The 500 ft home run?

[YouthofToday]

Today's pitchers are vastly superior to previous eras. In addition to now pooling elite talent from Latin America, Asia and United States minority populations the US population has grown considerably.

I seriously doubt Ruth or Mantle would be anything more than average ball players today unless the spent vastly more time honing their craft.

[shellback]

the pool of available players is much larger today. imo the intensity of competition was greater historically. mostly due to free agency.

[VariousCrap]

This is a clip of a prodigious home run Ruth hit on April 7, 1935 in Newark, NJ in an exhibition game. He was 40 years old at the time. The home run was estimated at 500 feet. It will give you an idea of his amazing swing and his sheer power.

 

http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/331745_019.do

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing in that clip would lead me to believe it was a 500 foot home run.  In fact, I doubt it was.

[wopphil]

What about the shot McRoids hit off the big unit at the Kingdome?

[fan_since79]

Nothing in that clip would lead me to believe it was a 500 foot home run.  In fact, I doubt it was.

You can't see the ball leave the park, but it cleared the wall in right-centerfield by thirty feet, according to contemporary accounts. Ruth himself thought it went 500 feet and said it was the hardest ball he ever hit. By all estimates it went at least 450.

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=vZfgW4HGCa0C&pg=PA59&lpg=PA59&dq=babe+ruth+newark+april+7,+1935+ruppert&source=bl&ots=SOmsrwI4um&sig=tawUN1-d7ijKZ9VICFMvK1vYXE4#v=onepage&q=babe%20ruth%20newark%20april%207%2C%201935%20ruppert&f=false

[Troutipoo27]

Adam Dunn hit a legit 500+ HR in 2008. I think it's the only one since the start of the 2006 season.

Quite frankly I doubt Mantle or Ruth would be even above average players in today's game unless they got in shape and drank substantially less.

Juan Framsisco I forgot what year with the reds hit one 502 I think. In cinci out of the park. Matt holiday in the homerun derby at angels stadium and vlad at AT&T park in 2005.

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

Trumbo hits them 500 in BP I've seen it. Top row behind the bullpens. I mean it's gotta be close. I've seen Hamilton hit one 3/4ths of the way up on the grass in center. But the farthest ball I've seen was Matt wieters hit one in the tunnel closest to the grass in CF, it bounced and went half way the seats to the big jumbotron in right. All of these of corse being in BP. But still bombs.

They don't use the same balls in batting practice that they use during the games. The balls are more tightly wound, so you can hit them farther. Also, the distance of HR's hit during the HR Derby doesn't count in this discussion. 

[sneaky_flute]

there have been several 500+ foot home runs in the modern era. adam dunn is responsible for a few of them. jose canseco allegedly hit a 540-foot home run against the jays. 

[fan_since79]

Mantle's blast on May 22, 1963 would have gone at least 650 feet if it hadn't struck the facade of the Yankee Stadium roof. Observers were almost unanimous in asserting the ball was still rising at it hit the roof. It bounced all the way back into the infield, that's how hard it was hit.

There's even an estimate that it would have gone 734 feet. Mantle himself called it the hardest ball he ever hit.

 

http://www.themick.com/10homers.html#Home%20Run%20#1

 

[AngelsLakersFan]

Mo Vaughn hit one off the top of the right field scoreboard in Shea back around 2003 or so. It was over 500 ft and man did it make that park look small. The scoreboard itself was probably 30ft behind the fence and it probably hit about 50+ feet up that thing.

[AngelsLakersFan]

Nothing in that clip would lead me to believe it was a 500 foot home run.  In fact, I doubt it was.

 

You can see the people in the outfield bleachers looking out behind the stadium trying to see where the ball landed.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

The home run Mantle hit off of Chuck Stobbs was measured at 535 feet. Supposedly the longest ever hit. Completely out of the park, over the cf fence, at old Washington Senators park. A stadium vendor saw the ball land near him, outside the stadium, marked the location where the ball landed. My memory must be going, cuz i just now recall that being 565 feet. I am too lazy to look it up, but it is one of those distances. I was just a young kid when it happened.

