I remember Kingman's vividly because it was during the most extraordinary game. We used to rush home from school to catch the back ends of those day games. Every at bat from Kong was must-see TV in '79.
Me too, I saw it live. They measured it at 500 feet but I think it was probably more like 550. I guess they weren't used to measuring distance from home plate to 30 ft back on top of a roof across the street. That's the hardest ball I've ever seen hit in my life. As far as I know he's still the only one that's ever hit one up there. One of the cool things about baseball is that Hill didn't have a great career at all but he will forever be remembered in Cubs and Wrigley lore for that particular swing on that particular day.
Me too. I was sitting behind the plate, a little over to the 1st base side...not too many rows back. Not bragging, just explaining my position in relation to Hill when he hit that HR The sound made when Hill's bat made contact with the ball was like nothing I'd heard before OR since. I could't describe the noise if I tried, except to say it was FAR beyond the stereotypical, "crack of the bat." Usually as a fan, you like to follow the trajectory of of a ball before celebrating like an idiot. On that day, I don't know why, but I jumped out of my seat like my pants were on fire. Man...that was one hell of a sight and I'm glad I had the opportunity to be there.
@ 1:27... WHACKO! Gotta love Cubs announcer Lou Boudreau who was player-manager starting at the age of 25 for the Indians from 1942-1950, and won the World Series in 1948. Boudreau won the AL MVP in 1948 too, as he hit .355 18 HR 106 RBI 116 Runs 98 Walks and only 9 strikeouts. That's right, 9 strikeouts in 676 plate appearances. Boudreau is credited with starting the first shift on a hitter as he shifted the entire infield against Ted Williams. Boudreau was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970. But how cool is player-manager at age 25? That will NEVER happen again.
Hill hit it on the roof but Kingman's went past that and hit the third house behind that. This is one of the most most iconic homeruns ever captured on film and the announcer definitely helped capture the moment. I remember my dad telling me about this home run 30 years ago and I just got to see it myself for the first time a few days ago.
Lou corrects himself "beyond the white house"(3rd house). The ball actually hit near the center ballusters of the 4th house and bounces back. The ball hit the porch the guy comes out to. This is the 4th structure on the 5th lot up Kenmore which is in the 580-590 ft range and not the 530 mark you see in other videos.
Kingman's home run, blast no steroids either. A few years later as an Oakland Athletic, I saw Kingman smash one. At the crack of the bat, the whole Yankee team in the field, stood up and dropped their arms. They absolutely new the ball was gone and it was no use even trying to chase it nor look at it....
Curious that no teams wanted Kingman after hitting 30 home runs in 1986? I believe that MLB powers did not want Kingman getting 500 lifetime home runs, because he would be HOF material. What would it mean to have a HOF'r with over 500 hr's and a lifetime. 235 avg??@markabboud8564
In 1979 we had a bachelor party that started at Wrigley for a Cub game. Ernie Banks posed with our party on the field. Big Dave Kingman tossed a ball to Ernie during the photo shoot. Both men interacted with us and made a great day for all. I still have the photo with Ernie and all the friends of the groom to be. Great memories when ballplayers were regular guys.
As batboy for the Mets during my high school year, just before the game started, he threw an extra glove at me and told me to get on the field and play catch with him. I was so excited and yet terrified i was going miss the ball in front of the whole crowd at Shea stadium. Having a catch with Dave Kingman was probably my most exciting day ever!! We only had about 3 minutes to throw the boy back and forth. Second most memorable moment with Dave Kingman was kneeling on one knee waiting for the umpire to tell me if he needed another ball, since I was running back and forth with new ball as needed. I watched Dave Kingman hit a home run over left field fence while I was only about 30 feet away from him. Awesome perspective and awesome view!!!
Loved those 80's Cubbies!! Sandberg, Durham, Davis, Kingman,Bowa, Cey, Dawson later on !! I'm from same town as Fergie!! Been a fan for 40 plus years!!
I was sitting in the bleachers that day, and Kingman's home run went straight over my head. I wish I could properly describe it, because it was so high it was dizzying. I doubt I'll ever see anything like that again.
@@SECRETARIATguy224 I haven't been to a game at Wrigley since 99. Used to go to 2-3 games a year but life, ya know? Now I don't even know if I wanna go. I see what a shitshow they made that poor ballpark into and it makes me sad, at least it's still standing and in use. I have never been to a night game either and I won't ever go to one there. At least I have my memories of the 70's and 80's.
@@seththomas9105 I understand your feelings. There's a deep emotional/spiritual connection to that ballpark. I'm torn. On the one hand, the Cubs had to find ways to make the kind of money needed to compete for a championship. Modernizing the park was obviously the way to do it. Back in '88 they had to put lights in because baseball told them that if they didn't and the Cubs made the playoffs the games wouldn't even be at Wrigley, so I don't begrudge them for doing that. I actually went to three day games in 89, then went to Game 2 against SF (when Bielecki amazingly got that rbi single). Yes, it was strange being there for a night game, but it was incredible to witness them in person playing a home postseason game. I'm not sure another sports moment will ever equal the Cubs winning the World Series in 16, but at the same time I hate the modern version of Wrigley. Those JumboTrons make me cringe. Same thing with the bullpens not being on the field anymore and the rebuilt outfield stands. Intellectually I know it's because they needed to modernize (they never won a pennant or WS in the times you and I refer to as the "good ole days"). Emotionally I just can't look at the ballpark the way it is now without it hurting.
