If in doubt, leave it out. The group reunited for their Alive/Worldwide tour. Ted Williams called it one of the hardest hit balls hed ever seen. Ive spent more than two years of research on this.. Despite the fact The Corner wasnt being used much, the city of Detroit was on the hook for some $400,000 a year in maintenance. [ Cecil Fielder became a Tigers superstar, thanks to Sparky Anderson's positivity ], I always shined against the Bash Brothers, Fielder said from his home in Tampa, Florida. The game was televised only to Green Bay. I put the location into google maps off I went. Quick shipping as well. A year later, Tiger Stadium was in the national spotlight when Denny McLain became the first pitcher in 31 years to win 30 games. "An inning or so later, they told us it was charted at 484 feet. "Examination of satellite and ground-based digital photos suggests that the 502-foot figure is an accurate measurement of the horizontal distance to the 'Red Seat,' but since the impact point was approximately 30 feet above field level, the ball would have covered more distance before landing at field level, had its flight not been interrupted.". Righty Paul Foytack fired a fastball right into the Mick's killing zone and he jumped on it. He hits them a long way.". Three who did were Roberto Clemente in the 71 All-Star Game, Larry Herndon in 1983, and Mark McGwire in 1987. Detroit was one of the first powers in the new league, advancing to the World Series three years in a row from 1907-09. "You play the game as a kid, you progress through high school, you get drafted, you go through the minor leagues. "The ball assumed what can only be called a majestic arc and landed on the left-field roof in Tiger Stadium," Ryan wrote. He ordered a steel-and-concrete 23,000-seat ballpark that was built in an astonishing period of seven months after the end of the 1911 season. Have Your Own Jersey? I've been a Detroit Tigers fan since the 70s and recently found VDC, I ordered a home and road personalized player t and a Freehan 11 1968 player t and they are awesome shirts, I will definitely be ordering more from them. According to Allied News Jim Sankey, via MLB.coms Matt Monagan, the Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder submitted seven of 18 balls to clear Forbes Fields 86-foot high roof in right field. In 1977, a fire wiped out the press box. He is planning a book on the topic. I didnt know what I was going to end up with that season but I knew it was going to be great.". On June 28, 1990, the ballpark hosted another unusual event. Paul Baldwin and Sam worked together for many years and knew each other well. "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. MLB.com also provides an array of mobile apps for fans to choose from, including At Bat, the highest-grossing iOS sports app of all-time. Thats one of the reasons fans in Detroit were dumbfounded on July 18, when The Big Fella, a muscular slugger for the Yankees named Babe Ruth, did something no one had ever done before. Michigan native Rocky Roe was the home plate umpire. Service and shipping were exceptional. The slam hit the right field roof and became the . Outsiders began to look at Tiger Stadium and the neighborhood it was located in a different light. In virtually every other field of endeavor in which physical performance can be measured, there are no Ruthian equivalents. ", [ Dick Tracewski's indelible impact helped Tigers win two World Series titles ], My confidence went through the roof, said Fielder, who also recalled blasting a homer over the center-field scoreboard in Plant City, Florida, against the Reds. June 9, 1946, for a dinger deemed to have traveled 502 feet. Norm Cash led all left-handed batters with 212 home runs, most of them going into the right field sections. In 1961, John Fetzer bought the team and renamed its home Tiger Stadium. No player has ever cleared the left field roof. He was 38 years old in his 16th season, but he still went yard 28 times over 450 plate appearances and earned a .567 slugging percentage. As the team improved, so did the capacity of the ballpark, capping out at 14,000. Washington's Griffith Stadium. Although the blast was touted at 529 feet,ESPN arrivedat 468 feet. A record that cant be broken, You are correct he hit 4 out of the Stadium. Carolina Hurricanes eliminate Nashville Predators in OT [VIDEO], Detroit Lions TE T.J. Hockenson loves him some Jared Goff, Detroit Tigers make decision on Austin Meadows, claim Braden Bristo off waivers, Rumor surfaces as to why Detroit Lions selected Jahmyr Gibbs at No. I said, 'I think we have something here.' The noted historian also backed ancient anecdotes of the Sultan of Swat's hitting one over 600 feet atWilkes University'sArtillery Parkin 1926. (For one season 1954 the Tigers shortened right field to 302 feet. In 1984, Kirk Gibson launched a