June 3, 1937 – One of the most prolific power hitters of all time, Josh Gibson of the Homestead Grays in the Negro Leagues, crushed a ball that still makes people gasp in awe. The slugger belted a shot in Yankee Stadium that traveled some 580 feet.
That distance eclipsed anything that the American and National Leagues had to offer, even Mickey Mantle’s 565-foot HR blasted out of Griffith Stadium in 1953 years later. Legend has it that earlier in his career in 1934, Gibson did what no player had ever done, and hit a ball out of the House that Ruth built.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
What’s The Right Amount of Weight Training?
I recently heard a weightlifting coach say that overtraining doesn’t exist. That’s a very
Bart Starr: The GOAT at Quarterback in Green Bay Packers History
The Green Bay Packers have an illustrious history of greatness at the quarterback position.
Remembering the First Wildcard Weekend of the 1970s
The 1978 NFL season incorporated a bunch of changes that resulted in important changes
How Have Soccer Rules Changed Over Time?
Watch a soccer match in 2026 and compare it to the earliest footage we
The Monsters of the Midway: Inside the 1940s Chicago Bears Dynasty
The Chicago Bears franchise started in 1919 as the Decatur Staleys. The Staleys were
The Evolution of Football Tactics Through the Decades
Football became a game of strategy, a battle for control of every blade of
The Evolution of Sports Betting and Its Influence on Historic Sporting Moments
The sports betting industry has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, shifting
The Evolution of Triathlon Pacing: From Iron Men to Digital Calculators
Triathlon is one of the youngest major sports with a specific, documentable origin story.