@@markabboud8564 Hall of FAME......not batter was more Famous in the late 70's than my Kinger! It is so nice to talk base ball with someone very intelligent like you my friend.
@@markabboud8564 It is the Hall of FAME! No one was more famous in the late 70's than my Kinger. It is so nice to talk base ball with a fellow wise man.
I seen a few Cubs hit that ball a mile out of the stadium, Dawson was something special.. also loved Watching Bull Durham and Kingman hit the ball onto Waverly!! Also loved watching Ryno hit them quite often , especially for a 2nd baseman!!
@@ryanmoore3876 yep. I agree. Growing up watching those guys, Aaron too. Aaron was the greatest all-round player, since Ruth? Would rather have any of those men we mentioned than Bonds, etc.
"It hit the front porch of the third house....." Might as well have said "it hit the front side of the third planet." Kong was a beast. 'Roid free...just tremendous bat speed and that sweeping arc.
Sammy hit one over the tree next to the building on Waveland in a night game and it might have been longer than Kingman's but probably not by much. Sammy's went past the yellow house and kids were running down the street trying to find it. I'm not even sure how you measure something like that in the dark but it was murdered. I got to see Glennallen Hill's shot that landed on the roof live and they estimate it at 500 feet but I think it was longer. I've never seen anyone destroy a baseball like that in my entire life, the sound it made when his bat touched the ball was like a freakin' shotgun. Holy cow, great memories.
On May 17, 1959 there was a home run hit that is considered to be as long or longer than Kingman's home run. Mr. Cub himself, Ernie Banks said it was the longest home run he had ever seen hit at Wrigley Field. And Ernie had played there for 20 years and saw all the great power hitters from the early 50's on. The greatest right handed hitter of all-time Rogers Hornsby said that it was literally the longest home run he ever saw-- and that includes the likes of the mighty Babe. It was hit by none other than Roberto Clemente. A man not known by the fans of this time as a power hitter, but understood by the players and experts and many fans of the time as a man with tremendous power who chose to go more for singles, doubles and his well-known penchant for hitting triples.. In time Clemente developed a certain mastery of hitting homers even at Forbes Field, have had a career high of 29 there in 1966. Those 29 homers is still the third highest all-time season total for a right handed batter while playing in that park. The great Willie Stargell, as a lefty who had a slightly friendlier shot at hitting homers at Forbes with a 300ft right field foul line, had his season best of 33 that same year. Strgell never started hitting forty homers until the much smaller 3 Rivers Stadium was built. Clemente actually had more than a few tape measure shots in his career, but he himself believed this was his longest. So, please if you can, add The Great One's name to this list!
I was 15 years old when I watched this game. Kingman was my hero. I actually thought they underestimated how far this ball was hit. I would have guessed at least 550 feet.
Forgot to thank you for posting this John. I've been trying to describe this Kingman blast for years to my younger Cub fan friends and they all claim my description didn't do this justice. I always remind people to stop by that front porch (actually 4th house counted) when they visit Wrigley - totally ridiculous how far you are still away from the park - this is the definition of a MAMMOTH home run. Thanks again sir. I'd love to see more Kingman shots on Ytube.
We had cable tv so we had WGN and I would watch the games when I got home from school in 1978-1979. I saw King hit a ball so hard, low towards the shortstop, and before the shortstop could move his glove down to catch it the ball went by. It was like one foot to the left of the shortstop.
Kingman's 550 shot is the longest homerun that was ever seen in wrigley but he was a Met at the time. When he came to the Cubs two years later he became a fan favourite and that game 23-22 was the wildest game in baseball and he hit three homers that day.
a lot of people are mentioning Kingman's blast with the Mets at Wrigley being farther than this one. This one still looks like it went over 500 feet. Mike Krukow who is the commentator at the beginning of this vid was a teammate of Kingman's with the Cubs and was scheduled to start the day of the 23-22 game but was injured.
I can't find the shot at Wrigley when he was a Met. I think it was 1976 and at the time they called it 630 feet. Later they said it was not accepted as 630 due to the wind. Really? F5 Tornado?
Life long Cubs fan raised on WGN & Jack Brickhouse, I could breakdown that 23-22 Cubs/Philly game ….BUT, I’ve searched high & low for that BONDS batting practice home run …. THAT IS THE RECORD, Kingman was up in the jet stream of 30mph winds and it did NOT hit the 3rd house down that street, it bounced & ended up there. Bonds was deep into right center at 500ft 3 stories high on a line shot, that would’ve hit 550ft+ to the ground.
Kingman was amazing but yep that was hit during that wild game when pitchers were hitting homeruns with ease. Kong did it all without the steroids but probably a bit of the greenies that were used by most players then. And probably did land between the second and third house but very close to the third house.
