Mickey Mantle: The Hardest Ball I Ever Hit

[PRican522]

1984 barry bonds with out steroids maybe 380 home runs to be fair

[johhnythekyde]

the ball was the way up wen hit the facade which is unreal if u think about it...im glad to share mantles bday

[MLBcelebrity]

He sounds like Dr.Phil

[elvispresley718]

@MLBcelebrity mickey is an immortal dr. phil is not!

[itchmay1]

The guy was my hero. Pure magic. Pure charisma. He had the heart of every boy in America. As for me, because of The Mick, I tried to switch hit, I tried to limp like him, I walked up to the plate with my head down. Old pics of him still give me chills. Ran like a thundering herd and could hit a baseball into orbit. The greatest ballplayer of all time when he was right. Tragedy that he didn't take care of himself. I miss you Mick.

[boblackey1]

@itchmay1 Mickey was my favorite player growing up in the 50's too. In the 60's I became a big Willie McCovey fan but Mickey was still number ONE. I was wondering the other day. I read back when Mickey played, they played with the same ball until it was hit where a fan could get it or it was too much trouble. They used about 50 to 60 balls a game. Now they use about a 120. Just a slight scuff or hard bounce of the wall and out it goes. Pitcher could have advantage. Mickey didn't get that luxury.

[Sprichtube]

does everyone realize what a shot this was ??? That is far!

[harajukugirlloveandG]

@Sprichtube I can't belive there are some people that refuse to look at it as being a long HR, some person wrote a book and said that the shot was a figment of there imagination for the people who saw the shot???????

[curtisjones400]

They onced asked a famous baseball player that use to play in the late 1950's -if he were playing baseball today how many home runs does he think he would hit-he answered about 15-why only 15 homeruns? the baseball player asnwered i'm 70 Ha Ha

[lewearly]

@curtisjones400 That reminds of what happened when a sportswriter in the mid-1960s asked one of Ty Cobb's former teammates what he thought Cobb would hit if he were playing in the Major Leagues then (after the leagues expanded in the early 1960s). He thought a moment and said, "Oh, probably .300." The surprised sportswriter asked, "Why only .300?" Cobb's teammate replied, "Well, you have to remember that Cobb's been dead for several years."

[tomloft2000]

estimated as far as 734 ft.

[MIKESOWELL]

@tomloft2000 I think that is an exaggeration.

[joekoe97]

@tomloft2000 I've heard 734 but I doubt that he hit a ball 20% farther than anyone has ever hit a ball. 600 I could see as a possibility but I will say in all the years I've watched baseball I have never once seen anyone come close to hitting the facade. Closest would have to be Josh Hamilton and he was nowhere near the facade.

[helmet959]

he also hit one out of Griffith Stadium in D.C. that was supposedly in the 540-575 ft range...

[dougc426]

Rest in peace mick,You where the greatist long ball hitter ever..If you dont think so look up the 10 longest home runs hit by Mickey mantle

[TheJer1963]

Topp's even made a baseball card for that home run. Look the card up. Longtime ago.

[joeason1010]

Mickey Mantle was a legit ball player just naturally strong as hell look at him you can tell he didn't do steroids

[joeason1010]

Greatest baller of all time no doubt

[Ibringthetruth1]

Looking at him he doesn't look super strong. Great player.

[ThumperOne]

Mickey Mantle. Speed AND power. Great player. 

[marinman39]

I started following Mickey Mantle in 1959, when I was 8 years old. My grandfather in NYC used to take me to games, we lived 50 miles away. Even a little kid could see the greatness, the speed, power and charisma, though he was hurt a lot. The shot he talks about happened in 1963 when he was healthy for a while and really connecting. We watched the night game on TV, actually anticipating something special. It was an impossible shot, like a missile, it kept rising; truly stunning moment.

[536mick]

What power!!!!!!

[deepcosmiclove]

I saw that homerun. The ball got up to the facade in about 1 second, I kid you not. It was a line drive, frozen rope all the way up.

[jimitl5]

@deepcosmiclove I was there with my dad. I was 12 years old and when he hit it the sound to me sounded like cannon fire. It was simply the most amazing thing I have even seen.

