What's the most memorable HR you have ever seen in person?

[vab]

Ripken's last vs El Duque - 9/23/01

[houserocker]

2130. I still remember the huge crowd OUTSIDE the stadium, as we walked to our seats. Just gathered there to be part of Cal's night, Those were the days, my friends!

[JJLinn29]

Palmeiro's homer that gave him 2,998 hits against the Red Sox the game before the break in 2005. One of only 3 homers I've witnessed live, the other two being Trot Nixon's homer in the 2nd inning of that game and Gibbons' shot in the 5th.

[elsid]

I don't remember the exact day in 1986, but it was in Memphis at Tim McCarver Stadium. Bo Jackson had hit a few home runs there -- his first was marked in the LF bleachers (only outfield bleachers at the stadium) with a bullseye and sign, about 380 feet, a line drive. It is not that one that I want to talk about. It was later in the season. He hit one over the LF bleachers, over the team parking lot and on to a practice football field behind the stadium, almost hitting the goalpost. It went at least 500 feet in the air, probably more. The kicker was the ball just kept rolling. It was only stopped by the fence at the other end of the football field before the Central Ave. Between what it flew and rolled, it was close to 1000 feet.

It was one of the most amazing home runs that I have seen. That and the replay of his first professional home run, that he hit in Charlotte. It went about 425 feet -- but he broke his bat.

[Birds of B'more]

I don't remember the exact day in 1986, but it was in Memphis at Tim McCarver Stadium. Bo Jackson had hit a few home runs there -- his first was marked in the LF bleachers (only outfield bleachers at the stadium) with a bullseye and sign, about 380 feet, a line drive. It is not that one that I want to talk about. It was later in the season. He hit one over the LF bleachers, over the team parking lot and on to a practice football field behind the stadium, almost hitting the goalpost. It went at least 500 feet in the air, probably more. The kicker was the ball just kept rolling. It was only stopped by the fence at the other end of the football field before the Central Ave. Between what it flew and rolled, it was close to 1000 feet.

It was one of the most amazing home runs that I have seen. That and the replay of his first professional home run, that he hit in Charlotte. It went about 425 feet -- but he broke his bat.

I saw Bo Jackson hit one in 1994 at Anaheim Stadium when he was with the Angels. I think it landed on one of the Pirates of the Caribbean boats at Disneyland.

The most amazing hit ball I saw in person wasn't even a home run.....or at least it wasn't ruled one. It was spring training 2005 and the O's were playing the Marlins in Jupiter, FL. Late in the game Walter Young got a hold of one and pulled it to RF. It was an overcast day and the ball just took off and kept going until no one could see it. The ump eventually called it foul, but no one in the stands believed he could actually see it either. I'm guessing that ball landed in the Gulf Stream and washed ashore in Great Britain a couple weeks later.

[DocJJ]

I saw Kirby Puckett (rest in peace) hit one off of Bob Milacki that I think still hasn't landed...

[dcgamer88]

I'm surprised no one else has mentioned the Bonilla GS in the AL Divisional Series game against the Indians. It's funny what sticks with some and not others. That's the beauty of the thread.

I don't recall the score, but I do recall it being a close game at the time. What I recall most vividly is the anticipation, 2 outs, bases jammed, 3-2 count, and the release of emotion when the ball landed beyond the scoreboard. It was the first time I recall the Orioles using the bleachers in the flag court, and that's exactly where Bobby Bo poked it. Definitely one of the louder moments at Camden Yards that I can recall. The place just went bananas.

[theobird]

Easy. O's vs. the Chisox. Double header at old Comisky park. Wilbur Wood on the mound for the sox in game one and the knuckleballer baffled my hero, Boog Powell, all game long. Between games I scored a Brooksie autograph for my glove and then got Boog to sign a baseball for me. I told Boog he'd have a better 2nd game, and he told me he hoped so, and laughed. Boog struck out in his first plate appearance of game 2 and my brother was hammering me without mercy. In his second AB he launched a shot that cleared the roof in RF, one of only a couple of handfulls ever at the old Comiskey. They put a flag up there to mark the shot. I also saw Dick Allen of the Sox hit one over the roof on another day, but Boogs blast will play in my mind forever.

[Saintbird]

When Ryan Howard hit his first Walk-off against the Dodgers.

[TheBee]

I will always remember "feeling" the violent metallic thud after Juan Gonzalez hit a homer near my seat during the All-Star Homerun Derby. Let me tell you that ball (and it wasn't alone) was JUICED!

[Don_Aase_Fan]

Cal's HR @ the 2131 game. I can't imagine any HR will ever match the intensity of that shot. The Yard just exploded. You couldn't have scripted it any better. It's not just a memorable HR, it's one of the most memorable things I've ever witnessed in my entire life. Cal's last HR on 9/23/01 was pretty transcendent too.

[TonySoprano]

Man, he was so good.

Check out the bat speed. He then slams the bat down and stands at attention and watches the ball sail out of the park.

I forgot to add the two from the 1993 All Star Home Run competition, one from Junior Griffey that hit the warehouse and one from Juan Gone Gonzalez that was crushed to left. I think Jon Miller was doing the announcing and on Griffey's he said something like, "Did it hit the warehouse? [pause] It hit the warehouse!!"

[SteveA]

I'm visiting my mother for a few days and up here at the retirement community there's no wifi so I'm using dialup. It would take me a half hour just to load each page and read this whole thread. So apologies if this one has already been mentioned. But mine is:

Chris Hoiles walkoff grand slam to beat the Mariners. It is one of only about a dozen grand slams in baseball history to win a game for a team down 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th or later.... and I believe it is the ONLY one where there were two outs and two strikes on the batter.

Cal's in 2131 is a close second.

And, unfortunately, I have to say the 3rd is Tony Fernandez's HR to beat us in the last game of the 1997 playoffs. It landed about 10 feet from me in the temporary bleachers set up on the flag court for the playoff game.

[puppet]

I worked that game and remember that one vividly too. That's one of the longest HR ever at OPACY. I believe Pedro Munoz of Oakland hit one that hit the ivy wall in the air.

I vaguely remember that but I do remember Strawberry hitting one that short hopped the ivy in center (wasn't there but a friend of mine was). Also, another friend of mine's uncle caught the Mo Vaughn bomb that went 2/3 the way to the score board in right center.

[puppet]

I can't tell you what game it was or who it was against because I was probably 10 years old but Raffy hit one over the score board in right field in the bottom of the 9th to win. The memory of him and his sweet swing just launching balls over the fence will always stick with me.

I believe this was against the Yankees (don't remember who was pitching). This was the other homerun I was present for that came to mind for this thread.