Kingman rounding the bases after hitting a mammoth shot is no different than him running in from left field after an inning has ended. I guess I'd forgotten how modest he was.
The outfielder does move a bit, but get your point. Think what's more telling of a bomb is when the infielders don't move. Schmidt does not move at all - he knows it's a bomb the second he hears it.
Before you call me dumb, go look up the 6-5 game when he was a Met. That was Kingman's homer that hit the 4th house but there isn't a video. This is from a 23-22 game when he was with the Cubs where he hits a similar homer but not as far.
Back in the days it didn’t really matter much what you were doing, but when Dave Kingman or Reggie Jackson was at bat, you just stopped to watch what they would do. I’ve been at Shea Stadium when Kingman hit some monstrous home runs, either when he played for the Cubs or for the Mets.
As far as inside the park, close to hitting that old scoreboard, Bill Nicholson, Hank Sauer, & Jody Davis(Cubs players) all came close to doing it. Hitting it out of Wrigley for furthest distance: Dave Kingman(w/& against the Cubs), Mike Schmidt(He used to crush Cubs pitching, especially loved facing Lee Smith: 5HR's), Andre Dawson, Glenallen Hill(WOW! On the roof across the street!), Greg Vaughn, of course, Sammy Sosa. Lots of frequent flier miles off those bats, more like moonshots @ Wrigley! Let's see if any of the kids (Baez, Bryant, Soler, Etc.) will add to the lore in the not-so-distant future!
+Walter Del Sol You've neglected to mention the one home run that was both the longest ever hit at Wrigley and the one that came closest to the scoreboard, courtesy of Roberto Clemente, May 17, 1959 (exactly 20 years before the Kingman shot seen here). www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Roberto_Clemente%27s_%27Toolbox%27:_The_Club#RC.27s_Scoreboard_Flyby_aka_Wrigley.27s_Longest_HR.2C_according_to_Hornsby.2C_Banks.2C_Brickhouse.2C_Buhrke_and_Scheffing
There is NO WAY that ball Kingman blast only traveled 533 ft... I was renting part of a house on Waveland Ave at that time and that ball actually landed at the front of the 4th house not the 3rd... By my estimate and this is pretty accurate because my friend and I measured it out... That ball actually traveled no less that 585 ft I believe it's the longest ball ever hit. In a true story Cat Fish Hunter was pitching to Kingman in a preseason game and he swore up and down a ball Kingman hit off him was the longest he ever saw at 600 ft!
Supposedly Roberto Clamente hit one over center field to the left of the scoreboard and it landed in the open bay door of the service station that used to be there on the corner. Don't remember if that's the longest confirmed ball hit out or not but that HAD to be in the top 2 or 3. Jack Brickhouse was calling the game and he said it was the most well hit ball he ever saw live.
@ 0:51, Steve Ontiveros congratulates Dangerous Dave with a quick, dignified hand shake, no shucking, jiving, glad-handing or back-slapping so prevalent in today's game.
Interesting fact: Dave Kingman’s home run came in what I believe is the highest scoring game in MLB history. The Phillies ended up winning that game 23-22 in 10 innings.
Kingman did this on just bat speed and raw strength. Imagine if Kingman was on roids - holy crap. I think this one has been estimated at around 550 and it's probably pretty accurate as it had a chance to travel and land at ground level.
Mike Schmidt never stopped f-ing us in Chicago. That guy killed us every time...He also hit the winning homer in the 10th inning of the 23-22 game in this vid. I didn't know about the game in 1922 between the same two teams - thanks.
Kinsman had THE greatest power in major league history. NO ONE hit them as far. He hit off the second deck in San Diego and the ball was absolutely still on a riding trajectory. It sounded unlike any home run ball I've ever heard, and I've seen A LOT of home runs. This was literally like a shot out of a cannon. I have no doubt it would've gone over 600 feet.
Tremendous homerun of the ages. Would love to have statcast measure this one. Unfortunately Kingman was the very definition of a feast or famine hitter. Had seasons where he had tons of homeruns, but always struggled to keep his BA over .200. The kind of player that would drive a manager crazy.
Worst thing they did with the renovations was to expand the bleachers and add those monstrosity of a video boards so it’s rare to see a homerun hit completely out of wrigley any more.
Let's not forget that the 23-22 game on May 17, 1979 was worked by replacement umpires, because the regular umpires were on strike (the regular umpires returned two days later). In fact, Jack Brickhouse mentioned an inning or two later about a rhetorical conversation that HP umpire Dick Cavenaugh could have had in future years in references to unbelievable games and events they had been a part of. Along with Cavenaugh, the other umpires that worked this game were Bill Lawson (1B), Dennis Ricchio (2B), and Dave Slickenmeyer (3B). Later in the game, after the Cubs had tied it at 22 in the eighth inning (after trailing 17-6 in the fourth and 21-9 in the fifth), Bobby Murcer had a chance to put the Cubs in the lead with Bruce Sutter about to come into that game (which he did, anyway), and with a 3-1 count, Murcer took a pitch that appeared to clearly be ball four, which would have loaded the bases for Mick Kelleher, but Cavenaugh called it strike two, and Murcer grounded out on the next pitch.
