OT: Coolest Home Runs You've Witnessed

[Jay Wolt]

I've seen many historic Home Runs live on tv like Aaron's 715th, Kirk Gibson's vs the A's, Chambliss vs the Royals and so on.

But in person, my favorite was in 1981 at Yankee Stadium, it was the end of Sept on a cold dreary night.
John Denny of the Indians struck our Reggie in the 1st inning. Then a couple innings later Reggie hits a titantic shot off of Denny and Reggie did a slow trot around the bases w/ Denny walking off the mound shouting at him.
Reggie touched home plate and went after Denny, both benches emptied and there was excitement in the Bronx w/ more cheers during the fight then the home Run.

[whitehse]

Like many others I have seen countless memorable home runs on television but the best one (or two) I have witnessed in person was the Sandberg game at Wrigley Field against the Cardinals in 1984. Sandberg hit two homers to give the Cubs the lead each time in this game. You could cut the tension with a knife and somehow, after this game, one would know that 1984 was going to be the Cubs year.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Frank Howard hitting what looked like a high popup except that it ended up in the center field upper deck at RFK.

The same Frank Howard hitting a laser off Sam McDowell that could not have been in the air more than 3 seconds.

A rookie I had never heard of hitting two over the Monster on consecutive pitches one afternoon I took off from work -- turned out to be Juan Gonzalez.

On TV, Don Baylor's 3 run shot against the Angels to bring the Red Sox back from the verge of extinction in 1986. Johnny Damon's grand slam to put Game 7 almost out of reach against the Yankees in 2004. Ortiz' slam against the Tigers last year. Gibson of course. We look back now in contempt but McGwire's 62 was pretty cool at the time.

[MVSNYC]

1) McGwire 62
2) Gibson 88 WS
3) Brett's Pine Tar HR
4) Robin Ventura's Grand Slam "Single" (was at this game)

[EGreenwood]

Mine would have to be the Griffeys hitting back-to-back home runs on September 14, 1990.

[RGold]

Cardinals vs Yankees 1964 World Series Game 4.

Cardinals down 2 games to 1, at Yankee Stadium, sure to lose their first World Series appearance since 1946 after Ray Sadecki yields 3 runs in the first inning.

With one out in the top of the 6th, Ken Boyer hits a grand slam off Al Downing, final score 4-3 on just 6 hits. Cardinals go on to win World Series in 7 games.

Old Yankee dynasty ends, new Cardinal dynasty begins, Ken Boyer makes Hall of Fame. Well, Boyer should be in the Hall of Fame.

[byrone]

Watching on TV as Joe Carter hit his World Series winning homer run off Mitch Williams.

I had a premonition just as Williams started his wind-up that the pitch was getting hammered, and couldn't believe it when Carter actually came thru.

Cool, but weird too

[MacDice]

On my one and only trip to Wrigley, saw Sammy Sosa hit his 60th home run (second season he hit 60).

Also was in attendance and saw Griffey Jr hit the last home run in the Kingdome

[Republicaninmass]

Yanks vs Sox live at Fenway

Sox go back to back to back to back. The stadium was electric

[old-baseball]

First is Mark McGuire during his rookie season. First series in to play the Indians he hit either two or three home runs in the game. I can remember turning to my buddies and commenting "who does this guy think he is - Babe Ruth?"

The second would be Bo Jackson. In his first trip into Cleveland I can remember him swinging and missing with such great velocity / so hard that he almost fell down. I think he struck out the first three time up. In his last at bat he hit a screaming line drive that the Indians short stop jumped and just missed catching for an out. The ball was hit so hard it sailed over the left-center field fence for a home run.

[scooter729]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Yanks vs Sox live at Fenway

Sox go back to back to back to back. The stadium was electric

I was there that day too, Ted - that was a kick start to the 2007 World Series season - what a night!

[kmac32]

The coolest home run I was ever involved in or saw was at Cubs Fantasy camp. The team I was playing on was in the championship game to see who won the trophy for the camp. It was a sudden death situation so first team to score won the title. We put the other team down 3 up 3 down in the first inning. Our team came up to bat and our shortstop "Rico" lead off our side. First pitch came down to center of the plate and he just watched it go by. Second pitch came by and he lined it over the left field fence to win the game and clinch the title.

I was the catcher for this game and i had been talking some crap to batters earlier in the week to distract the other batters. A friend of mine who came up to bat for the other team in this game came up and said "don't say anything". I said " I wasn't planning on saying anything". He actually hit the ball into the ground for an easy out at First. Guess I beat him mentally. LOL

[billyb]

Via TV, Gibson and Mazerowski HRs I have witnessed.

