OT: The Most Powerful Hitter of All Time

batts

All-Conference
Jun 6, 2001
6,859
1,148
113
Billy Martin is quoted as saying that no one possessed the shear power of Mickey Mantle. The Mick is on record of hitting some of the longest homeruns of all time. Modern players such as Judge and Stanton could have more power as measured by the velocity their home runs. Does the Mick's power measure up to that of the modern era players?

I'd love to hear from Zappa about what his Dad thought of Mick's Power.
 

zebnatto

All-Conference
May 7, 2008
5,071
3,818
0
Seems like those guys might win the velocity game but Mick generally had a higher trajectory adding distance.
 

mdk02

Heisman
Aug 18, 2011
26,131
18,480
113
Mantle, I believe, came the closest of anyone to hitting a ball out of old Yankee Stadium. That's more than just elevation.

He was a line drive hitter, but Dick Allen could absolutely crush the ball.
 
  • Like
Reactions: colbert17

zebnatto

All-Conference
May 7, 2008
5,071
3,818
0
Mantle, I believe, came the closest of anyone to hitting a ball out of old Yankee Stadium. That's more than just elevation.

He was a line drive hitter, but Dick Allen could absolutely crush the ball.
 

Shelby65

All-Conference
Apr 1, 2008
7,903
4,366
66
Billy Martin is quoted as saying that no one possessed the shear power of Mickey Mantle. The Mick is on record of hitting some of the longest homeruns of all time. Modern players such as Judge and Stanton could have more power as measured by the velocity their home runs. Does the Mick's power measure up to that of the modern era players?

I'd love to hear from Zappa about what his Dad thought of Mick's Power.
Modern lawnmowers certainly have more shear power than vintage models. Is that what we are discussing? Or sheer ? And what does that even mean sheer? Is that a particular type of power ? Yeah OK Billy Martin is the definitive voice on the subject.

As in other sports, players today are better conditioned, stronger, etc and hit harder. And pitches are much faster too, which increases force (velo) of the hit. So while Kong remains my favorite all time player, I won't try to argue he hit the hardest, farthest, etc. Mantle either. You've got to look at the top guys in this century.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rubigtimenow

willisneverrana43

All-American
Jul 26, 2001
10,762
6,760
113
I'll shy away from quantifying sheer or shear power. But will say that Mickey Mantle could hit the snot out of the ball. You can feel free to analyze what that means.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: RUScrew85

MadRU

Heisman
Jul 26, 2001
37,342
19,192
98
Thought this was a thread about Earnie Shavers

Earnie Shavers is widely considered the hardest hitter in boxing history (having had 68 KO's in 74 wins). Muhammad Ali once said: "Earnie hit me so hard, it shook my kin-folk back in Africa."
 

RUEd

All-Conference
Aug 14, 2001
3,391
1,928
113
Thought this was a thread about Earnie Shavers

Earnie Shavers is widely considered the hardest hitter in boxing history (having had 68 KO's in 74 wins). Muhammad Ali once said: "Earnie hit me so hard, it shook my kin-folk back in Africa."
I’m too lazy to look it up but Larry Holmes had a similar quote about Shavers
 
  • Like
Reactions: MADHAT1

MadRU

Heisman
Jul 26, 2001
37,342
19,192
98
I’m too lazy to look it up but Larry Holmes had a similar quote about Shavers
“I tell you what, when Earnie Shavers hit Muhammad Ali, he felt it,” said Holmes, who has always been outspoken about the damage his mentor absorbed that night. “I always told Earnie that Ali was messed up and slow [because of the punishment he took in that fight.] Earnie would say, I didn’t do that, everyone else did it. I told him, ‘Nobody else hit like you, Earnie!’

“It was a close fight with Ali and Shavers. Earnie hit him hard and it lasted all day. If Earnie hits you today, it lasts until tomorrow.”
 

yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
121,619
37,282
113
Thanks non sequitur guy.

Then there's this one, which didn't just go out of Wrigley, or onto Waveland avenue. It went over Waveland and hit a porch several houses down a side street.
It was nicknamed 3705 Kenmore for a reason. lol There are 4 that they talk about- 2 byt Kingman that landed pretty much same spot. One as a Met and one as a Cub. Hill's massive blast that hit a bldg or it may still be going and Clemente's shot out of centerfield.
We all know that there have been a few out of Wrigley as has been mentioned but none like those 4
 

mdk02

Heisman
Aug 18, 2011
26,131
18,480
113
It was nicknamed 3705 Kenmore for a reason. lol There are 4 that they talk about- 2 byt Kingman that landed pretty much same spot. One as a Met and one as a Cub. Hill's massive blast that hit a bldg or it may still be going and Clemente's shot out of centerfield.
We all know that there have been a few out of Wrigley as has been mentioned but none like those 4

3705 Kenmore. Almost sounds like one hit at Fenway.
 

WhiteBus

Heisman
Oct 4, 2011
39,360
21,742
113
Thanks non sequitur guy.

Then there's this one, which didn't just go out of Wrigley, or onto Waveland avenue. It went over Waveland and hit a porch several houses down a side street.
Pfft. Wow across Waveland and bounces down the side street. How about across Waveland and on top of 3 story roof!