Yup,...you are totally correct. I'm aware of the shot in Wrigley when he was a Met in 74 or 76 (I think) - I've always wanted to find the vid of that bomb. I'm counting from the corner - so third or fourth house...announcer says third house. I think both the homers are very similar but the one you are mentioning is often considered farther...
Jack Lang wrote the next day in the NY Daily News that Kingman's home run landed 610 feet from home plate. I had the clipping for years and years but I've lost it. April of 1976 I think it was.
This isn't even the longest one he hit at Wrigley Field, this was hit in the highest scoring ever, that's why there is a video. the final score was 23-22 with the Phillies winning.
Yeah, it was probably farther like you said. Glenallen's HR had a ridiculous height to it though on top of its distance. Maybe we need a new category that factors in both? Even so, Kingman's was still a mammoth blast though.
I recall one of the announcers later in the game of one of Kingman's long home runs, maybe this one or maybe another, estimating it at 550 feet so your estimate sounds about right.
Kingman's HR ball orbits over my house every 9 years. It's due to pass by again in November, 2026.
I remember Kingman's vividly because it was during the most extraordinary game. We used to rush home from school to catch the back ends of those day games. Every at bat from Kong was must-see TV in '79.
Absolutely, we used to do the exact same thing.
Wow that was me too. I’m 52. I lived at Damen and Lawrence
Me alegra que hayan tenido una infancia Bonita, algun dia ire con mis hijos y caminare por esas calles que rodean el estadio de los cubs
Dave Kingman was a big part of my Cubbie childhood. Nice to see these old highlights
It was all Kingman too. Bonds had to give a hat tip to his pharmacist.
That ball was tagged. The best description ever by an announcer
The Glen Allen Hill HR that landed 30ft back on the roof across Waveland is still the hardest ball I've ever seen hit.
Me too, I saw it live. They measured it at 500 feet but I think it was probably more like 550. I guess they weren't used to measuring distance from home plate to 30 ft back on top of a roof across the street. That's the hardest ball I've ever seen hit in my life. As far as I know he's still the only one that's ever hit one up there. One of the cool things about baseball is that Hill didn't have a great career at all but he will forever be remembered in Cubs and Wrigley lore for that particular swing on that particular day.
Me too. I was sitting behind the plate, a little over to the 1st base side...not too many rows back. Not bragging, just explaining my position in relation to Hill when he hit that HR
The sound made when Hill's bat made contact with the ball was like nothing I'd heard before OR since. I could't describe the noise if I tried, except to say it was FAR beyond the stereotypical, "crack of the bat." Usually as a fan, you like to follow the trajectory of of a ball before celebrating like an idiot. On that day, I don't know why, but I jumped out of my seat like my pants were on fire.
Man...that was one hell of a sight and I'm glad I had the opportunity to be there.
Hill's ball hit the roof on the way down. Kingmans blast was 2 houses past the new WGN building@@hamricmike8
@ 1:27... WHACKO! Gotta love Cubs announcer Lou Boudreau who was player-manager starting at the age of 25 for the Indians from 1942-1950, and won the World Series in 1948. Boudreau won the AL MVP in 1948 too, as he hit .355 18 HR 106 RBI 116 Runs 98 Walks and only 9 strikeouts. That's right, 9 strikeouts in 676 plate appearances. Boudreau is credited with starting the first shift on a hitter as he shifted the entire infield against Ted Williams. Boudreau was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970. But how cool is player-manager at age 25? That will NEVER happen again.
Hill hit it on the roof but Kingman's went past that and hit the third house behind that. This is one of the most most iconic homeruns ever captured on film and the announcer definitely helped capture the moment. I remember my dad telling me about this home run 30 years ago and I just got to see it myself for the first time a few days ago.
Announcer, by the way, Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau.
Lou corrects himself "beyond the white house"(3rd house). The ball actually hit near the center ballusters of the 4th house and bounces back. The ball hit the porch the guy comes out to. This is the 4th structure on the 5th lot up Kenmore which is in the 580-590 ft range and not the 530 mark you see in other videos.
The hr Kingman hit before this one hit the roof Hill hit. Kingman had such power.
Kingman's home run, blast no steroids either. A few years later as an Oakland Athletic, I saw Kingman smash one. At the crack of the bat, the whole Yankee team in the field, stood up and dropped their arms. They absolutely new the ball was gone and it was no use even trying to chase it nor look at it....
I wish the A's kept him at DH. Him, Mcguire and Canseco with Rickey would've probably won us the 88 series vs LA.
Curious that no teams wanted Kingman after hitting 30 home runs in 1986? I believe that MLB powers did not want Kingman getting 500 lifetime home runs, because he would be HOF material. What would it mean to have a HOF'r with over 500 hr's and a lifetime. 235 avg??@markabboud8564
In 1979 we had a bachelor party that started at Wrigley for a Cub game. Ernie Banks posed with our party on the field. Big Dave Kingman tossed a ball to Ernie during the photo shoot. Both men interacted with us and made a great day for all. I still have the photo with Ernie and all the friends of the groom to be. Great memories when ballplayers were regular guys.
