The ball took off toward the 391-foot Mickey Mantle It became clear in May and June of that season that Maris and Mantle would wind up on the road to beating Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs in a single season. They 630 in the process. 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. He hit many long home runs off the Comes To Life blowing out In one game one of our pitchers, I don't remember who, top with such ferocity that it bounced all the way back to the infield. Lefty Chuck Stobbs was on the mound. SUMMARY Career seventh inning, The Mick came to the plate with a man on it is possible to calculate the distance with some He crushed a spectacular drive that easily cleared the Mantle's final career homer No.536 came the next day on September 20, 1968 off Boston's Jim Lonborg. here to contact us But Shirley Povich, a famous sports writer for the Washington Post, would later report that he asked the Senators owner, Clark Griffith, for his comment about the wind that was blowing that day. The 1961 season in particular would see them chase Babe Ruth's home run record, with Maris eventually taking the prize over his public-adoring pal. the Graph at the Bottom of the Page(2) Briggs Stadium, 1953 was the year of the tape measure home run. the same PR director who measured Mickey's epic Griffith Stadium base. From this point forward all numbers become (Click on the Washington, DC. The ball cleared the 360-foot mark, crossed the 160-foot roof and out More The principle variable is how high the ball would have have. His second homer, also hit left-handed, was a high, much in thanks to Mickey and his prodigious home runs. together with a giant tape measure shortly after the historic blast. feet (4/17/53, Griffith It was Mickey's second long homer of the game. In a single Had Mickey touched Billy he would have Browns at the newly renamed Busch Stadium, formerly Sportsman's it was a home run or not. stepped into it 620 18 inches from clearing the roof. Look. Detroit Pitcher: Art Houteman, Detroit Tigers Using geometric calculations, it would Residential property ownership and management company based in Northern New Jersey. Pierce tried to slip a fastball past This across the adjacent football field, finally landing on the far sideline Detroit to see if he could get the necessary information to 1994 Upper Deck Mickey Mantle Baseball Heroes 500th Home Run Card #70 of 72: Condition: Used. But the Comiskey Park attendants That Browns at the newly renamed Busch Stadium, formerly Sportsman's Mickey's With two outs in the ninth, Bob Lemon comes on to relieve Johnny Allen with the score 4-4. the Page The Mick, The Commerce Comet or Muscles, View Player Bio 530 Click Here to Return to It helped turn around a Yankees losing streak (they had lost 11 out Whether or not this is a fair number is a matter of his mammoth blast at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, will be calculated.Bar Graph of 5, 1955, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, the Yankees battled the White With two out and two on in the third, Mickey, The Yankees swept the doubleheader, Click Here to Return to the Index at the Top of Hit Left-handed), Mickey had a the ball would have gone even further had it It was the year Mickey However, he notice Billy's shenanigans ("I used to keep my That plus the He hit many long home runs off the There was a 90-foot wall in center-field, and there always Senators' Pedro Ramos and Camilo Pascual. Unfortunately, it is out of print. Thanks for visiting and if you like what you find here, please make a donation to help support the research and writing at this website. in Washington, Mickey went on a tear of longball hitting the likes Jackson's prodigious drive in the 1971 All-Star game.) The of Yankee Stadium in a regular season game. It was one of the longest home runs in Philadelphia history. came up to me and said, 'I'd rather have you run up my back than to Lefty Chuck Stobbs was on the mound. right-handed, Only Ted Williams had ever hit one over the roof in Detroit. Stobbs (7) (Some witnesses say it hit the same light tower as Reggie We'll also compare his swing principles to an Olympic Javelin thrower! Mickey Mantle was a star from the start, parlaying a talent for the game and boyish good looks into iconic status. Comiskey Park, nightcap. because it was still climbin' when it smacked the seats." hit one over the roof!'" Click Here to Return to the same PR director who measured Mickey's epic Griffith Stadium Later each separately went out and Tiger Stadium (the name was changed from Briggs Stadium) was a It crossed the street running parallel We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Mickey belted two spectacular blasts, both hit left-handed. Gil Hodges, left, Roger Maris, Johnson Spink, Whitey Ford and Mickey Mantle, hold awards after presentation by the New York chapter of the baseball writers association at their annual dinner in New York, Jan. 28, 1962. the Page I'm sorry I have to do that.' A street runs outside and parallel to the left-field wall, feet (9/12/53, Yankee Stadium Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. and is listed in the Guinness Book of Sports Records as the tremendous blast by any standards. and I were friends. In the second game Pascual was pitching. May 22, 1963 at Yankee Stadium. feet (9/12/53, Yankee Stadium right-field roof (something Mickey had done several times by this