 

The number 565 sticks in my mind too. I also recall reading that no one ever hit a ball completely out of the old Yankee Stadium, but Mantle hit a ball that would have left the park had it not hit a light tower on the way out.

[fan_since79]

The home run Mantle hit off of Chuck Stobbs was measured at 535 feet. Supposedly the longest ever hit. Completely out of the park, over the cf fence, at old Washington Senators park. A stadium vendor saw the ball land near him, outside the stadium, marked the location where the ball landed. My memory must be going, cuz i just now recall that being 565 feet. I am too lazy to look it up, but it is one of those distances. I was just a young kid when it happened.

Yes, it was 565 feet.

 

http://www.themick.com/10homers.html#Home%20Run%20#7

[fan_since79]

The number 565 sticks in my mind too. I also recall reading that no one ever hit a ball completely out of the old Yankee Stadium, but Mantle hit a ball that would have left the park had it not hit a light tower on the way out.

 

He hit the facade of the Yankee Stadium roof and the ball bounced all the way back to the infield.

 

http://www.themick.com/10homers.html#Home%20Run%20%231

[YouthofToday]

There hasn't been a HR more than 520 feet since 2006. I highly, highly doubt Mantle ever hit one further than 550 feet. The website referred to above is a mantle fanboy site. Not credible.

[Docwaukee]

to imply that Ruth or Mantle would be average or below average by today's standards is dumb. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

There hasn't been a HR more than 520 feet since 2006. I highly, highly doubt Mantle ever hit one further than 550 feet. The website referred to above is a mantle fanboy site. Not credible.

 

The information I heard predated websites by about 30 years.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

He hit the facade of the Yankee Stadium roof and the ball bounced all the way back to the infield.

 

Thanks for the correction. I believe that I was confusing that part with Reggie Jackson's HR in the All Star Game at Detroit that hit the tower on the roof of old Tiger Stadium.

[YouthofToday]

Does anybody seriously believe a mortal human being can hit a ball 700 feet in the air?

Perhaps in Westeros, On the Moon or in Middle Earth... Not planet Earth.

[adenhart34]

Does anybody seriously believe a mortal human being can hit a ball 700 feet in the air?

Perhaps in Westeros, On the Moon or in Middle Earth... Not planet Earth.

 

Implying Mantle was mortal.

[gotbeer]

Does anybody seriously believe a mortal human being can hit a ball 700 feet in the air?

Perhaps in Westeros, On the Moon or in Middle Earth... Not planet Earth.

 

 

Yes, because aerodynamics in todays stadiums is very different back in the day.  Today, there are multiple levels to a stadium.  It builds it own barrier against the wind.  Back then, stadiums were one level.  Also remember that back then, most if not all of the games were in the daytime.  Another significant change in conditions that helps the ball travel farther.  

 

You go on a dry day, with a 20-30 mph tailwind.  That ball will be flying out of the stadium, if the batter can put it in the stream.  Look at the stadium the Rangers play in.  

[fan_since79]

Mantle's home run in that exhibition game at USC in 1951 travelled almost 600 feet.

[sneaky_flute]

Yes, because aerodynamics in todays stadiums is very different back in the day.  Today, there are multiple levels to a stadium.  It builds it own barrier against the wind.  Back then, stadiums were one level.  Also remember that back then, most if not all of the games were in the daytime.  Another significant change in conditions that helps the ball travel farther.  

 

You go on a dry day, with a 20-30 mph tailwind.  That ball will be flying out of the stadium, if the batter can put it in the stream.  Look at the stadium the Rangers play in.  

yeah, except the "jet stream" increases the distance by about 10 feet. 

[gotbeer]

yeah, except the "jet stream" increases the distance by about 10 feet. 

 

 

Really?  Because in golf, with a good tailwind, I can increase my drive from 50-100+ yards.  heck, in Arlington, with the wind going, I've seen more routine fly balls go 10 rows deep.  

[edcoffin]

Longest I've seen lately is the one Nelson Cruz hit over the rockpile.  If that one had no impediment it might have come down pretty far out.