When researchers delve into an older home run for a more accurate telling, they typically spoil everyone's party by deflating an embellished tale. Enter your email address to subscribe to Ballpark Digest and receive notifications of new posts by email immediately when a new story is posted. July 3, 1999, the Cleveland Indians star sent a ball screaming an estimated 511 feet. the Nearest to me was Vintage. Reggie Jackson's 1971 All-Star Game shot at Tiger Stadium would have traveled more than 600. This would put him in the feasible discussion for the longest round-tripper ever. According toWilliam Jenkinson, researchers estimated the fabled fly ball at 573 feet, and the New York Times originally reported a 630-foot flight. As i pulled in I quickly understood this was a warehouse & office thinking this is a internet retailer. Richard Keiber, a collector who obtained Kingman's moonshot outside of Wrigley Field, insisted to theChicago Tribune's Rick Talley in 2003 that 600 feet was a more accurate tally. On November 28, 1974, the Lions played their last game at Tiger Stadium. Navin bought up the rest of the city block of Michigan and Trumbull, stationed a flagpole inside the field of play, moved home plate in a different direction (so that the batter would not be looking into the sun) and opened for business on April 20, 1912, the same day Fenway Park in Boston debuted. I had always been a tremendous Mantle fan my growing years, Susman said. 51 to complete the Tigers 10-3 victory. Trammell hit 97 homers at Tiger Stadium, good for 11th all-time. That guy went on to hit 51 home runs in 1990, the 11th player in history to reach the 50-homer milestone. Order Tracking Not bad at all, but ESPN's Home Run Tracker determined that Williams deserves even more credit. In 1921 there was no SportsCenter, no 24-hour highlight machine called the Internet. Our motto is simple: We enjoy doing cool things and are overjoyed we can make a living doing so. By AdamBishop. I grew up in Bridgeport Michigan. New Hagerstown Atlantic League ballpark As the team improved, so did the capacity of the ballpark, capping out at 14,000. Please let us know when you find out. The American League consists of the following teams: Baltimore Orioles; Boston Red Sox; Chicago White Sox; Cleveland Indians; Detroit Tigers; Houston Astros; Kansas City Royals; Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; Minnesota Twins; New York Yankees; Oakland Athletics; Seattle Mariners; Tampa Bay Rays; Texas Rangers; and Toronto Blue Jays. Although that game was never televised, Tiger Stadium remained a part of the opening for the series for many years long after the Lions had moved to the Pontiac Silverdome. . In 1934, the Tigers won the AL pennant but lost the World Series to the Cardinals. 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. 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. Can Anyone find any more? Either way, everyone can agree he hit the ball very far. Comments. On June 28, 1990, the ballpark hosted another unusual event. So, you didnt have much of a chance to see a four-bagger back in those days. A year later, he returned to the stadium and retained his crown with a 15-round decision over Lauren Dauthuille. I never saw anything like it, Sutton said, per Kelly. Many seats were replaced. 2 others that hit the light towers. A few times, he was able to send the baseball up and out of Tiger Stadium with his left-handed swing. 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. A crowd of 13,380 at Yankee Stadium gave Fielder a standing ovation. In the 17 years afterwards (before moving to Pontiac), they had few memorable days at Tiger Stadium. Prince Fielder hit a home run there during batting practice when he was a 12-year old and his dad was playing for the Tigers. Rogers Centre renovations FAQ, Choose "Free store pickup" at checkout and save $10 off any purchase of $50 or more! Jose Canseco's upper-deck blast helped the Oakland Athletics defeat the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1989 American League Championship Series. In 1955, right field returned to its 325-foot status. Dismiss, Copyright 2022 Vintage Detroit Collection, Spinnaker Center, 44692 Helm St, Plymouth. A+! Its unique dimensions allowed fans to get closer than usual to the ballgame. Discussion of suicide or self-harm is not tolerated and will result in an immediate ban. The HBO movie 61* was filmed there. He grabbed his crotch and Sparky was not happy about it. I swear one of the Angels hit one either on or over the roof in 84 or 85. In August 2002, MLB.com streamed the first-ever live full length MLB game. Probably well over 600 feet in total. Several players have landed balls in top of it images, but never completely over it in the air. 12, Todd McShay reveals Detroit Lions best draft pick, Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes puts NFL on HIGH ALERT, 3 Michigan State football players selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Detroit Tigers SP Tarik Skubal takes big step forward, AJ Hinch on Zack Short Shorty brings a different skill set to that spot on the roster. 