 
  • Like
Reactions: Barnaby&Neill

yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
121,619
37,282
113
As a Cubs fan, I remember when he hit 3 HRs at Shea. Definitely not a hitter’s park. He had a really good year that year: 48 HR 116 RBI and hit .284. He didn’t embarrass himself in left either!
If Kingman wasnt the biggest AH in MLB history before Belle- he most likely is in the HOF...

Dude hit a bunch of HR's but they were all just massive! He would be the biggest star in baseball today.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RUPete

MADHAT1

Heisman
Apr 1, 2003
30,664
15,630
113
If Kingman wasnt the biggest AH in MLB history before Belle- he most likely is in the HOF...

Dude hit a bunch of HR's but they were all just massive! He would be the biggest star in baseball today.
He hit em a long ways, but he had trouble hitting as his lifetime .236 BA shown.
Striking out was his problem , 1816 over the course of his 17 year career compared to 1575 hits in 6677 at bats
 
  • Like
Reactions: newell138

yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
121,619
37,282
113
He hit em a long ways, but he had trouble hitting as his lifetime .236 BA shown.
Striking out was his problem , 1816 over the course of his 17 year career compared to 1575 hits in 6677 at bats
We grew up with that- and the K's were crazy....but - .236 BA and the cant miss AB's he provided- would be a 25 mil per year right now
 

Barnaby&Neill

All-American
Dec 10, 2010
6,946
7,534
81
Pfft. Wow across Waveland and bounces down the side street. How about across Waveland and on top of 3 story roof!



Fun fact about this Glenallen Hill game: at the time it was the longest nine inning game in national league history at 4:22. I don’t know when that record fell, but it was still the longest nine inning game for the Cubs until September 21, 2019…I had the misfortune of attending that 4:24 affair. Third fun fact, that 9/21/2019 record setter was also the last ever game at Wrigley to be aired on WGN.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WhiteBus

WhiteBus

Heisman
Oct 4, 2011
39,360
21,742
113
So since the MLB started tracking exit velo in 2015 there is no doubt who hits the hardest of them all... when he is not on the IL. Giancarlo Stanton has 6 of the top 10 hardest hit home runs since the tracking of exit velo began. Add in Judge and they account for 13 of the top 16.
BTW there is a big difference hardest hit and furthest home runs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: batts

yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
121,619
37,282
113
So since the MLB started tracking exit velo in 2015 there is no doubt who hits the hardest of them all... when he is not on the IL. Giancarlo Stanton has 6 of the top 10 hardest hit home runs since the tracking of exit velo began. Add in Judge and they account for 13 of the top 16.
BTW there is a big difference hardest hit and furthest home runs.
We all know why you have a problem with anyone mentioning Kingman- it is because he was a Met. You are about as transparent as a brick wall. lol
 

yessir321

All-Conference
Sep 26, 2018
3,313
2,229
0
Modern Players have access to strength and conditioning the guys of the past could only dream about. Really this just boils down to generational thinking and each generation thinking their sports hero's as kids were better than the next.

That being said the single strongest hitter I ever witnessed who could crush the ball in ways I've still never seen replicated was Ken Griffey Jr. Maybe its the fact that to this day it's the prettiest swing in baseball history but to put things in perspective on Griffey, Gunner Henderson this year just hit the second longest HR in Camden Yards History... Griffey hit one 40 ft FURTHER! Granted it was the HR derby however in the now 30+ year history of Camden Yards he's the only guy to ever hit a ball off the warehouse, and frankly no one else has ever come close
 

MadRU

Heisman
Jul 26, 2001
37,342
19,192
98
I know Keith Hernandez mentioned Willie McCovey and John Milner as two lefties that hit the ball the hardest his way.
 

DJ Spanky

Heisman
Jul 25, 2001
46,450
56,378
113
Modern Players have access to strength and conditioning the guys of the past could only dream about.

People don't realize what a huge advantage this is. Plus the surgical procedures that are available now. Switching sports, think what today's medicine would have done for Gale Sayers or Dick Butkus.
 

yessir321

All-Conference
Sep 26, 2018
3,313
2,229
0
People don't realize what a huge advantage this is. Plus the surgical procedures that are available now. Switching sports, think what today's medicine would have done for Gale Sayers or Dick Butkus.
I think about Bo Jackson. Seeing the way Adrian Peterson was able to recover and be his old self, it would have been nice to see the full NFL potential of Bo Jackson
 

CranfordKnight

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2006
4,056
3,885
113
Speaking of hard hits, I was at this game and had a clear view of the trajectory from the second deck on the first base side. I still remember seeing it land near the ambulance and being amazed as how far it went. Supposedly 479 feet, but I wonder with Statcast whether it might be been even further.

 

mdk02

Heisman
Aug 18, 2011
26,131
18,480
113
I think about Bo Jackson. Seeing the way Adrian Peterson was able to recover and be his old self, it would have been nice to see the full NFL potential of Bo Jackson

IIRC Jackson's injury was a hip? Wasn't Peterson's an ACL? Of course Sayers is the most extreme example.