home run into the upper deck in right field in the 8th inning of Game Five of the World Series, sealing the title for the Tigers. Al Kaline used to scale the fences in right field to take away home runs, and he played that area so well that it became known as Kalines Corner.. . A 575-foot dinger at Navin Field in Detroit isn't the most interesting of the tales, but it'd top this list. With a little more than a month left in the season, the question became whether Fielder would reach 50 home runs in a year, a feat that had not been accomplished since Cincinnatis George Foster hit 52 homers in 1977. But not so fast. A shot like that you remember because you had to have some pretty good hang time to get it up and over that left field roof, which was much farther back than right, where a lot of other balls had gone out, Roe said from this home in Florida. Enter your email address to subscribe to Ballpark Digest and receive notifications of new posts by email immediately when a new story is posted. Great 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. Lou Gehrig said goodbye there. Detroit OF Rocky Colavito tied a major-league record when he went 7-for-10 in the game. Not bad at all, but ESPN's Home Run Tracker determined that Williams deserves even more credit. Tape-measure home runs remain among the most impressive feats in all of sports, and just last weekend, Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz hit the longest home run in the history of Angels. Saw Herndons line shot to center. In the fifth inning, with Alan Trammel on first, Fielder was sitting on a 2-0 count when he took a vicious swing and fouled off a Dave Stewart fastball. in 1926. I was just so impressed by this blast., Harwell told Susman Mantles blast was about the longest weve seen.. In his first plate appearance, he walked, and complained to Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly that he wondered if he would get anything to hit that night. The green box was considered a home-run haven. Monaghan sold the team to a pizza rival, Mike Ilitch, in 1992. Dismiss, Copyright 2022 Vintage Detroit Collection, Spinnaker Center, 44692 Helm St, Plymouth. There were occasional amateur games played there, a 2002 fantasy camp and occasional special segments were taped there. Some of Susmans work has appeared in a Baseball Digest article on Mantles homers. Fielder was given the dented ball by an employee who recovered it from a gutter on the back portion of the ballpark. There were very few concerts held over the years at The Corner. George Brett loved the park, and in his final game at Tiger Stadium in an afternoon tilt in 1993, he hit two homers, one to right and one to left (I was there!). 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. The following year, his five postseason home runs led the Pirates to a World Series championship. Little could they have anticipated how great and immediate would be the return on their investment. STUDY SHOWS MANTLE HIT LONGEST HR - Sun Sentinel Whether because of overinflated estimations or technical questions of eligibility for a list of MLB home runs, these notable exceptions missed the cut: Joey Meyer, a minor league first baseman for theDenver Zephyrs, hit a long ball onJune 3, 1987, which reportedly went a staggering 582 feet. Michael Clair There's a lesson for all the kids hoping to leave behind a lasting legacy: Stay humble, work hard and hit dingers. Detroit reliever Terry Fox threw eight scoreless innings of relief. Willie Stargell scorched plenty of moonshots over his career. Dr. Paul E. Susman, a clinical pyschologist in Skokie, Ill., and Mark Gallagher did the measuring and interviewing while Bob Schiewie, a mathematics expert, applied the Pythagorean Theorem to arrive at the distance of Mantles homer. Ill never forget playing the Cardinals in St. Petersburg when Cecil hit home runs against the wind in right field, center field, and left field, said Dick Tracewski, the former longtime Tiger coach. Cannot be combined with any other offer. 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. I remember it was hit right down the line towards the upper deck and it was like a Jack Nicklaus 1-iron shot as it went straight up in the air and never wavered," he said. In 1997, McGwire joined them. With no concrete numbers for anything before 2006, evaluating all-time distances remains an inexact science. It was hit into a crosswind. By the way, the visitors who hit the most home runs at Navin Field/Briggs Stadium/Tiger Stadium 1912 to 1999 were Babe Ruth with 60 and Ted Williams with 55. Berry lay injured while Horton, who was hardly fleet afoot, circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run. Excludes Adidas Primegreen jerseys and e-Gift Cards. Ernie Harwell and Al Kaline both dubbed it the hardest-hit ball they'd ever seen, and even Jackson himself