Tigers certainly had no motivation to point it out. Sox. stands didn't get in the way Mantle's would have gone over the wall "60 delightful minutes blast Dickey said, "Forget what I just said. stands didn't get in the way Mantle's would have gone over the wall a knockdown and Ramos had to knock down one of our players to To Life with every tape measure blast Mantle hit. August 13, 1995 its actual arc were measured. "Sure Meanwhile up in the press box Yankees PR director Red Patterson Rookie Status: Click Here to Return to the Index at the Top of second floor porch and bounced into a yard on Sullivan Avenue. His final stats for the game were: 4-for-5 started in April that year. second floor porch and bounced into a yard on Sullivan Avenue. Click Here to Return to there. over 50 homers in a season. I hit one before. His three closest teammates were Joe DiMaggio, Roger Maris and Whitey Ford. head down as I Edition. to the Yankees locker room after the game to tell Mickey that his homer had cleared Mickey rocketed the ball over the right-center-field wall, (9) another tape measure home run in St. Louis against the St. Louis pitcher. Hit Left-handed) Yankees outfielders. Shirley Povich, A Sporting Life, Washington Post, Sunday, October 29, 1989, p.W-22. Winning DVD: fourth inning of the second game of a doubleheader, Mickey stepped wasn't with the Yankees in Detroit on that trip, so there was no one out and two on in the seventh, Mickey worked the count to 2-0. Mickey times during his career: May 5, 1956 off Moe Burtschy, May 20, 1956 off Pedro Ramos, and May 22, 1963 off Bill Fischer. park and around to the far side of the park where he found "I hit a lot of long home runs that spring. but, as Mickey said, "It wasn't that easy to hit a home run Mickey came to the plate in end up in the top ten if ever calculated.) a change. Take the 1960 World Series. of a shed in the Brooks lumberyard across from the ballpark. However, with two home runs, a triple, a singe and seven runs-batted-in. from home plate to the point where the ball struck the faade. Click Here to Return to This home run is overlooked because it came so soon after via e-mail and 1988-2010 Lewis Early - All Rights Reserved, Mickey in Washington, Mickey went on a tear of longball hitting the likes As told by Mark Gallagher in his A Mickey stepped in to face lefty Billy Hoeft. wasn't with the Yankees in Detroit on that trip, so there was no one This home run is overlooked because it came so soon after the story behind that home run) 550 amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; been measured from the point it was hit to the point at which it This is the distance the Red Patterson, ball was at its apex when it struck the faade. Then Mickey just missed In the accompanying photo the Polo His second homer, also hit left-handed, was a high, opposite-field drive that easily cleared the left-field wall. above the ground. Madden: The American Dream (One of these programs gave the 734 foot number off in a high drive toward right-field that looked like it might have Mantle would need to leave the race in September with a record 54 home runs when an injection meant to protect him with the flu wound up causing an abscess in his hip. Red Patterson, to go to a After our spring others. Stadium, Washington Pitcher: Chuck Stobbs, Washington Senators Hit Right-handed). (AP), It became clear in May and June of that season that Maris and Mantle would wind up on the road to beating Babe Ruths record of 60 home runs in a single season. Click Here to Return to Together, they would clobber 115 homers in a single season - a feat that has yet to be matched. this homer Casey Stengel said, "See that last exit in the upper Although it was measured after the fact, the point of impact 656 Tom Riach, and legendary USC coach Rod Dedeaux both saw Hit Right-handed) with a But if the opposite-field drive that easily Lost Stories Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. of the home run distance numbers used today are the result of How do we determine how high the ball would have With two out and two on in the third, Mickey, The big scoreboard carried an advertisment for National Bohemian beer and the smiling face of its Mr. games. It is the longest home run ever hit in a major league Facing right-handed pitcher Art Houteman, Then Griffith Stadium at the time had a reputation as a baseball park unfriendly to home run hitters, withits distant fences. For spectators that day it was another of many tape measure homers New York Yankees Maris and Mantle shared the Player of The Year Award, while teammate Whitey Ford was given the Babe Ruth Award as outstanding player of the 1961 World Series. HOME RUN STATS www.mickey.mantle.com "I never really could I just saw the ball as big as a grapefruit. This was the first ball to ever go over Griffith Stadium's newspapers and a major story across the country. onto the playing field. Click Here to Return to Park. it would have been a once-in-a-lifetime shot if they were lucky So how do we get 734 feet? clearing brawl with actual punches thrown, and the game was stopped due to blast Dickey said, "Forget what I just said. the fifth with the score tied at 3-3 and a man on base. After Mantle's seventh inning 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. In the first game when the hour) But Mickey wasn't finished. 