Babe Ruth’s 1918 Hot Springs HR to be measured

From the Irish American News on February 23:

The date was March 17, 1918 — St. Patrick’s Day. The scene was Whittington Park in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas.

The home run that George Herman (Babe) Ruth hit that day “changed baseball forever,” according to Bill Jenkinson, one of the country’s most respected and trusted baseball historians and a consultant to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Major League Baseball.

In fact, Jenkinson says, the Hot Springs blast might be second in importance to baseball only to Jackie Robinson’s debut as Major League Baseball’s first African-American player.

On March 15, Jenkinson will be on hand in Hot Springs for the official measurement of Ruth’s towering shot, which could be the longest home run he ever hit. The ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. in the Weyerhaeuser Corporation parking lot at 847 Whittington Avenue, site of the former Whittington Park baseball field.

Joining Jenkinson will be respected baseball historians Gregg Patterson and Mike Dugan.

Read the full article here: http://www.irishamericannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2158:-the-day-that-changed-baseball-forever&catid=63:sports-roundup&Itemid=187



Originally published: February 23, 2011. Last Updated: February 23, 2011.