Highlight Homers

Glenallen Hill, Wrigley Field, May 11, 2000 |Ted Williams, Fenway Park, June 9, 1946 |Mickey Mantle, Yankee Stadium, May 22, 1963 |Barry Bonds, Angels Stadium, Oct. 26, 2002 |David Ortiz, Fenway Park, May 1, 2006 |Albert Pujols 10/17/2005 |Richie Sexson, Bank One Ballpark, April 26, 2004 |Ryan Howard, Citizens Bank Park, June 20, 2006 |Reggie Jackson, 1971 All-Star Game, Tiger Stadium, July 13, |Roberto Clemente, Forbes Field, May 31, 1964 |Mark McGwire, Jacobs Field, April 30, 1997 |Daryle Ward, PNC Park, July 6, 2002 |Mark McGwire, Busch Stadium, May 16, 1998 |Manny Ramirez, SkyDome, June 3, 2001 |Andres Galarraga, Pro Player Stadium 1997

Ryan Howard, Citizens Bank Park, June 20, 2006 On June 20, 2006, Ryan Howard smashed a Mike Mussina pitch into the third deck in right field at Citizens Bank Park, reportedly the first time this was done in an actual game. Howard's blast was certainly historic, but how far did it really go? The atmospherics were as follows: 83 degrees, with wind 12 mph out to RF, and altitude 20 feet above sea level. The ball was in the air for 5.47 seconds, and impacted 390 feet from home plate at a heaight of 72 feet above field level. With these inputs, Hit Tracker calculates that the ball left Howard's bat at 110.6 mph, at an angle of 45.0 degrees, and the ball, if uninterrupted, would have landed 437 feet from home plate. It was the high angle that Howard hit the ball that allowed it to reach the third deck, and which makes reaching that deck so unusual. Before his career is over, we can expect Howard to hit a lot of baseballs to places in Citizens Bank Park that others can only dream about reaching...