OT: Trout vs. Mantle

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by tbob

I think a better comparison would be to compare Trout to Griffey Jr.

There was only one Mickey Mantle. Period.

A huge DITTO to what Bob says here.


Fortunately, I'm old enough to have seen Mickey play when I was growing up (1951-1968). He generated a lot of excitement when he came to bat (Lefty or Righty).

Like Babe Ruth....Mantle hit some of the longest HR's ever hit in the game. For example, I recall this tremendous drive (shown in this photo) that Mantle hit in the bottom of the 11th
inning of a 7-7 game (May 22, 1963). As the ball soared into the night sky, we thought it was going out of the park. But, it hit the RF roof facade in Yankee Stadium. It was projected
that it would have traveled 700+ feet if it had cleared Yankee Stadium.







Here's another "monster HR" at old Griffith Stadium (April 12, 1953) that traveled 565 feet.




For sheer excitement......it just doesn't get any better than these events. .


Look guys, comparing "stats numbers" just doesn't do it......you had to see Mickey play in order to appreciate this man......and, what he brought to the game.
And, it's irrelevant whether you are a Yankees fan, or not.

As far as I am concerned....for now, this debate is over....and DONE ! Only time will tell us if Trout was as good as Mantle.



TED Z
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[Peter_Spaeth]

Ted -- sorry to throw a little cold water on the Paul Bunyan story but here is SABR's analysis of that home run.

One other aspect of misrepresentation should be explored. Again, the vast talents of Herculean Mickey Mantle have been comprised by individuals who have unwittingly perpetrated a hoax. Let it be emphasized that the mighty Mick was undoubtedly one of baseball's all time longest hitters. He was an honest, sometimes even self-effacing individual, who was never known to overstate his accomplishments. It is due to his immense popularity and constant involvement in the tape measure process that he is often thrust into the muddle of misrepresentation. By his own account he hit the longest home run of his career on May 22, 1963 at Yankee Stadium. The ball struck the facade on the right-field roof approximately 370 feet from home plate and 115 feet above field level. Almost everyone in attendance believed that the ball was still rising when it was interrupted in midflight by the roof structure. Based upon that belief, this drive has commonly been estimated at about 620 feet if left unimpeded. However, the reality is that the ball was already on its way down, and those reporting the trajectory were victimized by a common optical illusion. It is a scientific fact that if Mantle, or anyone else, had sufficient strength to hit a ball that was still traveling upward when it met the towering facade, he would also have enough strength to clear that same facade by a distance of at least 100 feet. In order for the ball to be rising at roof level, it would have to have been traveling at a lower angle than that which produces maximum distance. If Mantle had provided the same power or velocity, but had launched the ball at a higher and more efficient angle, it would have passed out of Yankee Stadium at a height of over 200 feet! Mantle hit the facade on two or perhaps three occasions, but never cleared it. By his own admission, during his 18-year career at Yankee Stadium, which included thousands of swing variables, he hit several balls to right field in an optimum manner. If he had the power to clear the roof by over 100 feet, he surely would have cleared it marginally on many occasions.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Ted -- sorry to throw a little cold water on the Paul Bunyan story but here is SABR's analysis of that home run.

By his own account he hit the longest home run of his career on May 22, 1963 at Yankee Stadium. The ball struck the facade on the right-field roof approximately 370 feet from home plate and 115 feet above field level. Almost everyone in attendance believed that the ball was still rising when it was interrupted in midflight by the roof structure. Based upon that belief, this drive has commonly been estimated at about 620 feet if left unimpeded.

Hey guy, don't be sorry to" throw a little cold water"....with the high humidity this week, I would appreciate it

I recall that tremendous blast; and, I thought at its highest point that it had leveled off. Against the dark nite sky this was quite easy to see. So, I'm not sure of
the reports that the trajectory of the ball was starting to drop.

In any event, it was one of the most extraordinary prodigious drives of a baseball ever seen. And, what made it more exciting was that it was (using the current
popular expression) a "walk-off" HR to finalize a long night at Yankee Stadium.

620 feet was the projected distance back in May 1963. However, over the years its been extended to "700+ feet" by some who have embellished this event.

So, whatever the number is, one thing is for certain, it was one of the most dramatic HR's ever hit in BaseBall history.


TED Z
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