[Christlovesanimals]

And all without steroids. Fuck you Barry Bonds.

[frankofelko87]

@Christlovesanimals YES YES YES  U R RIGHT...

[harajukugirlloveandG]

everybody go to youtube under mickey mantle old timers day,and see him hit a shot at old yankee stadium in 1973!!!!

[chadheroman]

they say before his knee injury, he is the fastest player from home to first, faster than ichro and deion sanders, also, he has hit the longest homerun in history. So if he is the fastest and hit the ball the farthest, its not a stretch to say he is the greatest baseball player ever born

[yes350yes]

I saw him play many times when they played at chicago. we lived in central indy but would drive up. we would sit in center field bleachers and wait battling practice balls. I remember mickey beating out a lot of ground balls to first he could run really fast especially when he hit lefthanded. I always admired his ability and took his number playing football at high school.

[harajukugirlloveandG]

i cant see why MLB refuses to give mick his due,they have 70 best catches and dont mention the catch he made that saved don larsons perfect game what kind of shit is that.all they do is pound us over the head with mays catch the mantle catch was alot better yet not a word of mickey?? mick fans need to unite and make them respect him...

[maxmcbyte]

The ball was still rising when it hit the facade because it bounced *** ALL *** the way back to the infield!!! Many seem to ignore this fact.

The ball *** FEARED *** Mantle.

[GGE47]

I think a fellow Oklahoman,astronaut Gordon Cooper was in orbit around the Earth that night and the Mick made a comment about that.Astronaut Cooper was the first American to spend more than one day in space.It was in May of 1963.

[GGE47]

I almost saw Mickey Mantle hit a grand slam homerun in Washington against The Senators.Bases loaded and Mantle hit one that looked like it was gone in right center.It was September 19,1962.The rightfielder caught it right up against the fence.I looke at the flagpole nearby in center and it ws just whipping in.The damn wind kept it from going all the way out and I was so frustrated.I did see Bobby Richardson get his 200th hit of the season.Yankees scored 4 runs in the 9th to win 8-6

[Patersonian2003]

Luckily I got to see Mickey Mantle at Yankee Stadium many times as I grew up. He was by far the most powerful hitter I've ever seen. His foul ball line drives into the lower stands were unbelievable - I always thought if someone wasn't watching they could be killed - fortunately no one was ever hurt badly. A hero for all time!

[roman61]

Mantle had a perfect swing from the right side of the plate.....he wasn't a big man by today's standards.....#7 had skills. Not too shabby from the left side either, but wasn't perfect because of the bad knee.

[7beers]

So what was it ruled?

[oldaardvark]

@7beers

The ball hit off the facade? A home run. That was the top of the third deck and of course even a shot into the lower deck was a HR.

[UltimateWheelman]

If today's players are all supposed to be on HGH and steroids, then how come they can't hit the ball 540 feet? How does a player with two bum knees hit a ball 540 feet? How does a 30-HR a year hitter like Roger Maris suddenly hit 61 home runs? Hitting home runs has nothing to do with skill. It's all about strength. That's why players like Dunn and Canseco can have shitty batting averages and still pop 40 home runs, and why players like Ichiro can hit .350 and hit only 10.

[Metfan1986]

Just brut strength. All those years as a youngster just swining sledg hammers and doing manual labor. Everyone now-a-days lives in a temperature control gym training to play. Just imagine if he had cared about every single homerun? The stadiums especially now would have been dwarfed.

[doesyourgodcomeinaca]

People say Mick never used performance enhancing drugs and they are all wrong he was addicted to pussy and booze.

[elvispresley718]

@doesyourgodcomeinaca exactly what ruth used!

[dxarmy94]

How could Mickey have that much power?????? The pitchers must have thrown practice pitches during the game or there was a power substance these hitters drank every morning...

[marinman39]

@dxarmy94 I saw him plenty (starting in 1959) so let me answer. He was very, very strong, and not very tall, maybe 5 ft 10, for leverage. He swung as hard as he could on practically every pitch, and he loved fast balls. If he knew he was getting a fastball, and his legs were not bothering him, tape measure shot. I saw the karoom off the third deck shot in '64 on live TV, the one that bounced back to the infield. and the amazing thing was it was not unexpected. He was healthy that month.