agreed: "I think this would have to be the longest one I've ever hit," he said afterward. Mike, I was at that game in 1996 when Delgado hit that blast, sitting the Box Seats in the upper deck in right. He was a regular at baseball games there for years. There should be no doubt about the authentication of these conclusions. It was a rarity. Despite the scarcity of film on. There were home runs that didnt seem to be home runs. Over the years, the distances gradually shortened down the lines. the Nearest to me was Vintage. OnJuly 3, 1999, the Cleveland Indians star sent a ball screaming an estimated 511 feet. Reggie Jackson's All-Star Game homer off the Tiger Stadium roof is still jaw-dropping By Chris Landers July 12, 2017 There's no way to say for sure whether Reggie Jackson's homer at the 1971 All-Star Game is the longest in the history of the Midsummer Classic -- the game is over 80 years old, after all, and data is incomplete. After the Tigers defeated the As, 14-4, in a slugfest that featured seven homers, Stewart told reporters that it was the longest homer he had ever given up. Reggie Jackson hit a titanic homer off the light tower in the 1971 All-Star Game. The Tigers scratched out a run in the sixth to tie the game at 7. (In those days, home games were blacked out 75 miles from the site of competition. Discussion of suicide or self-harm is not tolerated and will result in an immediate ban. I think they left Dick Allen in 1973 for the White Sox. 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. Either way, everyone can agree he hit the ball very far. he powered a torrid drive that crashed against the roof facade in deep left-center field at Tiger Stadium. While the Miami Marlins slugger doesn't need a ballpark's help to punish a baseball, he collaborated with the high-altitude venue to produce a 504-foot homer on Aug. 6, 2016. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. ESPN Home Run Trackermeasured it as the longest shot since providing full data in 2008. Mr. October receives the benefit of the doubt for his July feat, but watch the ball rocket off his bat. Rogers Centre renovations I read that the ball nearly hit a police car on Trumbull ave.That is the longest HR i ever witnessed in person. Bo hit this. The big guy came to Detroit in 1990 as a free agent after a season in Japan. Target Field renovations, 2024 Ballparks Bennett Park was still their home field, when six years later, they joined the AL as a charter member. The Tigers Kirk Gibson hit a home run onto the street in 1983 but it was less than 600 feet. 2023 Ballparks Purchased a New Era Gruff Michigan Syaye hat, and I absolutely love it. Anyone can read what you share. LMCU Ballpark (West Michigan Whitecaps) upgrades But why argue over semantics when we can watch some of MLB's best sluggers sock a few dingers? TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Norm Cash: the Detroit first baseman hit four balls out of Tiger Stadium, which is probably . Hitting a baseball hundreds of feet is incredibly hard. The poor sap who fed the Hall of Fame outfielder a gopher ball: Chuck Stobbs. Although it came nowhere close to 734 feet, ESPN determined an impressive true distance of 503 feet. The Tigers' Kirk Gibson hit a home run onto the street in 1983 but it was less than 600 feet. 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. None had occurred since 1955. A+! Makes me even more envious of the fans in Boston whose ownership had the wisdom to preserve their historic ballpark. Chronicling the Business and Culture of Baseball Ballparks--MLB, MiLB, College, Tiger Stadium / Detroit Tigers / 1912-1999, Its Oriole Park vs. PNC Park in 2023 MLB BoTB finals, As land purchase could lead to new Vegas ballpark, WI Assembly leader: American Family Field maintenance should see Milwaukee money, 2023 MLB Best of the Ballparks fan vote moves to Final Four, 2023 MiLB Best of the Ballparks, Triple-A vote reaches Final Four, Is 2025 a firm deadline for teams to meet MiLB facility upgrades? Thanks! Fielder displayed his power early in spring training. Jose Canseco hit a home run to center field lower deck. Only four players have been confirmed to hit a ball over the left field roof at Tiger Stadium in Detroit: Cecil Fielder, Mark McGwire, Harmon Killebrew, and Frank Howard. After failing to land free agents Pete OBrien and Kent Hrbek, Tigers general managerBill Lajoie went after Fielder. The Longest 'Moon Shot' Home Run in the History of Each MLB Stadium In this case, however, initial estimates appeared to have sold Ted Williams short. Jose Canseco's upper-deck blast helped the Oakland Athletics defeat the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1989 American League Championship Series. Al Kaline takes aim at the seats in Tiger Stadium in the late 1950s. The Times reported that Cecil Fielder became the first Detroit