Babe Ruth's Home Run at Whittington Park in Hot Springs, AR on March 17th, 1918 was a notably long home run that has been the subject of historical speculation, particularly in regards to estimations of how far the ball was hit. See also Babe Ruth Home Run, Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR March 17th,1918.
Overview
Background
Newspaper Reports
"In the third frame, with the sacks crushed and Al Mamaux doing the serving, Ruth hammered out a circuit smash which every ball player in the park said it was the longest drive they had ever seen. The ball not only cleared the right field fence, but stayed up, soaring over the street and a wide duck pond, finally finding a resting place for itself in a nook of the Ozark hills. Had Ruth made the drive in Boston, it might have cleared to the bleachers in right center. As he was rounding first he said: “I would liked to have got a better hold on that one."" - Boston Globe, 3/25/1918, p.61
"Into Alligator Pond. The very first ball pitched just suited Babe, and he put his whole weight behind the drive. The sphere cleared the fence by about 200 feet and dropped in the pond beside the alligator farm, while the spectators yelled with amazement and four runs trotted home." – Boston Post, 3/25/1918, p.92
"The first ball he [Ruth] hit was a foul over the fence, and the next one would have knocked the trolley car off the tracks on the street outside the park, except the motorman saw it coming and turned on the juice. Babe rode around with three runners going in ahead of him. It looked like parade." – Boston Herald, 3/25/19183
"Babe Ruth laid his bat hard against a ball in the third inning of the game between the Boston Americans and Brooklyn Nationals here this afternoon, and thereafter the game was one-sided. Scott, Strunk and Hoblitzel were on bases when Ruth came to bat. It was the third inning and the game had gone scoreless up to this interval. The large crowd at Whittington park called on Ruth for something big, and he responded when he sent the ball over the right field fence and scored three players ahead of him." – Arkansas Gazette, 3/25/1918, p.84
Estimations of Distance
Overview
Background
Newspaper Reports
"In the third frame, with the sacks crushed and Al Mamaux doing the serving, Ruth hammered out a circuit smash which every ball player in the park said it was the longest drive they had ever seen. The ball not only cleared the right field fence, but stayed up, soaring over the street and a wide duck pond, finally finding a resting place for itself in a nook of the Ozark hills. Had Ruth made the drive in Boston, it might have cleared to the bleachers in right center. As he was rounding first he said: “I would liked to have got a better hold on that one."" - Boston Globe, 3/25/1918, p.61
"Into Alligator Pond. The very first ball pitched just suited Babe, and he put his whole weight behind the drive. The sphere cleared the fence by about 200 feet and dropped in the pond beside the alligator farm, while the spectators yelled with amazement and four runs trotted home." – Boston Post, 3/25/1918, p.92
"The first ball he [Ruth] hit was a foul over the fence, and the next one would have knocked the trolley car off the tracks on the street outside the park, except the motorman saw it coming and turned on the juice. Babe rode around with three runners going in ahead of him. It looked like parade." – Boston Herald, 3/25/19183
"Babe Ruth laid his bat hard against a ball in the third inning of the game between the Boston Americans and Brooklyn Nationals here this afternoon, and thereafter the game was one-sided. Scott, Strunk and Hoblitzel were on bases when Ruth came to bat. It was the third inning and the game had gone scoreless up to this interval. The large crowd at Whittington park called on Ruth for something big, and he responded when he sent the ball over the right field fence and scored three players ahead of him." – Arkansas Gazette, 3/25/1918, p.84
Estimations of Distance
3
Boston Herald, 3/25/1918