Hey everyone, welcome to the weekly show where we take a look back and forward at some of the biggest news stories affecting the sport we love. Whether it's a broken home run record, a famous player’s birth, or a major franchise trade, we'll have it all covered.
I’m Jeff Lambert, and this is This Week in Baseball History.
This Week’s Memorable Moments
May 22, 1963: Mickey Mantle hit his longest home run
At Yankee Stadium, New York blew a 7-0 lead, allowing Kansas City to tie the game and send it into extra innings.
In the 11th inning, Mickey Mantle hit a 2-2 pitch so hard that it almost cleared the right field roof. Mantle later said that it was the hardest ball he had ever hit. Dr. James McDonald, a physicist who studies long-ball trajectories, conservatively estimated that the ball would have traveled 620 feet if it had not struck the façade.
Mantle told Dale Long, from whom he borrowed the bat, that it was the only home run he had ever hit that bent the bat in his hands.
May 23, 1995: Two Pitchers Hit Home Runs Off One Another in the Same Game
Cubs pitcher Kevin Foster and Rockies pitcher Marvin Freeman both hit home runs against each other in a 7-6 Chicago win at Coors Field.
This was a rare occurrence, as it is only the tenth time in the 21st century that two pitchers have hit home runs against each other in the same game. Foster's home run was a solo shot in the top of the first inning, while Freeman's was a two-run homer in the bottom of the third.
The Cubs ultimately won the game 7-6, thanks in part to Foster's and Freeman's heroics.
May 24, 1935: The National League’s First Night Game Occurs
The Cincinnati Reds hosted the Philadelphia Phillies in the first major league night game on May 24, 1935.
The game was played at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Reds won 2-1. President Franklin D. Roosevelt flipped the switch at the White House to turn on the lights, at the suggestion of Larry MacPhail, the Reds' general manager. The Reds would play seven night games, one against each of the other National League teams, during the 1935 season.
The night games were a success, and they became a regular part of major league baseball in the years that followed.
May 25, 1935: Babe Ruth Hits His Final Home Run
Babe Ruth had a final hurrah, hitting three home runs at Pittsburgh.
The final one, the last of his 714 career home runs, was the first to clear the right field grandstand at Forbes Field and was measured at 600 feet. This was an incredible feat, as the right field grandstand at Forbes Field was known for being one of the most difficult places to hit a home run in all of baseball.
Ruth's home run was a testament to his incredible power and skill as a hitter. It was also a fitting end to a legendary career.
May 26, 1997 - TWO Inside the Park Homers Occur in 5 Minutes
On Memorial Day in Pittsburgh, 1997, two inside-the-park home runs were hit in a span of five minutes.
First, Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa hit a line drive that bounced off the wall in left field and rolled all the way to the backstop. Sosa raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. Just five minutes later, Pirates shortstop Tony Womack hit a ground ball that took a bad hop and rolled into the outfield. Tony Womack also raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
The Cubs won the game 2-1, but it was the first time in 21 years that two National League players had hit inside-the-park home runs in the same game.
May 27, 1993: Dale Murphy Retires Two HR’s Short of 400
Dale Murphy, a former two-time National League Most Valuable Player (N.L. MVP), retired from professional baseball on May 27, 1993.
At the time of his retirement, Murphy was a member of the Colorado Rockies, an expansion team. Unfortunately, he fell just two home runs short of reaching the milestone of 400 career home runs. During the 1993 season, Murphy was primarily serving as a backup player and had a batting average of .143 with no home runs and seven runs batted in (RBI) up to that point in the season.
Despite his impressive career accomplishments and the accolades he had received, Murphy made the decision to retire, ending his playing career.
May 28, 1957: The Dodgers and Giants Pack Their Bags for California
The National League (NL) approved the proposed moves of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants to the West Coast, provided both clubs make their request before October 1, 1957, and move simultaneously.
The move was controversial then, as it would have left the NL with only eight teams. However, the NL ultimately decided that the move was necessary to keep up with the American League (AL), which had already expanded to ten teams in 1954. The Dodgers and Giants moved to Los Angeles and San Francisco, respectively, in 1958.
The move was a success for both teams, as they became perennial contenders in the NL. The move also helped to popularize baseball on the West Coast.
Conclusion
That's all for this edition of This Week in Baseball History. Be sure to check back next week for more memorable moments and from baseball’s rich past.
May 22-28: This Week in Baseball History