The Great Home Runs
The ten most memorable and remembered four-baggers
Bygone baseball by C. Philip Francis – July 1, 2004
Part 2
In Part 1 I listed five of the most memorable home runs in baseball history, and now continue with five more famous swings that went the distance. Some use the term home run, four-bagger, roundtripper, homer, or even dinger, but whatever they may be called they bring more melodrama, thrills, and emotion when one who least expects to send the baseball out of the park.
6. BILL MAZEROSKI of the Pittsburgh Pirates - October 13, 1960: The 1960 World Series with the New York Yankees and the Pirates has been often called “the weirdest and wackiest of all blue-ribbon classics.” It was a wild, seven-game tussle when the team that could not lose – did. And it all came down to one little pebble.
The first game ended with a Pittsburgh 6-4 win aided by a two-run homer by second baseman Mazeroski. Although the New York bombers won three games by scores of: 16-3, 10-0, and 12-0, it was tied at three games each going into the seventh and deciding contest.
The Pirates took an early 4-0 lead, but by the top of the eighth the Yanks were up 7-4, and apparently on their way to an easy championship. After Pirate pinch-hitter Gino Cimoli singled to lead off the inning, Bill Virdon sent a hard double-play grounder straight at shortstop Tony Kubek. The ball seemed to carom off a pebble and over the player’s glove before bouncing off his throat for an infield hit. Then came a single followed by a sacrifice, and another infield hit that now made it 7-6 with reserve catcher Hal Smith coming to bat.
Smith swung hard and socked the ball deep into the left field stands for a home run sending the Forbes Field faithful into pandemonium. The Pirates were now up 9-7 and only one inning to go. But the Yankees were not ready to walk away quietly as they tied the game due to luck and bad fielding making it 9-9 going into the last of the ninth. Ralph Terry was now on the mound for the Yankees and ready to face Mazeroski. The first pitch was wide. Ball one. Maz swung on the next one smacking it over the head of outfielder Yogi Berra into the seats for an unbelievable HOME RUN giving the Pittsburgh Pirates the World Championship, their first one since 1925.
7. KIRK GIBSON of the Los Angeles Dodgers – October 15, 1988: The big question here was NOT as to whether his ball would leave the park, but could the 31-year old Gibson make it all the way around the bases? The 1988 World Series featured the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland A’s led by the “Bash Brothers”, Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, who had a total of 74 home runs that season along with 223 runs.
In Game One it looked like an Oakland win when Canseco hit a grand slam, the 15th in Series history, but by the ninth the home team Dodgers were only down by one run. Leading off was pinch-hitter Mike Davis who walked. Dodger manager, Tommy Lasorda sent up another pinch-hitter, Kirk Gibson, who had 25 homers that season although he was hardly able to walk much less swing the ball.
Shortly before the game Gibson had not even suited up due to his many aching and hurting muscles, but had told Lasorda that he would be available if needed. The crowd erupted when they saw the damaged Gibson dragging himself to the plate. Barely able to swing his bat, on a two-and-two count Gibson drove the ball over the right field bleachers giving the Dodgers a come-from-behind victory that deflated the arrogant A’s. Los Angeles took the World Championship four games to one despite the fact that hero Gibson did not appear in the Series again.
8. BABE RUTH of the Boston Braves – May 25, 1935: After 15 years of delivering a plethora of prodigious power for the New York Yankees, the Babe was now with the Boston Braves where his name might entice more paying fans through the gates for a last place team. Ruth opened the season with a home run and single, but then his body and ability began to fail. It was obvious that Babe Ruth was near the end of his career.
For whatever the reason on May 25th the great slugger had one of his finest days at the plate. In was at the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Forbes Field when Ruth homered in the first inning. In his next at bat came home run number two of the day. He followed with a single in the fifth, and then came his third long poke of the day when the Babe propelled a ball that was reported to be the first home run to ever clear that right field wall. Eight days later Babe Ruth retired from baseball.
9. ROGER MARIS of the New York Yankees – October 1, 1961: For much of the season both Maris and Mickey Mantle were assaulting the 34-year old “unbeatable” record of 60 home runs in one season held by Babe Ruth. Hack Wilson had 56 in 1930, and then Jimmie Foxx with 58 in1932 and Hank Greenberg at 58 in 1938 both failed. In August the M and M Boys had 50 homers each, but injuries slowed Mantle who finished with 54.
Under tremendous pressure Maris pressed on. Ruth’s hit his 60 in 154 games, and now with two additional teams the season had been extended to 162 games. Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick, a close friend of Ruth, announced that the Babe’s record had to be broken in 154 games or an “asterisk” would be attached to the new record.
As Maris closed in on the most glorious record of baseball he came down with rashes, clumps of hair fell out, and was hounded by sportswriters and fans. On the last day of the season the Yankee outfielder sent Red Sox pitcher Tracy Stallard’s delivery into Yankee Stadium’s right field stands for Number 61.
10. HANK AARON of the Atlanta Braves – April 8, 1974: The Atlanta outfielder and current supreme home run hitter finished the 1973 season with 713 round-trippers, one short of the 714 record owned by Babe Ruth. It was a cold, Monday evening on April 8th at the Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta when the unemotional Aaron sent a 1-0 fastball from Dodger lefthander Al Downing for Number 715. After Hank finished his tour around the bases he was met by a crowd of players, fans, and his mother.