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
Cheltenham Comebacks and Shock Wins: The Moments Nobody Expected
Cheltenham has a way of pulling stories out of horses that you don’t see
How Prepaid Access Shaped Casual Sports Gaming
Before apps auto saved cards and one tap wallets became standard, casual fans who
How the World of Sports Learned to Completely Accept the Betting Industry
Professional sports leagues once treated gambling like a contagious disease. Team owners banned players
Horse Racing, High School Rivalries & Lesser-Known Missouri Sports Stories
Missouri’s sports timeline is a layered scrapbook: dusty 19th-century racetracks, high school rivalries that
Muhammad Ali’s Chin: Knocked Down Only 4 Times
Muhammad Ali’s boxing career is well documented, so instead of going over his entire
Remembering the 1973 Denver Broncos
The 1973 Denver Broncos were indeed a special team. They were the first Denver
Remarkable Resilience: The Epic Reversals of Fate in Sports
Championships have never been sports’ main motivation. The most unforgettable instances occur when a
Larry Brown – Is He Hall of Fame Worthy?
A committee member recently asked me my opinion on inducting former Washington Redskins running