OT: The Most Powerful Hitter of All Time

[yessir321]

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

It might have been. All I know was the Doctor's were able to heal him to the point that he had a fine baseball career, but his NFL days were over. Peterson had an injury that prior was considered "career ending" for a running back, came back the next season and ran for 2k yards... Medicine is truly amazing these days and who knows what could've happened if Bo had access to todays medicine back then.

To me its really just the shame of knowing we never really got to see much of perhaps the greatest natural athlete the game has ever seen

 

[RCBeta79]

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.

And a switch hitter to boot.

 

[willisneverrana43]

It was nicknamed 3705 Kenmore for a reason. lol . . .

3705 Kenmore

 

[WhiteBus]

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

You can't compare a real game homer to the Home Run hitting contest. The contest uses juiced balls as well.

 

[zebnatto]

Going old school and older school, I’m thinking Daryl S and Willie McCovey.

 

[Source]

Going old school and older school, I’m thinking Daryl S and Willie McCovey.

I'll see your McCovey and raise you a Frank Howard.

... “No fair ball had ever been hit out of Yankee Stadium. Only Tony Kubek thinks Howard hit one out.

"He hit one completely out down the left field line off Bobby Shantz that was called foul, but both Bobby and 3B Clete Boyer said later it was fair," said Tony Kubek. "The foul poles didn't go way up then, and the ball was hit so high the umps couldn't judge it."

http://macksmets.blogspot.com/2021/01/tom-brennan-pete-alonso-vs-frank-howard.html

 

[Colbert17!]

Two guys from a little ways back who weren’t great players but on occasion would absolutely crush the ball and hit some tremendous shots.....Richie Sexson and Russell Branyan

 

[yesrutgers01]

All I know is back when I thought I was a hotshot SS in little league at the age of 12- it must have been either 1973 or 1974
I was at a Pirates/Met's game and had been down between 1B and the OF wall getting an autograph from Duffy Dyer. It was batting practice and Stargell batting. He hit a line drive right at me that just about a foot over my left shoulder. Perfect spot to catch. I have never felt anything like it when it hit my glove - not before or since. It took my glove about 10-15 rows past me never slowing down. It was the first time I realized I was not going to be a MLB infielder. hahahaha

 

[yessir321]

You can't compare a real game homer to the Home Run hitting contest. The contest uses juiced balls as well.

oh I get it, that was just one example of Griffey's power. That Home run did travel over 60 feet further than any other HR hit in that derby though which included Bonds, Justice, Piazza, Belle, and Gonzalez.

His numbers and swing speak for themselves, Prime Griffey could simply generate power with that swing I have never seen replicated. He was able to put his full shoulders into it in a way I've yet to see replicated, it went beyond his arms and hips and his whole body was used to generate power. That swing was pure sex from a baseball standpoint.

Guys like Thome, Frank Thomas, juiced Bonds and Mcguire could smack the heck out of it sure, Griffey was different

 

[mildone_rivals]

Thought this was gonna be a thread about Lepke Buchalter.

 

[WhiteBus]

oh I get it, that was just one example of Griffey's power. That Home run did travel over 60 feet further than any other HR hit in that derby though which included Bonds, Justice, Piazza, Belle, and Gonzalez.

His numbers and swing speak for themselves, Prime Griffey could simply generate power with that swing I have never seen replicated. He was able to put his full shoulders into his swing like how a golfer does it, it went beyond his arms and hips and his whole body was used to generate power. That swing was pure sex from a baseball standpoint.

Guys like Thome, Frank Thomas, juiced Bonds and Mcguire could smack the heck out of it sure, Griffey was different

He has a great swing. Smooth like Freddy Couples golf swing but they both could hit it far.
Sorry but I can't put Griffey above McGwire. I saw both of the play a lot in person McQwire was on another level.

I was at this game. The 2nd home run was the farthest I saw at the Vet. When it hit the wall of front 3rd deck it sounded like a bomb went off! I ended up with the ball too!



Was at this one too.

 

[yessir321]

He has a great swing. Smooth like Freddy Couples golf swing but they both could hit it far.
Sorry but I can't put Griffey above McGwire. I saw both of the play a lot in person McQwire was on another level.

I was at this game. The 2nd home run was the farthest I saw at the Vet. When it hit the wall of front 3rd deck it sounded like a bomb went off! I ended up with the ball too!



Was at this one too.

I was fortunate to watch both as well.

I think this boils down to my original point that every person is going to think the guy with a memory from their youth is the best. For you, you saw McGuire hit one off the third deck at the vet, for me, I saw Griffey hit the warehouse.