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 new system pinpointed a 115.8-mph exit velocity with a launch angle of 18.3 degrees. Eight memorable moments at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. The date:April 17, 1953. Service and shipping were exceptional. Mike Piazza, 496 Feet (1997) 2 of 16. Michigan native Rocky Roe was the home plate umpire. For medical advice, always consult your medical doctor. In the 22nd inning, Jack Reed hit the only home run of his 129-at bat career off Phil Regan for a 9-7 win. Awesome article Dan as usual! I saw Jason Rooftop Thompson hit one out of Tiger Stadium over right center field off of Dick Tidrow of the Yankees. "I don't think anyone could ever be comfortable getting a statue, I mean that respectfully," Thome said during the unveiling ceremony, per Cleveland.com's Joey Morona. It all came down to the last game of the year at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 3. Currently, Mantle works for a Dallas insurance firm, does color commentary on 25 of the Yankees cablecasts for SportsChannel and public relations work for the Claridge Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J. Mantle played his entire career with the Yankees, from 1951-1968. Purchased a New Era Gruff Michigan Syaye hat, and I absolutely love it. You are correct about Howard. What do you get when you combine a block party and a baseball league? Ilitch began to make plans for a new ballpark downtown, breaking ground during the 1997 season. Left field settled in at 340 while right field gradually shrunk until settling in at 325. The right field overhang frustrated many outfielders who were camped under a routine flyball only to see it land in the first row upstairs. Be respectful even if you disagree. The Tigers scratched out a run in the sixth to tie the game at 7. The Oakland Athletics outfielder stepped up to the plate against Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Dock Ellis, who according to Baseball-Reference.com entered the Midsummer Classic sporting a 2.11 ERA. There were occasional amateur games played there, a 2002 fantasy camp and occasional special segments were taped there. Non-Baseball Events Held at Tiger Stadium The year 1938 was significant in the ballparks history. This memorable blow . Everyone wanted to talk about them but they werent the only ones because there was a guy in Detroit named Fielder.". Whitaker hit 146 homers at the old ballpark, most of them after he matured into a better power hitter in his late 20s. In 1967, the race riots that tore up the city of Detroit started less than two miles from the ballpark. Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) was formed and charged with developing, building and managing the most comprehensive baseball experience available on the Internet. The ballpark was also the scene of one of the darkest days in NFL history. (Rumor was this came at the behest of the teams first star, Ty Cobb.) Detroit's Tiger Stadium (the name was changed from Briggs Stadium) was a favorite Mantle hunting ground for legendary home run blasts. Good article. Two months later, the Cubs traded him to the Yankees, wherehe put together the best stint of his career. 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 . Plainsman Park (Auburn) upgrades 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! LMCU Ballpark (West Michigan Whitecaps) upgrades Although it was the park where he was booed regularly, Tiger Stadium played a huge role in Maris career. PNC Park upgrades Excludes Adidas Primegreen jerseys and e-Gift Cards. Amazingly, many of those records remain unequaled, which is to say that, is a true athletic anachronism. Text by Dave Wright Photos by John Moist. Depending who you talk to, the upper deck in right field was built to hang 5-10 feet over the warning track. It was said the lights at the ballpark were so bright that it could light up a city of 10,000 people. "An inning or so later, they told us it was charted at 484 feet. ESPN Home Run Trackermeasured it as the longest shot since providing full data in 2008. I wanted to play every day and I didnt have that opportunity in Toronto. Harmon Killebrew hit a home run that ricocheted off the left field roof and sounded like a gun blast off his bat. From the original Briggs/Tiger Stadium configuration from 1938 until the park closed in 1999, 36 home runs were hit over the roof of the ballpark. Hitting a baseball hundreds of feet is incredibly hard. The place:Washington's Griffith Stadium. Despite the scarcity of film on. At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, he was an imposing figure for pitchers. Please seek professional guidance. But why argue over semantics when we can watch some of MLB's best sluggers sock a few dingers? The noted historian also backed ancient anecdotes of the Sultan of Swat's hitting one over 600 feet atWilkes University'sArtillery Parkin 1926. I read that the ball nearly hit a police car on Trumbull ave.That is the longest HR i ever witnessed in person. Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton marveled at Stargells homer hit against his Los Angeles Dodgers. There's still no doubting Mantle's standing as one of the greatest, strongest hitters to ever live. Accurately measuring those moonshots isn't much easier. According to ESPN's findings, the ball landed on a fan's straw hat deep in the right field bleachers. . Comments. About Us Monaghan sold the team to a pizza rival, Mike Ilitch, in 1992. The only time Fielder went more than a week without a homer was June 1829. No comments 0 Dannyboy In 1970, when ABC signed on to carry Monday Night Football on a weekly basis, the network came to Detroit to do a trial run at an exhibition game. (For one season 1954 the Tigers shortened right field to 302 feet. Minute Maid Park upgrades 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. There should be no doubt about the authentication of these conclusions. Back in 21, Navin Field did not yet have the upper deck in center field that would later be a haven for diehard fans. On July 19, 1968, the Tigers trailed Baltimore 4-3 with one runner on and two out in the bottom of the ninth inning when Matchick, a .226 hitter, lofted a fly ball to right. So take any urban legends about someone's 600-foot homer with a grain of salt. He was a regular at baseball games there for years. There's no video evidence or official measurement of his monumental feat, but Negro League star Josh Gibson allegedly smacked a home run580 feetout of Yankee Stadium on June 3, 1937. Mark McGwire's monster home run on May 16, 1998, probably didn't travel 545 feet, as initially estimated. Two pitches later, broadcaster Larry Osterman screamed into his microphone: Long drive, deep left field, this is on the roof! 