Home Run Facts (Believe It or Not) Part 1
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In 1918, Robert Ripley debuted his famous comic panel and it featured sport's oddities. In ode to the collector of curiosities, I have amassed a mix of unusual stories centered on baseball's beloved home run. Part 1 features the facts and stats from baseball's beginnings.
1876 - Ross Barnes uncorks major league baseball's first home run. It was a long fly that eludes outfieders and rolls into a row of horse-drawn carriages.
1880- Lipman Pike struck a homer which plunged into a nearby river. As outfielder, Lon Knight, attempted to retrieve the ball by boat, Pike scampered to homeplate.
1883 - On July 20th, both Hardy Richardson and Jack Rowe collected inside-the-park home runs when their struck balls were lost in the left field's high grass.
1886 - Chicken Wolf earned his most curious of his 17 career home runs when his rolling hit was chased down by outfielder Abe Powell and a stray dog. Abe, who recovered the ball, had his throw hindered when the dog latched to his pant's leg.
1888 - Billy Holbert plays his final game. Playing primarily as a catcher, he appears in 623 games, gaining 2,335 at bats without ever hitting a dinger. His record for home run futility has yet to be beat.
1890 - Count Campau becomes the first home run champion whose home run output exceeds his error total. (10 home runs to 9 errors) Campau also manages to accomplish another feat when he manages to win two home run titles during the same year. His three home runs lead the International League.
1894 - To show appreciation to Bobby Lowe for his fourth home run of the game, fans toss $160 in coins onto the field.
1895 - Romer "Reddy" Grey, the Inter-State League home run champ, is the brother of author, Zane Grey.
1897 - Tom McCreery hits three inside-the-park homers in a single game. A mark yet to be surpassed.