As batboy for the Mets during my high school year, just before the game started, he threw an extra glove at me and told me to get on the field and play catch with him. I was so excited and yet terrified i was going miss the ball in front of the whole crowd at Shea stadium. Having a catch with Dave Kingman was probably my most exciting day ever!! We only had about 3 minutes to throw the boy back and forth. Second most memorable moment with Dave Kingman was kneeling on one knee waiting for the umpire to tell me if he needed another ball, since I was running back and forth with new ball as needed. I watched Dave Kingman hit a home run over left field fence while I was only about 30 feet away from him. Awesome perspective and awesome view!!!
Great stuff, Johnny G ~ you lucky dog!
Loved those 80's Cubbies!! Sandberg, Durham, Davis, Kingman,Bowa, Cey, Dawson later on !! I'm from same town as Fergie!! Been a fan for 40 plus years!!
Daily double, Leon Durham , Buckner, Kingman, Jody Davis, Sandberg, Dawson, Cry, Bowa, Matthews, Moreland, Lee Smith .. oh how great it was!
I was sitting in the bleachers that day, and Kingman's home run went straight over my head. I wish I could properly describe it, because it was so high it was dizzying. I doubt I'll ever see anything like that again.
Mark Basch You remember if it hit the porch or land on the street?
Dave king kong kingman could knock the cover off the ball
@@lloydkline7245 or strikeout
Gotta be the longest homer ever hit at Wrigley. Edit: longest non-steroid homer hit at Wrigley.
M K glen allen hill didn’t juice
Wrigley field has definitely lost its magic with all the upgrades
I agree. the private clubs they got going are really cheesy and ruined the upper deck.
Totally agree.
@@SECRETARIATguy224 I haven't been to a game at Wrigley since 99. Used to go to 2-3 games a year but life, ya know? Now I don't even know if I wanna go. I see what a shitshow they made that poor ballpark into and it makes me sad, at least it's still standing and in use. I have never been to a night game either and I won't ever go to one there. At least I have my memories of the 70's and 80's.
@@seththomas9105 I understand your feelings. There's a deep emotional/spiritual connection to that ballpark. I'm torn. On the one hand, the Cubs had to find ways to make the kind of money needed to compete for a championship. Modernizing the park was obviously the way to do it. Back in '88 they had to put lights in because baseball told them that if they didn't and the Cubs made the playoffs the games wouldn't even be at Wrigley, so I don't begrudge them for doing that. I actually went to three day games in 89, then went to Game 2 against SF (when Bielecki amazingly got that rbi single). Yes, it was strange being there for a night game, but it was incredible to witness them in person playing a home postseason game. I'm not sure another sports moment will ever equal the Cubs winning the World Series in 16, but at the same time I hate the modern version of Wrigley. Those JumboTrons make me cringe. Same thing with the bullpens not being on the field anymore and the rebuilt outfield stands. Intellectually I know it's because they needed to modernize (they never won a pennant or WS in the times you and I refer to as the "good ole days"). Emotionally I just can't look at the ballpark the way it is now without it hurting.
Kingman one of the true tape measure kings. When it was his turn to hit everyone watched. HR or strikeout he was exciting
Hall of famer....agree?
The one Kong hit in 1976 off Cubs pitcher Tom Dettore when he was with the Mets was quite a bit longer than the one in 1979.
@@BillMorganChannel Agree 100%
@@markabboud8564 Hall of FAME......not batter was more Famous in the late 70's than my Kinger! It is so nice to talk base ball with someone very intelligent like you my friend.
@@markabboud8564 It is the Hall of FAME! No one was more famous in the late 70's than my Kinger. It is so nice to talk base ball with a fellow wise man.
County miles are measured by Kingman’s home runs.
Country miles in the south...
This is the most powerful homerun I have ever seen on film.
Kingman hit one even further as a Met back in 1976.
Yeah I wonder if they have filmmof that one I remember it
That guy had a devastating swing
I wonder how far Kingman's ball would have gone, had HE been on ROIDS?? LOL
He didn't need 'em.
I seen a few Cubs hit that ball a mile out of the stadium, Dawson was something special.. also loved Watching Bull Durham and Kingman hit the ball onto Waverly!! Also loved watching Ryno hit them quite often , especially for a 2nd baseman!!
@@ryanmoore3876 yep. I agree. Growing up watching those guys, Aaron too. Aaron was the greatest all-round player, since Ruth? Would rather have any of those men we mentioned than Bonds, etc.
Bonds hit his in batting practice, who gives a crap about that! Kingman's ball went 50 feet further during a game with live pitching
Plus most importantly Kong did it naturally!
dook166 are sure he was natural... don’t assume
@@ericjones4776 Yes, I'm sure.
The guy was built like Lurch from the 1960's Adam's Family
Yep, Bonds was full of juice during a practice swing. Who cares.
Phillies- Cubs were the wildest games I'd ever seen. Multiple.
"It hit the front porch of the third house....." Might as well have said "it hit the front side of the third planet." Kong was a beast. 'Roid free...just tremendous bat speed and that sweeping arc.
"that one's in Milwaukee"....now known as Wrigley Field North!