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. Paul was great to work with and offered to delay shipping when I told him I would be on vacation on the original delivery date. The Tigers Kirk Gibson hit a home run onto the street in 1983 but it was less than 600 feet. the Nearest to me was Vintage. Although the ballpark suffered little damage, the citys name was sullied. Its first day was overshadowed by the news the Titanic hit an iceberg and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean. Briggs Stadium, as it was now known, held 53,000 seats. Even more unusual for the time, all three games were televised locally in an effort to distract minds of Detroiters. As I approached the area I quickly realized I was in more an industrial & commercial area then retail. Heplayed in Toronto from 1985 to 1988 as a backup, but batted .302 with 38 home runs and 81 RBIs in 106 games in Japan in 1989. Ive spent more than two years of research on this.. It did not, however, journey 540 feet as have some suggested. I was in a funk towards the end of the season and I just wasnt swinging well, Fielder said. If in doubt, leave it out. By the way, where did TRAM rank for the amount of HRs he hit during his career with the Tigers when they played at Tigers Stadium for going yard? Monaghan had to get a helicopter to fly in pizzas to writers working inside the old ballpark while overzealous fans partied too hard directly outside Tiger Stadium. Thirty years after arriving in the Motor City, Fielder remembershis time in Detroit fondly. The left-handed raker quickly set a gaudy benchmark duringGreat American Ball Park's second season on Aug. 10, 2004, when he crushed a Jose Lima offering well beyond the fence in center field, which stands 404 feet out. He did it on national television in a mid-September game against Oakland that was won with a dramatic two-run rally in the last of the ninth inning. 1969 i attended my first game at Tiger Stadium the next day, Self correction. This is why: for decades during the earlier history of that ball park, the roofed, left-field spectator stands did not exist. It was years later, after the Tigers began to field pennant-contending teams, that the tall, roofed, left-field stands were built (in order to accommodate increased attendance), and consequently the out-of-the-park left-field homers became more difficult, i.e., they became that rare feat now enjoyed by the three players mentioned. Check out the Tigers All-Time Leaders in multiple statistical categories. On July 6, 1996 Carlos Delgado hit the ball OVER the right center light tower completely into orbit. He installed an area in the lower deck (between first and third base) that had padded seats and added waitservice. Bob Moore said the ball would have carried 525 feet if not for hitting the lights. Before getting benched for Homer Simpson, Darryl Strawberry tested Olympic Stadium's limits by sending a souvenir into the lights. The Lions abandoned it for the Pontiac Silverdome. The group reunited for their Alive/Worldwide tour. Have Your Own Jersey? I was just so impressed by this blast., Harwell told Susman Mantles blast was about the longest weve seen.. Because owner Walter Briggs believed baseball should be played in the daytime, the Tigers were the last team in the American League to install lights, putting in the arcs in 1948. I also saw Reggie Jackson with the As strike out about 3 times late in the 1969 season at Tiger Stadium. For what it's worth, it passes the "Wow, he sure hit that ball a long way" eye test. The final act came on September 27, 1999. It was the kind of place that inspired the best in players. Tiger Stadium saw gigantic home runs, like the one Babe Ruth hit that witnesses swore traveled 600 feet as it soared over the right field grandstands. In 1961, John Fetzer bought the team and renamed its home Tiger Stadium. Excludes Adidas Primegreen jerseys and e-Gift Cards. In his penultimate 2000 season, Glenallen Hill registered a career-high 27 home runs for the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees. Where is Rocky Colviato (spelling) on the list? Detroit was one of the first powers in the new league, advancing to the World Series three years in a row from 1907-09. Hammerin Hank Greenberg probably hit more home runs to deep left-center field at Navin Field/Briggs Stadium than any other player. This pole was in play. The trajectory had it coming near me but it just never came down inside the ballpark! (Nobody ever knew for sure just close of a target that upper deck really was. Follow. About Us Few, if. Michael Clair New York Mets fans don't hold many fond memories of Mo Vaughn. The hit itself was a gunshot, echoing back from center. "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. Urban legends of Mickey Mantle's power prowess have run wild. Landed in the last few rows one per deck bleachers. Using the best information available, let's take a stab at locating the longest recorded home runs ever. Privacy Policy Most of those blasts, too, were prodigious, so the Tigers took a chance and signed Fielder. This never happened. I was a little concerned it would let look as good as I hoped, but when I put it on, I loved it. He hits them a long way.". Most of (Mantles) longest homers were obstructed by lights, roofs or something, Susman said. 2023 Ballparks He is planning a book on the topic. 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.