Both were incredible, god baseball was fun back then!

 

[MADHAT1]

Thought this was gonna be a thread about Lepke Buchalter.

"Home Run" Baker is the man

 

[WhiteBus]

I was fortunate to watch both as well.

I think this boils down to my original point that every person is going to think the guy with a memory from their youth is the best. For you, you saw McGuire hit one off the third deck at the vet, for me, I saw Griffey hit the warehouse.

Both were incredible, god baseball was fun back then!

Yes it was. Both those guys played in the same era. Surprised in this day of longer homers nobody has hit the Warehouse in a game yet on a fly.
You were there so you should remember who actually won the HR Derby that day. Most people only remember Griffey's blast.

 

[yessir321]

Yes it was. Both those guys played in the same era. Surprised in this day of longer homers nobody has hit the Warehouse in a game yet on a fly.
You were there so you should remember who actually won the HR Derby that day. Most people only remember Griffey's blast.

Gunner came close a couple weeks ago. The ball one hopped of Eutaw St.

Juan won the derby but no one there cared lol. We were just in awe of Griffey. I was 6 years old and still vividly remember it

 

[mildone_rivals]

"Home Run" Baker is the man

I don't know. Buchalter has an awful lot of hits to his name, particularly if you add up all the hitters who worked for him and his organization.

 

[MADHAT1]

I don't know. Buchalter has an awful lot of hits to his name, particularly if you add up all the hitters who worked for him and his organization.

He did murder the ball but wasn't good enough for cleanup .
The Inc had Umberto do that ,Lepke batted em 5th while the Kid was third hitter
Pittsburgh Phil leadoff
In 1913 Baker had a dozen so he was the slugger before a Babe took over

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Strawberry pretty far up on this list...

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

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

Bo Jackson: avascular necrosis of the hip. Dislocated, repositioned and damaged blood vessels. Might be similar to Deion Sanders' current foot issues.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Most powerful hitter in baseball might have been this guy...

 

[rudad02]

All I know is back when I thought I was a hotshot SS in little league at the age of 12- it must have been either 1973 or 1974
I was at a Pirates/Met's game and had been down between 1B and the OF wall getting an autograph from Duffy Dyer. It was batting practice and Stargell batting. He hit a line drive right at me that just about a foot over my left shoulder. Perfect spot to catch. I have never felt anything like it when it hit my glove - not before or since. It took my glove about 10-15 rows past me never slowing down. It was the first time I realized I was not going to be a MLB infielder. hahahaha

Stargel hit some awful ball. When I was playing in a very good semipro league we had an excellent 3rd baseman who had spent time in the minors. Big guy named Centi, who had also played in the minors, hit a screaming liner that took our 3rd baseman's glove with the ball into short left field.
In the old days really good line drive hitters also hit a powerful ball.

 

[yesrutgers01]

Stargel hit some awful ball. When I was playing in a very good semipro league we had an excellent 3rd baseman who had spent time in the minors. Big guy named Centi, who had also played in the minors, hit a screaming liner that took our 3rd baseman's glove with the ball into short left field.
In the old days really good line drive hitters also hit a powerful ball.

It is amazing when you get to play with athletes at that level. Even my softball league years ago- the sound a ball made even when in the air when they threw it. And catching a throw from a guy like that- ball would feel twice its weight.

 

[Ronnie_B]

Look up

Most powerful hitter in baseball might have been this guy...

There is another Negro Leaguer who might be the most powerful hitter of all-time that few have heard of, Luke Easter:

Because of baseball segregation, Easter (6'4", 250 lbs) didn't play in the majors until he was 33 years old, but in one three period for the Indians he avg 29 HRs and 103 RBI, he is believed to have hit the longest home run ever at Cleveland Municipal Stadium (477 ft) and is one of only four players in history to hit a home run into the centerfield bleachers at the Polo Grounds.

More info on him: https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Luke-Easter/

 

[yesrutgers01]

another great swing and cant miss TV- Darryl!

Hits the roof

 

[rudad02]

Look up

There is another Negro Leaguer who might be the most powerful hitter of all-time that few have heard of, Luke Easter:

Because of baseball segregation, Easter (6'4", 250 lbs) didn't play in the majors until he was 33 years old, but in one three period for the Indians he avg 29 HRs and 103 RBI, he is believed to have hit the longest home run ever at Cleveland Municipal Stadium (477 ft) and is one of only four players in history to hit a home run into the centerfield bleachers at the Polo Grounds.

More info on him: https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Luke-Easter/

Saw him play with Cleveland.