[morrieswigs]

why would 3 people dislike this?

[harajukugirlloveandG]

@morrieswigs because they are for the steroid users who still cant hit a ball as far as mick???

[jeterdaman1]

@morrieswigs

Yankee Haters, plain & simple.

[harajukugirlloveandG]

It's to bad that MLB is trying to blackball all ball players before steroid era so the kids will only know the cheaters my son only plays football,golf,now because he thinks you have to do steroids to play baseball??????

[Mastophales]

Reggie Jacksons' HR in the '71 All Star @ Tiger Stadium he hit off of Dock Ellis/Pirates, was a mammoth blast also ! i believe it hit the light tower.

[kirbycol4]

@Mastophales

Yes it did! Remember watching that titanic shot as a Teen; that was jaw-dropping and even though I could not stand Reggie, it was a Baseball moment that I will never forget !

[cacable7]

The amazing thing to me about Mantle was that he batted .298 for his career while at the same time swinging as hard as he could at every ball, and his career average would've been over .300 if he'd retired after hitting his 500th homer. Guys today like Ryan Howard bat around .250 with the same approach and a smaller strike zone, better bats and tighter balls. You know you're great when you're a hall of famer and people still wonder how good you could've been healthy. Mantle was the best ever.

[bigbadbruins1]

They say the great negro leagues Josh Gibson hit some tape measure shots.

[marinman39]

@bigbadbruins1 Darned shame he didn't get a chance in the majors; my father, born in 1920 in the Bronx said the Babe was the greatest he ever saw, though Lou Gehrig had as much raw power. but that he'd heard that Gibson had more raw power than either one of them (but never actually saw him play).

[NorthernDancer1111]

Always loved reading about the Mick's tape measure jobs....I think easily hit a few in 600's and possibly 700's. A true natural athlete all around good guy. RIP Mickey!

[YouTubricant]

If Mickey Mantle would have never, ever been injured, he would have easily been the greatest player that ever lived. He would have hit around 800 home runs, probably close to 4,000 hits, and if he would have been an average hitter rather than a power hitter, he would have broken Cobb's stolen base record. And with that speed, he would have possibly been the greatest defensive outfielder of all time. His ability was absolutely unparalleled.

[hockeyguy1394]

@YouTubricant So basically if he wasnt Mickey Mantle your saying? Haha

[Kevin01SH]

i remember reading about this when i was younger, reporters were saying the ball was still rising when it bounced off the top of the stadium. if only there was footage

[artscriticXX]

If memory serves me a taped replay of that home run shows that when the ball hit the facade it bounced UPWARDS, not down ( hence Mickey's saying it bounced way back in towards the infield ). This would imply that the ball was still going UP, not down. Think about it!

[bigmaczado4]

they actully had scientist from mit univesity do a measure on it i dont remember how far it was but it was pretty damn far.

[DerBIGugeIHupf]

micky mantle hit a ball 634 feet.

[DerBIGugeIHupf]

micky mantle hit a ball 634 feet. thats pretty insane

[MIketucky350]

he is a real ball player. all these new guys taking drugs to get good. these guys back then were just good. give him a schlitz and homers result. give bonds ghb lol GO MICKEY

[all66books]

A once in a lifetime talent - what a beast. Keep in mind that this was not only before steroids, but if you were a baseball player in Mickeys day, weight training was strictly verboten. "It'll make you musclebound", you were told.

Imagine Mickey clean & sober with todays medical treatment and baseball specific weight training.

[themickno7]

The Mick was the best. If anyone is interested, I have several nearly flawless Mickey Mantle signed baseballs (all PSA/DNA) that i need to sell. Just reply to this, or send me a message, and we could work out a fair deal. RIP Mickey.

[backnineblues]

there is a website called "themick" that has extremely detailed information (with pictures) of mickey's 10 longest home runs.

[wskowalski]

Willie? Mickey? who can say for sure, the only thing we can say for certain is that they don't make 'em like that anymore. Baseball at its best - unfortunately long gone.