player to hit a home run over the left-field roof at Tiger Stadium (''Fielder Belts Two as Tigers Rout A's, 14-4,'' Aug. 26), and . Reportedly, the baseball landed across the intersection of Cherry and Trumbull. Quick shipping as well. Only one current Tiger ever hit a home run at Tiger Stadium, and it was a memorable occasion. On a ball that sped 124 mph off the bat, ESPN's Home Run Tracker estimated a distance of 539 feet if unhindered. I grew up in Bridgeport Michigan. Although the ballpark suffered little damage, the citys name was sullied. Along the way it served as scenes for movies as well as a plethora of public events ranging from a KISS concert to a speech by Nelson Mandela. I ran the bases like I was back in Little League and was proud of Cecil.. Distance of Longest Batted Baseball - The Physics Factbook - hypertext-book His name? In addition to the movie 61*, two other films Tiger Town and Hardball had scenes filmed there. When Medwick took his position in left field in the bottom of the inning, the Tiger fans pelted him with fruits, vegetables and just about anything else they could get their hands on. By the 1970s, the ballpark was beginning to show its age. Such was life at The Corner.). Even more unusual for the time, all three games were televised locally in an effort to distract minds of Detroiters. I thought I saw Tony Clark hit a monster on the roof, but Im so old my memory is shot. In 1949, he defeated Marcel Cerdan, winning on a knockout in the tenth round to win the World Middleweight crown. Innovative Field (Rochester Red Wings) upgrades Cannot be combined with any other offer. Homer History At Tiger Stadium - The New York Times FAQ, Choose "Free store pickup" at checkout and save $10 off any purchase of $50 or more! Eye tests lead to a wide array of biases, but the video evidence helps his case. the Yankees won that day, 22-2 the worst loss the Tigers ever suffered at home.). Dozens of players have peppered the left field roof at batting practice, though. Junior was upset that Sparky had intentionally walked him so often. Whitaker hit 146 homers at the old ballpark, most of them after he matured into a better power hitter in his late 20s. Although few improvements were made to the ballpark over the years, it was still considered a showcase of baseball with a flair for memorable games. Accurately measuring those moonshots isn't much easier. We will definitely be dealing with Vintage Detroit again. MLB.com also offers extensive historical information and footage, online ticket sales, official baseball merchandise, authenticated memorabilia and collectibles and fantasy games.Major League Baseball consists of 30 teams split between the American and National Leagues. (Cerdan claimed he dislocated his shoulder in the first round.) Customer Service Thank you for your support! Future Legends Sports Complex (Northern Colorado Owlz) I would have believed 1,484 feet.". He hit some long HRs at Tiger Stadium. (Oddly. Playing in Japan really boosted my confidence and it allowed me to learn who I was as a hitter, said Fielder, who signed a two-year, $3 million deal with the Tigers. Eric Chesterton As a result, no assortment of baseball's longest blasts can be considered 100 percent credible. What do you get when you combine a block party and a baseball league? When Ted Williams cleared the roof at Briggs Stadium July 3, 1999, the Cleveland Indians star sent a ball screaming an estimated 511 feet. In left field, outfielders were known to jump up on the auxiliary scoreboard, grab the screen and reach several feet over the fence. . Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Detroit Tigers OF Austin Meadows. In 1968, his last at-bat came there when he struck out in Game 5 of the World Series. According to ESPN's findings, the ball landed on a fan's straw hat deep in the right field bleachers. That much is known. The league scheduled eight more games in the next five years. Six years later, Cecil Fielder hit a moonshot over the left field roof on his way to 51 homers that season. June 3, 1987, which reportedly went a staggering. The club went 68-86 and hit 18 fewer home runs than the year before. He hits balls that just keep carrying. And on September 27, 1999, with flashbulbs popping, Robert Fick hit the final home run at The Corner, a grand slam in the last game at Tiger Stadium. Nobody ever dreams of a statue, I certainly didn't.". He only fought once at Briggs Stadium, defeating Bob Pastor on September 20, 1939. A former football player, Gibby was sort of like a tight end without the shoulder pads in the outfield for Detroit. It all came down to the last game of the year at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 3. Initial estimates credited him with hitting a 656-foot bomb in college, a mark outlandish even for an MLB star using performance-enhancing drugs. By