Mickey's Bomb

[Gashouse6]

Is there evidence that Mickey Mantle really hit a homerun 638 feet? That is a long way for the ball to go

[FatAngel]

A link about Mick´s ten longest home runs. Don´t know if this is from a valid sources, however.
http://www.themick.com/10homers.html#Home%20Run%20#1

[Gashouse6]

Wow

I never thought anyone could hit the ball 734 feet! I wonder how accurate that is. Does anyone know what tool they used to measure this. I find this kind of hard to believe.

[runningshoes]

Those measurements are geometric estimations..that's how they figure out how far the ball would have went based on it's height at the time it was obstructed...in other words, if it had kept on going.

[Androctus]

I noticed the pythagorem theorem mentioned..simple geometry is just not accurate enough. Physics could prove how far it might have went, but there's too many variables and many we don't know the answers to. You'd have to factor in Pitch speed, bat speed (bat weight, density), trajectory, wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, the spin of the ball, rotation in relation to the stitches, moon phase, blah blah blah...

Its impossible. But when all these fall into an ideal range it can go a long way. I think all that matters about Mickey in relation to out baseball heriatge is this:

Do you believe he could hit a ball that far?

I do. Some men are just born with the gift of hitting home runs, and man, he had it. He would do similar things to a golf ball in his later years, just had tremendous power in his forearms.

[Greerman29]

This is a good article about all this. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/art_hr.shtml

just to cut a little out

"It should be noted that those regular references over the years to 500- and 600-foot home runs were born out of scientific ignorance, misinformation, or even deliberate exaggeration. The most common cause for overstatement has been the basic misconception about the flight of a batted ball once it has reached its apex. Seeing great drives land atop distant upper-deck roof, sportswriters observing the occurrence from a press box would resort to their limited skills in mathematics without any regard for the laws of physics. Perhaps the ball had already flown over 400 feet, whereupon it was interrupted in midflight at a height of 70 feet above field level. Awed by such a demonstration of power, the writers would then describe the event for posterity as a 500-and-some-foot home run. With the guidance of our scientific brethren, we know that once a batted ball has reached its highest point and lost most of its velocity, it falls in a rapidly declining trajectory. The aforementioned fictional home run could have been reported at 550 feet in a prominent newspaper, and re-created at that length by historians for years thereafter, when in fact it traveled about 100 feet less. Hyperbole has always been part of the phenomenon of long-distance home runs, and this factor must also be considered."

...

"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."

[Bob Hannah]

You guys might find this thread from last year interesting. Covers the same topic.
http://www.baseball-fever.com/showth...rd+white+seats

See posts 28 and 29 for more math on this.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

I noticed the pythagorem theorem mentioned..simple geometry is just not accurate enough. Physics could prove how far it might have went, but there's too many variables and many we don't know the answers to. You'd have to factor in Pitch speed, bat speed (bat weight, density), trajectory, wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, the spin of the ball, rotation in relation to the stitches, moon phase, blah blah blah...

Its impossible. But when all these fall into an ideal range it can go a long way. I think all that matters about Mickey in relation to out baseball heriatge is this:

Do you believe he could hit a ball that far?

I do. Some men are just born with the gift of hitting home runs, and man, he had it. He would do similar things to a golf ball in his later years, just had tremendous power in his forearms.

It's not literally "impossible" really. It just takes some simple physics. I seem to remember in the book, Physics of Baseball, the author stated that a 550 ft shot is probably the maximum a ball could travel at sea level.

[mac195]

the author stated that a 550 ft shot is probably the maximum a ball could travel at sea level.

Why would there be an upper limit? The harder the ball is struck, the farther it will go, unless the cover is literally knocked off.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Why would there be an upper limit? The harder the ball is struck, the farther it will go, unless the cover is literally knocked off.

Because there is a limit to human strength. A hitter can only swing the bat so fast. Also the atmoshperic conditions play a large role as well, pressure, temperature, humidity, etc.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

A hitter can only swing the bat so fast.

Right. And the pitcher can only throw the ball so hard. The ball compresses to nearly half it's size against the bat, and that energy transfer is what propels the ball. There is a max when two humans are involved, barring wind, altitude, etc. Speaking of wind, don't Olympic sprinters have wind taken into account for their times or something? Baseball should figure out a formula to do the same either for or against the ball.

[mac195]

Because there is a limit to human strength. A hitter can only swing the bat so fast. .

Probably, but we don't know what that limit might be.

Also the atmoshperic conditions play a large role as well, pressure, temperature, humidity, etc

I can't think of a reason why atmospheric conditions would make for any upper limit. If you shot a ball out of a cannon, it would go a lot farther than 550 feet, even if the weather was damp.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

I can't think of a reason why atmospheric conditions would make for any upper limit.

If you shot a ball out of a cannon, it would go a lot farther than 550 feet, even if the weather was damp.

How bout gravity.

How big is the cannonball, and does it have seams?

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Probably, but we don't know what that limit might be.

Well, hitters aren't all of a sudden going to have 10 times the strength as before.

I can't think of a reason why atmospheric conditions would make for any upper limit. If you shot a ball out of a cannon, it would go a lot farther than 550 feet, even if the weather was damp.

But the cannon ball would still come down, right? What brought it down? Gravity and the wind resistance brought it down. Also hitters don't have the capacity of a cannon.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Right. And the pitcher can only throw the ball so hard. The ball compresses to nearly half it's size against the bat, and that energy transfer is what propels the ball. There is a max when two humans are involved, barring wind, altitude, etc. Speaking of wind, don't Olympic sprinters have wind taken into account for their times or something? Baseball should figure out a formula to do the same either for or against the ball.

In the sprints the wind velocity must be 2.0 meters/second or less (I think) for a world record to be recognized.