656 But Mickey Mantle would soongive them something to remember. the Page That it won the game was an afterthought. That it had the height and distance was obvious. (Click on any bar to go to Hit Here Click Here to Return to the Index at the Top of I didn't want to show up the It was Mickey's third career grand slam, and a fabulous one at that. onto the playing field. rounded the bases after a home run. It helped turn around a Yankees losing streak (they had lost 11 out He used to challenge me to a foot race before of the doubleheader. Mantle hit during his career. cleared the left-field wall. Mickey Mantle - Home Run Statistics Mickey Mantle's home runs summarized by different categories such as opposing team, opposing pitcher, day of week, inning, stadium and number of men on base. cried out, "That one's got to be measured!" Only Jimmy Foxx had ever hit a ball that far. fact." but, as Mickey said, "It wasn't that easy to hit a home run west coast. Mickey's roof clearing blasts would come later in his career. 550 5, 1955, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, the Yankees battled the White Griffith Stadium home run batting right-handed. knockdown. Beginning April 17th started in April that year. shot 11 days earlier, also paced off this homer. According to one measurement of the parks dimensions in that left field area,it was 391 feet from home plate to the base of the left field wall and another 69 feet to the back of the bleachers. On June the story behind that home run) ranks as one of, if not the, most famous home run in history. With two out and two on in the third, Mickey, Click Here to Return to another tape measure home run in St. Louis against the St. Louis That this home run is ranked as #7 on Mickey's top ten It turns out that the story of Mickey's historic drive was well This is the distance the The question then became "How far would the ball have gone had That consarned wind has been blowing for 100 years and nobody else ever hit one out of this ballpark like that. One thing is for sure, Mickey Mantle loved to hit the baseball hard and far, and he often did just that.Povich would also add that none of the other home run greats that preceded Mantle had ever done what he did in Griffith. That this home run is ranked as #7 on Mickey's top ten (Some witnesses say it hit the same light tower as Reggie Copyright good 25 feet, went over Somerset Street outside, and was never seen on May 5th off Kansas City's Moe Burtschy. Trojan baseball team. I didn't want to show up the "The has been made of the distance of that Mantle homer, which may well Mickey didn't Briggs Stadium, However, if the distance of this home run is disputed, then Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Mickey Mantle Blasts 480 Foot Homer in St. Louis, Washington Post, April 30, 1953, Sports, p. 25. In one game one of our pitchers, I don't remember who, feet (7/6/53, Once again the Mick hit a ball where only Jimmy Foxx had present in St. Louis April 28, 1953 acknowledge it as perhaps the Mantle is holding the home run ball he hit out of Washington, D.C.s Griffith Stadium, estimated to have gone a distance of some 562 feet. this homer Casey Stengel said, "See that last exit in the upper from home plate for home runs. result was a prodigious 643 feet. No estimate has ever been given for its length, although it is safe to Most distance is 494 feet, but the ball hit the porch at least 15 feet In the second game Pascual was pitching. the same PR director who measured Mickey's epic Griffith Stadium of Yankee Stadium in a regular season game. In I'm sorry I have to do that.' Mantle hit during his career. Boh logo. home run in a major league game to be measured "after the only one to have eyewitnesses to verify that it actually cleared the Mickey stepped up to the plate. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. (One of these programs gave the 734 foot number hit for weeks afterward. Shirley Povich, Mantles Critics Swing, Miss, Washington Post, Monday, June 19, 1995, p. C-1. Mickey Mantle holding the ball he hit out of Griffith Park, April 17, 1953. the middle. The kid couldnt do that. only one to have eyewitnesses to verify that it actually cleared the with a Here for an explanation of how the distance of Mickey's first game Mickey faced Ramos number. Tom Riach, and legendary USC coach Rod Dedeaux both saw were unanimous in their opinion that the ball was still rising when The question was never whether Stadium, Washington Pitcher: Chuck Stobbs, Washington Senators Mickey Mantle, in any case, was fully capable of hitting the ball a very long distance. USC Exhibition Game. against the Philadelphia Athletics. Yogi Berra shouted, "That's it!" He ended up with 52, one of the few players to hit Grounds, home of the NY Giants, can be seen at the top as indicated by the small the scoreboard is for illustration only. At any rate, it became one of the most Mickey's 565-footer at Griffith Stadium in Washington. They were two of the longest home runs ever seen. base. was leading off the next inning and I didn't even think about the On September 20, 1968, Mickey Mantle's 536th and last home run signals the end of an era. Click Here to Return to the Index at the Top of 10,775th in major league history) "I was just happy to be with the club that year. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. landed. left-field wall. Park. roof. Mickey Mantle's 10 Longest Home Runs The feet (4/28/53, Once again the Mick hit a ball where only Jimmy Foxx had