Sammy hit one over the tree next to the building on Waveland in a night game and it might have been longer than Kingman's but probably not by much. Sammy's went past the yellow house and kids were running down the street trying to find it. I'm not even sure how you measure something like that in the dark but it was murdered. I got to see Glennallen Hill's shot that landed on the roof live and they estimate it at 500 feet but I think it was longer. I've never seen anyone destroy a baseball like that in my entire life, the sound it made when his bat touched the ball was like a freakin' shotgun. Holy cow, great memories.
On May 17, 1959 there was a home run hit that is considered to be as long or longer than Kingman's home run.
Mr. Cub himself, Ernie Banks said it was the longest home run he had ever seen hit at Wrigley Field. And Ernie had played there for 20 years and saw all the great power hitters from the early 50's on.
The greatest right handed hitter of all-time Rogers Hornsby said that it was literally the longest home run he ever saw-- and that includes the likes of the mighty Babe.
It was hit by none other than Roberto Clemente. A man not known by the fans of this time as a power hitter, but understood by the players and experts and many fans of the time as a man with tremendous power who chose to go more for singles, doubles and his well-known penchant for hitting triples.. In time Clemente developed a certain mastery of hitting homers even at Forbes Field, have had a career high of 29 there in 1966. Those 29 homers is still the third highest all-time season total for a right handed batter while playing in that park. The great Willie Stargell, as a lefty who had a slightly friendlier shot at hitting homers at Forbes with a 300ft right field foul line, had his season best of 33 that same year. Strgell never started hitting forty homers until the much smaller 3 Rivers Stadium was built.
Clemente actually had more than a few tape measure shots in his career, but he himself believed this was his longest.
So, please if you can, add The Great One's name to this list!
Stargell hit several shots over the right field roof at Forbes Field. Ruth did it first, though.
1:30: Whack-o. Love it from Lou Boudreau.
I was 15 years old when I watched this game. Kingman was my hero. I actually thought they underestimated how far this ball was hit. I would have guessed at least 550 feet.
The general estimate is 550ft, the longest in Wrigley history. Honestly, I think its closer to 580-600ft.
@@markabboud8564 ya I agree I think it was like 600 feet maybe more.
google earth says the distance from home plate to the mailbox on the house this HR hit is 550 feet.
Forgot to thank you for posting this John.
I've been trying to describe this Kingman blast for years to my younger Cub fan friends and they all claim my description didn't do this justice.
I always remind people to stop by that front porch (actually 4th house counted) when they visit Wrigley - totally ridiculous how far you are still away from the park - this is the definition of a MAMMOTH home run.
Thanks again sir. I'd love to see more Kingman shots on Ytube.
possibly the greatest day EVER to be ALIVE
The 23.22 comeback game. I remember that one well watched it on WGN!
cubs lost
love kingman
Kingman was an absolute savage
Like the Babe!!!!
Kingman had a perfect home run swing. He had great extension w long arms and got tremendous bat speed.
As a Met, Kingman hit one in Wrigley on April 14, 1976 that went further than this. Apparently hitting the roof. Estimated from 530-560 feet.
We had cable tv so we had WGN and I would watch the games when I got home from school in 1978-1979. I saw King hit a ball so hard, low towards the shortstop, and before the shortstop could move his glove down to catch it the ball went by. It was like one foot to the left of the shortstop.
What a bomb, and how about Pete Rose getting into it with the fans by the dugout after the inning?
Kingman and Buckner... A dangerous pair! My first heros of baseball
Kingman's 550 shot is the longest homerun that was ever seen in wrigley but he was a Met at the time. When he came to the Cubs two years later he became a fan favourite and that game 23-22 was the wildest game in baseball and he hit three homers that day.
a lot of people are mentioning Kingman's blast with the Mets at Wrigley being farther than this one. This one still looks like it went over 500 feet. Mike Krukow who is the commentator at the beginning of this vid was a teammate of Kingman's with the Cubs and was scheduled to start the day of the 23-22 game but was injured.
That is also the longest validated homerun in baseball history.
It was 530
Go to google map you can measure it for youself and you will see that it is 550
I can't find the shot at Wrigley when he was a Met. I think it was 1976 and at the time they called it 630 feet. Later they said it was not accepted as 630 due to the wind. Really? F5 Tornado?
I was there with Kong's 3 homers and my favorite Cub, Billy Buck's grand slam with 7 RBIs!!!!
Both Dave Kingman and Mike Schmidt hit three home runs that day as the Phillies defeated the Cubs 23-22. Pete Rose was on first for Philadelphia.
23-22, wow! What was going on with the pitchers that day?
I know I'm late,but the wind was 25mph blowing out of Wrigley that day@@richatlarge462
Dave Kingman belongs in the Hall Of Fame. Hall Of Fame pitchers feared Dave Kingman.
you know it's a poke when Kingman crosses 2nd base before the ball hits the ground. This is a true "Ruthian" shot
As I was watching this i thought about Glenallen Hills HR... !