The only HR of importance, to the ball player involved, but not to history, and I got to see it at the game. Coot Veal's only major league home run in his career. Just a Punch and Judy hitter, on this day,. he hit one far enough to tuck it just inside the left field foul line, and just over the fence. I think the guy in the first row caught it.....LOL

But it counted, one career home run.

[dabigyankeeman]

Bucky Dent - Aaron Boone - Chris Chambliss - Derek Jeter (Mr November) - Reggie's 3 (Mr October).

[Peter W Thomas]

1960 freshman at MIT last class @ 1:00 then to Fenway.

Williams last at bat drive deep into bleachers, landing about 50 feet from me. Not many in bleachers, but at least 10 closer to the ball. I think of it several times a year.

[pbspelly]

Not sure why radio-heard blasts aren't allowed. The most exciting home run I ever "witnessed" was Jayson Werth's game winning home run off of the Cardinals to force a game 5 in the 2012 NL divisional series. Werth fouled off pitch after pitch before connecting on the 13th pitch of the at bat to save the season for the Nats. I was listening in my car and going crazy. I'm lucky I didn't have an accident.

The second most exciting home run that I saw was Robin Ventura's grand slam "single" in game 5 of the 1999 NL series to win the game for the Mets in the 15th inning. I saw that one on TV.

[Deertick]

Most disappointing in person: Eddie Murray's two HR in 1983 WS.

Most impressive in person: Greg Luzinski hitting the Liberty Bell in 1975. I have never seen a replay.

Longest I have hit: Approx 470 ft @ "Doc" Lang field in Tampa. Just to the left of center (408') and one hopped the street (another 70').

Longest I have given up: A knuckle curve that started a little too high to a lefty and got a lot higher in a hurry. We were on Tampa Catholic's field, and the ball cleared the RF fence (335'), a two story field house (+20') behind the fence (+10') over the adjacent field's fence (+10') and wound up in the infield halfway to home plate (+200' ??). My teammates had a meeting on the mound because we couldn't stop laughing.

[Rich Klein]

One season at the Ballpark in Arlington, Juan Encarncion led off the season with a homer, we knew it was going to be another long season

At the double AA Frisco games

Delino DeShields blasting a homer and getting hit int he face the same game

Leonys Martin's first ever professional homer

[Beatles Guy]

Most of the TV ones from the last 30 years have already been mentioned. I did witness in person McGwire's 66th in 1998.

I also saw Chris Speier hit a walkoff for the Cardinals in 1986 I believe. I remember that one because my Dad would not stand up on a long fly ball when everyone else did. I asked him why and he said "I'll stand up when it's gone". Speier hit it and he stood up.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by Deertick

Most disappointing in person: Eddie Murray's two HR in 1983 WS.

Most impressive in person: Greg Luzinski hitting the Liberty Bell in 1975. I have never seen a replay.

Longest I have hit: Approx 470 ft @ "Doc" Lang field in Tampa. Just to the left of center (408') and one hopped the street (another 70').

Longest I have given up: A knuckle curve that started a little too high to a lefty and got a lot higher in a hurry. We were on Tampa Catholic's field, and the ball cleared the RF fence (335'), a two story field house (+20') behind the fence (+10') over the adjacent field's fence (+10') and wound up in the infield halfway to home plate (+200' ??). My teammates had a meeting on the mound because we couldn't stop laughing.

I always hit like a pitcher, so it was good that we had the DH for most of my career.

I never really thought about it until I read your post, but I honestly do not remember ever giving up a homer. That may sound like I'm bragging a lot, but maybe I have selective memory loss, too. I was a full-time pitcher for over a decade, so it must have happened at least once.

[Tabe]

Here's one more:

I'm watching some random Expos game on ESPN one night and Andres Galarraga hits a grand slam for the Expos to win the game in extras, I think. I could have some of the details mangled. Anyway, for whatever reason, I was really into that game despite not being a fan of either team. The home run pumped me up and I ended up jumping out of my chair with a fist raised. Well, I hit the bleeping ceiling fan/light fixture over my head and shattered part of it. The glass rained down on me, cutting my elbow, leaving a 1/2" scar that is still plainly visible to this day.

Oh yeah, my parents were already asleep so I had to clean up and then try and explain it to them the next day. Ugh.

[BleedinBlue]

I grew up in Southern California and am a lifelong LA Dodger fan. I was going to UC Berkeley during the 1988 World Series and went out to a bar with a few of my friends to watch Game 1 of the World Series. My friends were giving me quite a ribbing as the game went later and later. They kept saying that as soon as Eck got in the game was over. Well, things got down to the last out and Gibson limped up to the plate. The crowd in the bar was loudly cheering for Eckersley to finish off Game 1. When Gibby connected I let out a primal gutteral yell of pure joy. The rest of the bar got deathly quiet. It was an amazing momemt.

Until I had to walk home. Scariest walk of my life.