[murderdoll9191]

I agree with you there,seems todays players are on the juice just to hit like the greats use to.

[Urineculture]

Mick was not a bodybuilder, but he built a tremendous set of back and shoulder muscles, using barbells. There is also a picture available from the Bettman Archives, showing a Mantle swing. His extension was incredible. The pic is easy to find.

[UltimateWheelman]

If Mantle had done that today, he could forget about his legacy because everyone would assume that he was on steroids. Same with Maris. Nowadays, people would suspect someone who had one 61 home run season to go along with a handful of seasons when he hit 23-39 home runs.

[vitorbelfort]

i hate to say it but i agree. but the fact is we KNOW they werent on steroids, when today we have no idea who is the roids so all we can do is assume. one thing we can accuse those old time sluggers of is GREENIES! everyone did em back then.

[jkjl234]

i believe the longest homer ever RECORDED was by Mickey Mantle, and it was 565 feet. that is MONSTER shot. Nobody even in the steroid era has come close to hitting it that far. Josh Hamilton's shots at the 2008 Derby were 510 MAX!!!

[hnksnw]

@jkjl234 Supposedly Mick hit one that went 634 feet!

[patthecatman]

@hnksnw that was probably the one he hit off fred green in the '60 WS.

[cacable7]

Mantle hit one ball out of Tiger Stadium that ended up in a lumber yard across the street, but because it was measured the next day, it's 600+ ft distance doesn't count to the Guiness Book. In Hamilton's defense, he was hitting off maybe 40 MPH pitches from a 70 year old man, while Mantle's longest shots were hit off 90+ MPH fastballs, which will obviously travel farther

[loughran30]

I grew up in SF and Mays was my favorite, however, no one had the sheer,raw ability of Mantle. The strength and speed go unmatched. People forget he was nearly a cripple.

[LesbianVampireLover]

I had forgotten about that one, it is legendary. He had another big one at the old Griffith Stadium in DC back in the 50's which traveled 600 feet or so. But I used to love watching him play when they had the "Game of the Week" with Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese. 'Ole Diz loved Mickey and would have a great time telling stories and advertising Falstaff beer and if Mick had a big day, that would be even better.

[ekimfloom]

I hate the Yanks but you are a true baseball fan for remebering the Griffith stadium shot that actually went into the street! Too bad that the old timers are not respected like they should be. What happened to a wonderful man like Buck O'neil to be inducted into the HOF after he died was shameful. We need to get rid of that used car salesman Bud Selig asap...at least Fehr is out...what a couple of scumbags.....!

[snugglie79]

true yankee

[blumpkiin]

mick was my grandmothers favorite player, and that she loved to watch him play, but her best moment was when don larson through the perfect game in a ws game, she was behind home plate.

[BrianJ3212]

bill fischer is my grandpa

[hammer2323me]

i may have seen mickeys highest home run at old comiskey Mick hit what looked like a high pop no one swung like mickey he uncoiled and started limping to first the right fielder drifted back and started to turn in circles Mick was reaching second when the right fielder turned back towards infield and reached up and caught the ball huh? we were under overhang and couldnt see the ball cliped the roof facade and came straight down to right fielder mick was near 3rd lol crowd murmured for an hour

[ekimfloom]

Andy Hawkins threw a no hitter in Old Comiskey and lost 4-0 and never got credit that he deserved because baseball is as fucked up as wrestling...I believe that he had some issues with walking batters and the fielders made at least 2-3 errors in the latter part of the game.....

[superpippofalgm]

dont exist video of his 618 ft home run?

[RamSBronx94]

#7 THE BEST

[realfunny7]

i got to see him play in cleve alot -they booed him when he came to bat - but when he hit a home run the place would go crazy - i smile everytime i see old clips then a tear - i'm 60 it's like yesterday

[Hank0531]

I am proud to say I saw Mickey mantle play. He was my idol. He was a very special ballplayer, no one excited me more when hitting home runs like Mickey Mantle. The greatest switch hitter to ever play the game. He inspired me, and still does. At 61 I still play ball, though it is softball I play, but I still play, so inspired by Mickey Mantle. May Mickey rest in peace. Hank7

[schoolem32]

What an absolute freak of nature this man was, physically.