Life long Cubs fan raised on WGN & Jack Brickhouse, I could breakdown that 23-22 Cubs/Philly game ….BUT, I’ve searched high & low for that BONDS batting practice home run …. THAT IS THE RECORD, Kingman was up in the jet stream of 30mph winds and it did NOT hit the 3rd house down that street, it bounced & ended up there. Bonds was deep into right center at 500ft 3 stories high on a line shot, that would’ve hit 550ft+ to the ground.
Kingman was amazing but yep that was hit during that wild game when pitchers were hitting homeruns with ease. Kong did it all without the steroids but probably a bit of the greenies that were used by most players then. And probably did land between the second and third house but very close to the third house.
Kingman rounding the bases after hitting a mammoth shot is no different than him running in from left field after an inning has ended. I guess I'd forgotten how modest he was.
When the outfielder doesn't move, you know it's a bomb. Watch the Left fielder. All he does is look up. This is a ruthian shot
The outfielder does move a bit, but get your point. Think what's more telling of a bomb is when the infielders don't move. Schmidt does not move at all - he knows it's a bomb the second he hears it.
Before you call me dumb, go look up the 6-5 game when he was a Met. That was Kingman's homer that hit the 4th house but there isn't a video. This is from a 23-22 game when he was with the Cubs where he hits a similar homer but not as far.
Back in the days it didn’t really matter much what you were doing, but when Dave Kingman or Reggie Jackson was at bat, you just stopped to watch what they would do. I’ve been at Shea Stadium when Kingman hit some monstrous home runs, either when he played for the Cubs or for the Mets.
Nice transition into the homerun
I thought Steve Ontiveros was going to blast one lol!!!
he did earlier in the game
I hated him!!! One of the worst hitters ever. They let him hit lefty and he could never hit the ball. Even as a kid I knew he wouldn't come through.
As far as inside the park, close to hitting that old scoreboard, Bill Nicholson, Hank Sauer, & Jody Davis(Cubs players) all came close to doing it. Hitting it out of Wrigley for furthest distance: Dave Kingman(w/& against the Cubs), Mike Schmidt(He used to crush Cubs pitching, especially loved facing Lee Smith: 5HR's), Andre Dawson, Glenallen Hill(WOW! On the roof across the street!), Greg Vaughn, of course, Sammy Sosa. Lots of frequent flier miles off those bats, more like moonshots @ Wrigley! Let's see if any of the kids (Baez, Bryant, Soler, Etc.) will add to the lore in the not-so-distant future!
+Walter Del Sol
You've neglected to mention the one home run that was both the longest ever hit at Wrigley and the one that came closest to the scoreboard, courtesy of Roberto Clemente, May 17, 1959 (exactly 20 years before the Kingman shot seen here).
www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Roberto_Clemente%27s_%27Toolbox%27:_The_Club#RC.27s_Scoreboard_Flyby_aka_Wrigley.27s_Longest_HR.2C_according_to_Hornsby.2C_Banks.2C_Brickhouse.2C_Buhrke_and_Scheffing
@@dvdspd21 I think Stargell too just missed it.
There is NO WAY that ball Kingman blast only traveled 533 ft...
I was renting part of a house on Waveland Ave
at that time and that ball actually landed at the front of the 4th house not the 3rd...
By my estimate and this is pretty accurate because my friend and I measured it out...
That ball actually traveled no less that 585 ft
I believe it's the longest ball ever hit.
In a true story Cat Fish Hunter was pitching to Kingman in a preseason game and he swore up and down a ball Kingman hit off him was the longest he ever saw at 600 ft!
sky. kong. whatever name u call him, he is amazing.
Supposedly Roberto Clamente hit one over center field to the left of the scoreboard and it landed in the open bay door of the service station that used to be there on the corner. Don't remember if that's the longest confirmed ball hit out or not but that HAD to be in the top 2 or 3. Jack Brickhouse was calling the game and he said it was the most well hit ball he ever saw live.
No way he had no pop
@ 0:51, Steve Ontiveros congratulates Dangerous Dave with a quick, dignified hand shake, no shucking, jiving, glad-handing or back-slapping so prevalent in today's game.
Interesting fact: Dave Kingman’s home run came in what I believe is the highest scoring game in MLB history. The Phillies ended up winning that game 23-22 in 10 innings.
yep. here's the video of that game th-cam.com/video/YFrwJZRZYFI/w-d-xo.html
Actually, the Phillies and Cubs had a 26-23 game on August 25, 1922. This game was the Phillies revenge for that one.
I watched that game live. It was so much fun, except the Cubs ended up losing…
this was one of those days at Wrigley where the wind just doesn't like the pitchers
Kingman did this on just bat speed and raw strength. Imagine if Kingman was on roids - holy crap.
I think this one has been estimated at around 550 and it's probably pretty accurate as it had a chance to travel and land at ground level.
I saw him hit a ball out of Shea and hit a bus ten rows back in the parking lot. No one. NO ONE hit homers further than Kingman.
Miss Kingman
This was a great time for baseball. This is even before anyone signed a contract for a million dollars a year.
Mike Schmidt never stopped f-ing us in Chicago. That guy killed us every time...He also hit the winning homer in the 10th inning of the 23-22 game in this vid.
