The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs
Encyclopedia
The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs is a 432-page non-fiction book by Bill Jenkinson
published by Carroll & Graf Publishers
in March 2007. As of December 2007, its first printing had sold over 10,000 copies.
According to the introduction, the book is not a new Babe Ruth
biography. Rather, it is a factual treatise of Ruth's power and his dominance of the game of baseball.
The book is in three major sections. The first section is called Part 1: The Career. The second section is Part Two: The Analysis. The third section is Part Three: The Facts
The career section is devoted to year by year recaps of Babe Ruth's career. It starts in 1914 and runs through Ruth's final season in 1935. Each chapter features personal highlights and picks out the longest home runs Ruth hit.
The Analysis section presents arguments about the comparative difficulty of playing in Ruth's era versus playing with modern stadiums and traveling conditions. It also includes a detailed recapping of his so called "hidden career". This is his time playing exhibition games. Lastly, the section illustrates his pure power.
The third section features charts, graphs and other detailed statistical information that backs up the data from the previous sections. Included in this section is a listing of every home run Ruth ever hit, aerial photographs of the stadiums where these home runs were hit, and final home run projections.
's 565 foot home run at Griffith Stadium
in 1960), and many exceeded 450. Some were also less than 300, in the widely variant dimensions of ballparks of that era. From that long list, as well as discussion in other parts of the book, some of Ruth's longest home runs at each ballpark can be summarized. Ruth was especially prolific in his great 1921 season:
, Pennsylvania, and is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research
(SABR). He has been a consultant for The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
, ESPN
and Major League Baseball
. The book is dedicated to his wife, Marie Jenkinson.
Jenkinson's second book, Baseball's Ultimate Power, was released in March 2010.
Bill Jenkinson
William "Bill" Jenkinson was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward.-References:...
published by Carroll & Graf Publishers
Carroll & Graf Publishers
Carroll & Graf Publishers, an American publishing company centered in New York City, was an imprint of the Avalon Publishing Group,Publisher Kent Carroll, the editorial director of Grove Press from 1975 to 1981, co-founded Carroll & Graf in 1982...
in March 2007. As of December 2007, its first printing had sold over 10,000 copies.
According to the introduction, the book is not a new Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
biography. Rather, it is a factual treatise of Ruth's power and his dominance of the game of baseball.
Book summary
The title refers to the author's conclusion that in modern ballparks under modern rules, Ruth would have hit 104 home runs in 1921.http://www.amazon.com/Year-Babe-Ruth-Home-Runs/dp/0786719060#reader_0786719060The book is in three major sections. The first section is called Part 1: The Career. The second section is Part Two: The Analysis. The third section is Part Three: The Facts
The career section is devoted to year by year recaps of Babe Ruth's career. It starts in 1914 and runs through Ruth's final season in 1935. Each chapter features personal highlights and picks out the longest home runs Ruth hit.
The Analysis section presents arguments about the comparative difficulty of playing in Ruth's era versus playing with modern stadiums and traveling conditions. It also includes a detailed recapping of his so called "hidden career". This is his time playing exhibition games. Lastly, the section illustrates his pure power.
The third section features charts, graphs and other detailed statistical information that backs up the data from the previous sections. Included in this section is a listing of every home run Ruth ever hit, aerial photographs of the stadiums where these home runs were hit, and final home run projections.
Tape measure home runs
On pages 300-339, the author lists every home run hit by Ruth during his career, along with estimated distances that the ball flew in each case. According to Jenkinson's estimates, a sizable number of Ruth's homers exceeded 500 feet (the official record is Mickey MantleMickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
's 565 foot home run at Griffith Stadium
Griffith Stadium
Griffith Stadium was a sports stadium that stood in Washington, D.C. from 1911 to 1965, between Georgia Avenue and 5th Street, and between W Street and Florida Avenue, NW. An earlier wooden baseball park had been built on the same site in 1891...
in 1960), and many exceeded 450. Some were also less than 300, in the widely variant dimensions of ballparks of that era. From that long list, as well as discussion in other parts of the book, some of Ruth's longest home runs at each ballpark can be summarized. Ruth was especially prolific in his great 1921 season:
- Plant FieldPlant FieldPlant Field was the first major athletic stadium in Tampa, Florida. It was originally built by Henry B. Plant, owner of the Tampa Bay Hotel, in 1899 as an area to provide various activities for his guests...
, Tampa, FloridaTampa, FloridaTampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, April 4, 1919 - estimates range from 540 to 612 feet - off George SmithGeorge Smith (National League pitcher)George Allen Smith born in Byram, Connecticut was a pitcher for the New York Giants , Cincinnati Reds , Brooklyn Robins and Philadelphia Phillies ....
- spring training game, Red Sox hosting New York GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
- landed on outside railing of horse race track in deep right center field.
- Griffith StadiumGriffith StadiumGriffith Stadium was a sports stadium that stood in Washington, D.C. from 1911 to 1965, between Georgia Avenue and 5th Street, and between W Street and Florida Avenue, NW. An earlier wooden baseball park had been built on the same site in 1891...
