Ok, not that I really care about the Home Run derby, but baseball has no doubt an incredibly legacy of important home runs in its history. And everyone (including myself), will have personal biases to what is the single best home run moment ever.
So, what is yours. Not necessarily the best home run ever, but the best home run moment.
For me, the clear #1 is Kirk Gibson’s. No, it didn’t win a Series (directly), nor set a record. But I still recall watching that game, and the incredible drama leading up to that, with Gibson disappearing down the dugout tunnel, his clear inability to run, etc.
As far as homers I’ve seen, I’m going with Jim Edmonds’ game-winning walkoff shot in Game 6 of the NLCS last year. He managed to uppercut a ball that was almost over his head, and drilled it to send the series to Game 7.
You also have to recall that the game was the LONGEST in postseason history. 15 innings of the teams fighting to get that last run, culiminated with one of the strangest ways to win.
Bucky Dent (sorry, Red Sox fans)
Reggie, Reggie, Reggie! (OK, it’s three home runs, but still. . .)
Dave Henderson off Donnie Moore in 1986
Ted Williams’ last at-bat
Ted Williams off Luke Sewell’s eephus pitch
Babe Ruth’s uncalled (?) shot
and a personal favorite:
Scott Hatteberg’s walk-off in the 9th inning to extend Oakland’s win streak to 20 games
I’m voting with Joe Carter’s walk off homer in 1993.
I year or two later I remember seeing a huge mural on a blank wall of a building facing Skydome. It was Carter in mid-swing against a black backround with the date and time in the corner of when he hit the ball. I saw that picture and could remember watching the game with him dancing around the bases.
As a long suffering Bills fan, I was thrilled to have a team I’ve rooted for most of my life win.
Babe Ruth didn’t hit a home run in his last at-bat. He did hit three home runs for the Braves in one of his last games. His last home run went clear out of Forbes Field.