I've been diggin up info on Mr. Mantle, and everything I find, points to him being the best ever. I know many people feel this way, but I can't see how it's even open for debate. ..5 years in the league, and he still spoke like he was just called up. A gracious man, and great teammate.. that could hit a baseball 600 feet!

[lakerssuckballs]

i'd give my left nut to have seen him play

[flyers22]

Mickey Mantle was a true legend. The all time King of baseball. R.I.P. Mr Mantle.

[mashanahan1]

The 643 ft. home run was in Detroit.. It landed on a lumber yard roof.

[coronachilla]

he hit a 737 ft homerun too

[kyokogodai]

That homerun was hit by Babe Ruth. Mickey's longest was hit in Washington (546 feet, if memory serves correctly).

[lewearly]

The 737 ft hr wasn't Ruth's. It's an estimate of how far this homer would've gone. There's no actual measurement because It hit the façade. Otherwise it probably would've been his longest. Note that he calls it "the hardest," not the longest.

Mickey's 565-foot Griffith Stadium (DC) hr got more publicity and coined the term "tape-measure" home run. The Guinness Book of World Records lists it as the longest hr "measured when it was hit." Mickey hit at least two hrs farther than it.

[kyokogodai]

I didn't say Ruth hit a 737ft homer (coronachilla did). The 643ft HR Ruth did hit was an estimate, based on where the ball was found (in the lumber yard next to then Briggs Stadium).

Thanks for correcting my distance on Mickey's "longest" HR. I have no doubt that Mickey hit some farther, since he had such incredible power.

[kane00754]

@lewearly the mick hit a couple of 600 ft shots in his time

[xrandomher0x]

I can only imagine what it would have been like if he had steroids

[sussexcounty]

No drugs and NO batting gloves!!!

[maliwyoming]

I saw him hit one in Detroit that was a line shot straight into the lower deck in left field 350 feet away, Never got more that fifteen feet in the air. Hit like a bullet.

[raypowersmusic]

He hit the ball so hard and so far, it was downright frightening.

I think if he had steroids, he'd have killed himself by swinging right out of his skin.

[miles7981]

dang... had to be against Kansas City huh..... oh well, I would have loved to see it even if it was here!!! Go KC, we are comin!!!!! This had to be against the KC A's back then though I would imagine... that was around the time of the switch though.....

[discolando]

It was against the Kansas City As, not the Royals.

[MIKESOWELL]

Is that Homerun that unofficially went 643 feet?

[kyokogodai]

That homerun was hit by Babe Ruth (643 in Detroit). Mickey's longest homerun was hit in Washington, against the Senators. If memory serves, it was measured at 546 feet. In that park, one had to hit it a mile, since the distance down the leftfield line was around 400 feet (somewhat shorter in right, but about the same in center).

[mannyrama]

If Mickey thought this was the hardest ball he ever hit it must've been a monster. I can only imagine how far it would've gone if it hadn't hit that façade. To bounce all the way back to the infield - man, that's power. Who needs steroids? The Mick was the man!

[joekoe97]

@mannyrama They say he was so strong because he was a coal miners son and while he was in high school he worked in the mines and this is where he developed his power.

[lewearly]

@joekoe97 Mickey's father was a lead miner. Mickey didn't work in the mines, but he did work for the mines. One job he had was as a "screen ape." When the slag comes out of the mine on a conveyor belt it falls onto a heavy metal screen. Rocks of a certain size fall through the screen. The screen ape stands on the screen with a sledge hammer and smashes the rocks that are too big to fall through the screen until they are small enough to go through. There were 2 screen apes who alternated all day.

[joekoe97]

@lewearly My God that's even better than what I said. What a beast.

[lewearly]

@lewearly (Continued from my previous comment): Mickey made a game of who could smash rocks the longest. Already strong from doing farm chores and jobs like digging graves, Mickey could go much longer than the other screen ape. Often he smashed rock for five or more hours a day!

There's probably no better exercise for hitting home runs than smashing rocks with a sledge hammer. Thus his nickname, "Muscles," and why the press called him "Mr. Muscles." He was one of the strongest players ever.