AdamBishop. The best of those bombs occurred June 26, when he smacked one off Shea Stadium's scoreboard. No one hit more homers in Tiger Stadium than Al Kaline, who belted 212 there, while hitting 187 on the road. Winning pitcher Jim Bouton tossed seven scoreless innings for the victory. After lining out in his next plate appearance, in the fourth inning he faced rookie left-hander Steve Adkins with one on and two out. They quoted an eyewitness, the late Paul Baldwin, who said the ball cleared 110- foot wide Trumbull Avenue adjacent to Tiger (then Briggs) Stadium and landed in the Brooks Lumber Yard across the street. Some of Gibson's home runs were pretty darn big (including a couple in the World Series) but one of Gibson's most memorable home runs came in June of 1983 when he hit a moon shot that cleared the roof of Tiger . At seasons end, Fielder finished with 51 homers and 132 RBIs (both the most in the major leagues) and a .277 batting average, while the Tigers won 20 more games than in 1989 with a 79-83 record, good for third place in the AL East. The late Ed Browalski of the Polish Daily News and veteran Detroit sports writer Edgar Hayes wanted to determine where Mantles 1960 homer landed. A hearty hack on May 20, 1978 which went further than any ball ever hit at Montreal Stadium. Skeptics will certainly be forgiven for doubting that distance, but others will prefer to simply believe. Order Tracking In 1934, the Tigers won the AL pennant but lost the World Series to the Cardinals. Three Rivers Stadium: 147: Tiger Stadium: 226: T-Mobile Field* 83: Tropicana Field* 129: Turner Field: 226: Veterans Stadium: 265 . By May 15, Fielder had garnered national attention, having hit 14 home runs. The trajectory had it coming near me but it just never came down inside the ballpark! Although never as well known as Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park or Wrigley Field, Tiger Stadium held an unique place in the hearts of Detroiters, who have now seemed to come to terms with the fact it will be torn down, probably in September 2008. 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. In 1921 alone, which was, best tape measure season, he hit at least one 500 foot home run in all eight American League cities. But . I saw it bounce twice on the roof and was hoping it would go out and sure enough it did. Most Home Runs hit at Tiger Stadium* Al Kaline 226 Norm Cash 212 Hank Greenberg 187 Lou Whitaker 146 Rudy York 140 Cecil Fielder 130 Willie Horton 127 Dick McAuliffe 107 Lance Parrish 102 Bill Freehan 100 * (previously Briggs Stadium & Navin Field) Most Homers hit by opposing players When baseball's biggest stars need a haircut, they come to Jos 'Jordan' Lpez, By Over the roof, gone, home run for Cecil!. 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. Navin Field got a lot of play in the newsreels that winter but it was not the sort of publicity one desires. South African leader Nelson Mandela spoke before 49,000 people. 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. I don't live nearby so the ability to have it shipped for $10 was well worth the cost. The casual fan might not fully appreciate the modest masher, who becomes eligible for Hall of Fame consideration next year. A few players, very few, hit home runs into the bleachers in straightaway center field, an incredible 440 feet away. Dunn finished the season with a career-high 46 long balls. I highly recommend if you live within a 30 minute drive of this place and you are looking for authentic NBA NFL and MB items stop in and see them they also have a lot of very rare items which will make you stand out. Football at Tiger Stadium was an adventure. Kirk Gibson hits bomb over roof of Tiger Stadium [Video] On May 31, 1997, Andres Galarraga cleared the full bases by sending a souvenir into Pro Player Stadium's empty upper deck. The Lions abandoned it for the Pontiac Silverdome. No advertising or spamming is permitted. Progressive Field renovations By the time television and football began its long, happy marriage, Detroit was well established as the home field for the annual Thanksgiving Day game. The first home run in the history of the All-Star Game was hit by none other than Babe Ruth. As ESPN's Home Run Trackerverifies, one moonshot onMay 11, 2000, went 500 feet with a116.7 mph exit velocity. What are your home run memories of Tiger Stadium? 1 on the all-time list. Before Susmans research, Mantles longest homer was thought to be the one he hit in 1953 in Washington, a drive measured at 565 feet. Gibson hit 95, and Gehringer hit 92. See the article in its original context from. "Watch that splash on the scoreboard," Keith Hernandez said during his earlier years as a Mets broadcaster. Out of concern for the neighborhood, the team moved a series to Baltimore.
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