A 900-Ft Home Run

Okay, it only measured about 565-ft, but today is the 55th anniversary of the prodigious blast Mickey Mantle hit in Washington's Griffith Stadium. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports has a piece today on the legendary home and it's not so legendary length.

The Mick's blast off of the Senators' Chuck Stobbs traveled over the left field fence, hitting the "Natty Boh" sign at 460-ft, and ended up in a backyard.

The Yankees public relations head, Arthur "Red" Peterson, went looking for the baseball. He claims to have found it in the hands of little 10-year old Donald Dunaway. Peterson gave the young lad (why are we talking like this?) $1 for the ball.

Peterson claimed to have used a tape measure to get the 565 foot distance, but late in life admitted he had walked off the distance. But the feat still stands today.

Of course it's not the longest home run Mickey hit. His blast into the facade at Yankee Stadium was still rising when it clanked off the roof. It's estimate that the ball would have traveled over 700 feet.

It's unfortunate that the "Steroid ERA" has ruined this part of the game.