, Washington, DC, May 7, 1921 – 520 feet - off Walter JohnsonWalter JohnsonWalter Perry Johnson , nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators...
- cleared the high wall in center field.
- Sportsman's ParkSportsman's ParkSportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all but one of which were located on the same piece of land, the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street on the north side of the city.- History :From...
, St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, May 25, 1921 – 535 feet - off Urban ShockerUrban ShockerUrban James Shocker , born Urbain Jacques Shockor in Cleveland, Ohio, was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns from to ....
- straightaway center field, behind the bleachers.
- Navin Field, Detroit, MichiganDetroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, July 18, 1921 – 575 feet - off Bert Cole - possibly 600 feet - longest verifiable home run in major league history - no double deck at that time, only low-profile bleachers.
- Polo GroundsPolo GroundsThe Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
, New York, July 31, 1921 – 560 feet - off Caldwell of Cleveland - over deep right center field double deck roof.
- Comiskey ParkComiskey ParkComiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
, Chicago, Illinois, Aug 17, 1921 – 550 feet - off Wieneke - deep right center field - single deck bleachers at that time.
- Fenway ParkFenway ParkFenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
, Boston, Massachusetts, May 25, 1926 – 545 feet - off Zahniser - 45th row of deep right center field bleachers.
- League ParkLeague ParkLeague Park was a baseball park located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was situated at the northeast corner of Lexington Avenue and E. 66th Street in the Hough neighborhood. It was home to the National League Cleveland Spiders, the American League Cleveland Indians, and the Cleveland...
, Cleveland, Aug 6, 1926 – 510 feet - off Levsen - deep over high fence, right center field, landing across street.
- Artillery Park, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania Oct 12 1926- 600–650 feet. Ruth came to the Wyoming Valley on October 12, to take part in an exhibition game between Hughestown and Larksville. After challenging Larksville pitcher Ernie Corkran to throw his fastest pitch over the plate, Ruth cracked what is now deemed to be the longest ball in baseball history. The day after the exhibition game, the Associated Press gave a descriptive account of the Bambino's blast.
- "The ball cleared the right field fence 400 feet from the plate by more than 40 feet and was still ascending. The ball landed on the far side of the running track of a high school athletic field in Kirby Park. Officials estimated the length at 650 feet." Per Associated Press report the day after the home run.
- Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois, Aug 16, 1927 – 520 feet - off Thomas - over 75 ft high right field roof - first homer to clear Comiskey roof.
- Shibe Park, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, May 22, 1930 – 540 feet - off Howard EhmkeHoward EhmkeHoward Jonathan Ehmke was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He is best known for being the surprise starter who won Game 1 of the 1929 World Series for the Philadelphia Athletics at the age of 35...
- deep over right field, clearing row houses and landing next street over.
- On pp.272-273, the author reports a story told to him by his own father. When he was 14, his uncle had taken him to Shibe Park, and they bought the cheapest seats possible - on the rooftops across the street behind right field. He was feeling disconnected from the game, until the third inning, when Ruth sent a rifle shot (or so it sounded to the young teen) over his head and over two rows of flats. He told the author that Ruth "pulled me inside the park with him; all of a sudden, it was like I was in the infield."
- Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, May 24, 1930 – 535 feet - deep RCF - off Walberg of Philadelphia - deep right-center field bleachers (Ruth never hit one out of Yankee Stadium except in batting practice).
- Wrigley FieldWrigley FieldWrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, Chicago, Illinois, October 1, 1932 – 490 feet - off Charlie RootCharlie RootCharles Henry Root was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs for sixteen seasons from 1926 through 1941. He holds the club record for games, innings pitched, and career wins with 201....
- known as "Babe Ruth's called shotBabe Ruth's Called ShotBabe Ruth's called shot was the home run hit by Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, held on October 1, 1932 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. During the at-bat, Ruth made a pointing gesture, which existing film confirms, but the exact nature of his...
".
- Forbes FieldForbes FieldForbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to 1971. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League franchise...
, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
- May 25, 1935 – 540 feet - off Guy BushGuy BushGuy Terrell Bush was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, nicknamed the Mississippi Mudcat....
- first roof shot at Forbes - hit house across Bouquet St - third homer of the day, final homer of his career.
Bill Jenkinson, the author
Bill Jenkinson is a renowned baseball scholar. He resides in Willow GroveWillow Grove, Pennsylvania
Willow Grove is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. A community in Philadelphia's northern suburbs, the population was 15,726 at the 2010 census. It is located in Abington Township and Upper Moreland Township...
, Pennsylvania, and is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research
Society for American Baseball Research
The Society for American Baseball Research was established in Cooperstown, New York, in August 1971 by Bob Davids of Washington, D.C. The Society's mission is to foster the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball, while generating interest in the game...
(SABR). He has been a consultant for The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. The book is dedicated to his wife, Marie Jenkinson.
Jenkinson's second book, Baseball's Ultimate Power, was released in March 2010.