I didn't know about the game in 1922 between the same two teams - thanks.
No doubt the longest HR in history of which there is video proof. I measured it on Google Earth once at 537 feet.
Look how far away from the plate Sky is when he takes his swing at 0:29.
great comment
Longman ball went about 540 feet. Ruthian shot
I saw Greg Vaughn hit one just as far as Kingman back in 1999 I believe. If someone would happen to find it on tape look at how far his went.
Apparently, even the ump was in such awe, he couldn't call balls and strikes correctly to Ontiveros.
that kid who lives across from rigley field watches the games from his porch AND gets kingmans legendary homerun ball i could not be more jealous
I was at that Cubs v Phillies game. Towering blast by Kingman
Kinsman had THE greatest power in major league history. NO ONE hit them as far. He hit off the second deck in San Diego and the ball was absolutely still on a riding trajectory. It sounded unlike any home run ball I've ever heard, and I've seen A LOT of home runs. This was literally like a shot out of a cannon. I have no doubt it would've gone over 600 feet.
You could make a video on that strike one call on the hitter after kingman.
the one that hit the 4th house was when he was a visiting player with the Mets. This is a DIFFERENT home run.
Tremendous homerun of the ages. Would love to have statcast measure this one. Unfortunately Kingman was the very definition of a feast or famine hitter. Had seasons where he had tons of homeruns, but always struggled to keep his BA over .200. The kind of player that would drive a manager crazy.
Kingman's homeruns were epic... I don't count the one's hit by steroids
Fucking ball needed a passport.....KONG RULES!!
There’s nothing like summertime baseball in Chicago ….
Worst thing they did with the renovations was to expand the bleachers and add those monstrosity of a video boards so it’s rare to see a homerun hit completely out of wrigley any more.
I want to see a HR Derby at Wrigley with the wind blowing out so bad. Maybe now that it has more of a capacity
Kong hit BOMBS!!!
Wrigley is the windiest baseball field in the world. The wind helps sluggers all the time.
Lol I thought this was a replay on the Giants broadcast then I realized how damn long they were staying on it.
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First pitch to Ontiveras was a ball outside. Called a strike. Umps wanted to get the game over.
I thought the same thing. :)
1:09 look how far outside that pitch is that's called a strike. The zone has changed a lot through the years.
Let's not forget that the 23-22 game on May 17, 1979 was worked by replacement umpires, because the regular umpires were on strike (the regular umpires returned two days later). In fact, Jack Brickhouse mentioned an inning or two later about a rhetorical conversation that HP umpire Dick Cavenaugh could have had in future years in references to unbelievable games and events they had been a part of. Along with Cavenaugh, the other umpires that worked this game were Bill Lawson (1B), Dennis Ricchio (2B), and Dave Slickenmeyer (3B).
Later in the game, after the Cubs had tied it at 22 in the eighth inning (after trailing 17-6 in the fourth and 21-9 in the fifth), Bobby Murcer had a chance to put the Cubs in the lead with Bruce Sutter about to come into that game (which he did, anyway), and with a 3-1 count, Murcer took a pitch that appeared to clearly be ball four, which would have loaded the bases for Mick Kelleher, but Cavenaugh called it strike two, and Murcer grounded out on the next pitch.
Thomas Jowers Weird pitch though- it looked like it might have gone over the plate past the batter and sharply curved out right before being caught
kingman hit them without any help!
Kingman doesn't get the credit he deserves.
Yup,...you are totally correct. I'm aware of the shot in Wrigley when he was a Met in 74 or 76 (I think) - I've always wanted to find the vid of that bomb.
I'm counting from the corner - so third or fourth house...announcer says third house. I think both the homers are very similar but the one you are mentioning is often considered farther...
Jack Lang wrote the next day in the NY Daily News that Kingman's home run landed 610 feet from home plate. I had the clipping for years and years but I've lost it. April of 1976 I think it was.
This isn't even the longest one he hit at Wrigley Field, this was hit in the highest scoring ever, that's why there is a video. the final score was 23-22 with the Phillies winning.
hi Kingman home run the long one
1:00 Young Mike Krukow goes and congratulates King Kong
Krukow was supposed to start the game. After the final score he mustuv been glad he didn't lol.
Cubs lost that game, but it was fun watching all the runs scored. Mammoth home run!
Yeah, it was probably farther like you said. Glenallen's HR had a ridiculous height to it though on top of its distance. Maybe we need a new category that factors in both? Even so, Kingman's was still a mammoth blast though.
When baseball was truly great.
Lets also not forget Shwarbers HR that landed on top of the new RF scoreboard.
i was in the bleachers when Bonds hit that window, he was putting on a show
Roids
Did the announcer say it’s 21-19?
The Glenallen Hill shot must have been longer
Nope. Kingmans hr is the longest in Wrigley history. The hr he hit before this one landed on the same roof Hill hit.
change that, this homer is closer to 550ft
I recall one of the announcers later in the game of one of Kingman's long home runs, maybe this one or maybe another, estimating it at 550 feet so your estimate sounds about right.
Wacko and thiers the kid running down from the porch.... best baseball field in the world