, you could hit the ball, said Oliva, who hit 220 home runs in 15 seasons. 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. Despite many unsubstantiated claims, none of the early sluggers recorded drives of such length that they could compare with those of the modern era. 4. * Click on a player to see more information about their specific events including videos of plays if available. Killabrew was in 62. Ruths big fly that day escaped onto a bluff outside the prison, 620 feet from home plate. Zack Short hit his second home run in as many days in the fifth. 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. 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. And then theres a millennial favorite -- Albert Pujols soul-crushing tater off Astros reliever Brad Lidge -- which looks just as fast as Stanton's record 121 mph laser when you watch it on tape. Similarly, Comiskey's left-field roof was also visited by many batted balls, but only one is confirmed to have cleared it on the fly. The ball struck the facade on the right-field roof approximately 370 feet from home plate and 115 feet above field level. 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. That was a big surprise, that somebody could hit the ball that far, said Tony Oliva, a slugger himself. I could hit for average, but thats not my job. It has been confirmed that the ball struck against the third house beyond Waveland Avenue, which is situated about 530 feet from home plate. Cecil Fielder at Tiger Stadium (Aug. 25, 1990)The roof at the old Tiger Stadium was one of the most time-honored and imposing challenges for right-handed launchers, but it was bested in style by Detroits hulking slugger. Top 10 Tigers homers of the decade. Mee, who was the official scorer in the Twins victory Wednesday, said that homer would have hit the second deck in the Dome, a feat no one has accomplished and probably never 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). 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. Copyright 1999- 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. photo source: sabr.org In Hollywood, California, Dierker was born. It was heresy to suggest that Ruth's accomplishments could be surpassed, but for a few seasons it appeared that Foxx might do just that. In the case of Nicholson, who was a powerful man, as was Kingman, the figure of 573 feet was provided by "White Sox mathematicians." That's not a little guy right there, and he was always known for great length on home runsbecause he liked hitting them that way and frequently . Babe Ruth was said to have hit a home run over 600 feet. Martinez last season -- a ball that traveled 466 feet and ended up on top of the camera well in center field. Few people like the response given because, unlike other baseball stats, it is the farthest thing from perfect as illustrated by this superb article called Long Distance Home Runs written by William J. Jenkinson. 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. 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. Each time the noise grew louder and louder! Those are amazing stats, and yet they dont measure to Killebrews 522-foot blast. Back then, Oliva said, fans liked to see games that were 3-2, 2-1 or 1-0.. In 1967, he hit the longest home run in the history of Metropolitan Stadium in . But its doubtful any of them would have won an arm-wrestling contest with Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa or Barry Bonds. Although I'm not one to argue with science and advanced metrics, Cabrera's home run still . The sign's headlinereads The Longest Home Run in Competitive Baseball History.. He was an honest, sometimes even self-effacing individual, who was never known to overstate his accomplishments. The best distance guess at the time: 538 feet. This memorable blow was knocked down at a linear distance of approximately 415 feet and an altitude of 85 feet. And yet, everyone in attendance was apparently moved to awe and admiration by this single event, which resulted in the scoring of the lone run. 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. On May 4 of that year, Williams cleared the towering right-field grandstand in Detroit and served notice that he was as powerful as he was refined with a bat in his hands. Such a batted ball would require literally superhuman velocity, which would render the batsman capable of authoring 700 foot home runs. 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. And, how far did it go? 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. Dr. Paul E. Susman, a . Yes, Killebrew stroked titanic blasts on consecutive days in June 1967. Certainly, this drive was propelled somewhere around 500 feet in the air, which makes it legitimately historic, but proof that it traveled 600 feet cannot be found. It is due to his immense popularity and constant involvement in the tape measure process that he is often thrust into the muddle of misrepresentation. ESPN's Home Run. Before he retired after the 1973 season, he had performed even more extraordinary feats of long-distance hitting in the junior circuit. Mizzou opened its home slate with a 17-2 run-rule victory over . I put the location into google maps off I went. Chicago Cubs right fielder Sammy Sosa hit a 484-foot home run to left-center field on April 12, 2002. Order Tracking Ruth later claimed this was the longest home run he ever hit, the News-Sentinel reported. Until the Statcast radar era, we really never had. On September 15, 2016, Oakland As Ryon Healy hit a 480-foot home run to left-center field off of Kansas City Royals pitcher Edinson Volquez. His slender physique belied his subtle strength and natural ability to generate bat speed. With the guidance of our scientific brethren, we know that once a batted ball has reached its highest point and lost most of its velocity, it falls in a rapidly declining trajectory.