Home Run Facts (Believe It Or Not) Part 2
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In continuance of my collection of rare home run facts, I display some curiosities of baseball's first fifty years of the twentieth century.
1905 - Fred Odwell led the NL with 9 home runs in just his second season. By 1907 he had played his last season managing never to hit another home run.
1916 - Chicago Cubs' fans are the first fans allowed to keep balls hit into the stands. Decades later, Cubs fans become the first to throw opposing team homers back.
1921 - The New York Yankees roster featured five former and future home run leaders. Babe Ruth, Home Run Baker, Braggo Roth, Wally Pipp and Bob Meusel.
1927 - Rube Wahlberg surrenders Babe Ruth's 400th career home run. In all, Wahlberg was victimized 18 times by Ruth establishing the record for most home runs by a pitcher to any batter.
1929 - For catching Babe Ruth's 500th home run, Jack Geiser was given an Ruth autograph, paid $20.00 for the ball and given the best seat at Yankee Stadium -next to Babe Ruth on the Yankee's dugout bench.
1932 - Al home run leader, Jimmie Foxx, claimed milking cows as a kid developed his strong wrists and forearms. Mickey Mantle would later claim the same of himself.
1939 - NL home run king, Johnny Mize, claimed his strength came from batting tennis balls off the side of a barn with a broom stick.
1941 - During Joe DiMaggio's awesome 56 game hitting streak he swats 14 home runs.
1949 - Balls caught by outfielders before they stumbled over the outfield hedge at Ponce De Leon Park in the Southern Association were ruled home runs because the outfielders didn't stay in fair territory.
