When it comes to baseball, few moments are as exhilarating as the crack of a bat sending a ball soaring out of the park. Over the years, Major League Baseball has witnessed a staggering 290,678 home runs since the National Association’s inception in 1871.
Now, imagine boiling all those historic home runs down to just the cream of the crop. What if you had to pinpoint the ones that didn’t just make the highlight reel but defined the game itself? That’s exactly what we’re going to do here.
The Shot Heard ‘Round the World
On October 3, 1951, Bobby Thomson etched his name into baseball lore with his “Shot Heard ‘Round the World.” The atmosphere was electric at the Polo Grounds as the Giants staged an incredible 13-game comeback to tie the Dodgers and force a tiebreaker series.
Down 4-1 in the bottom of the ninth in Game 3, the Giants rallied. Ralph Branca came in to pitch for Brooklyn with two men on base. On Branca’s second pitch, Thomson smashed the ball into the left-field stands, clinching the National League pennant for the Giants.
Russ Hodges’ iconic radio call, “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!” caught the excitement that swept not only the stadium but also the entire nation glued to their televisions and radios. This home run didn’t just change the game; it defined an era in baseball history.
Bill Mazeroski makes World Series History.
It doesn’t get any more dramatic than ending a World Series on a home run, and Bill Mazeroski is the only player ever to do it. The stage was Game 7 of the 1960 Fall Classic, and the Pittsburgh Pirates were battling the New York Yankees at Forbes Field.
The game had been a rollercoaster of emotions, with lead changes and comebacks keeping fans on the edge of their seats. In the bottom of the ninth, with the score tied, Mazeroski, a player known more for his defense than his bat, stepped up to the plate. Against all odds, he smashed the ball over the left-field wall.
The Pirates won the World Series, and Mazeroski’s home run was forever etched into baseball lore. Even Yankees legend Mickey Mantle later admitted this loss brought him to tears, showing just how impactful Maz’s homer was.
“There’s a new home run champion of all-time, and it’s Henry Aaron.”
For decades, Babe Ruth was the unrivaled home run king, but with current FanDuel MLB odds, we can explore how athletes today stack up against his legendary record.
But on April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron stepped up to the plate and changed the course of history. It wasn’t just any game; Aaron was sitting at 714 career home runs, tied with The Babe. As he faced Dodgers’ pitcher Al Downing, the anticipation was palpable.
On his first swing, Aaron sent the ball soaring over the left-field fence at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium. The crowd erupted as Aaron rounded the bases, officially dethroning Ruth with his 715th home run. Dodgers outfielder Bill Buckner even tried to make a play, but the ball was simply out of reach.
It wasn’t just a record-breaker; it was a milestone that cemented Aaron’s legacy and celebrated his relentless consistency and power.
Kirk Gibson, on one leg
In one of the most dramatic moments in baseball history, Kirk Gibson defied the odds on October 15, 1988. Nursing knee and hamstring injuries, Gibson wasn’t even expected to play in Game 1 of the World Series against the A’s. As the Dodgers trailed 4-3 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Vin Scully had already announced that Gibson wouldn’t be available. But Gibson had other plans. Determined to contribute, he iced his legs in the clubhouse, hoping to get just one at-bat.
What happened next is the stuff of legends. On a 3-2 count, Gibson smashed a backdoor slider into the right-field stands. The unlikely hero’s walk-off home run lifted the Dodgers to a stunning 5-4 victory, capturing the hearts of baseball fans everywhere.
Carlton Fisk waves it fair.
The 1975 World Series was already a classic by Game 6, but Carlton Fisk’s heroics made it legendary. Facing elimination at Fenway, the Red Sox trailed 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth. Bernie Carbo’s three-run homer tied it up, setting the stage for a nail-biting finish.
Both teams had chances, but it dragged into the 12th inning. Fisk stepped up against Pat Darcy and, on the second pitch, launched a towering fly ball down the left-field line. As the camera caught Fisk frantically waving his arms, willing the ball to stay fair, the tension was electrifying. It did. The ball clanked off the foul pole, giving Boston a walk-off win.
Fisk’s ecstatic hop down the first-base line is immortalized in baseball lore, capturing the hearts of fans and turning an already memorable World Series into an enduring tale of clutch performance under pressure.
Mark McGwire sets the single-season home run record.
For nearly 40 years, Roger Maris’ 61 homers in ’61 stood as the gold standard. But in the summer of 1998, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa turned every game into a must-watch event. Trading the league lead in homers, they had fans on the edge of their seats.
McGwire, in particular, had a scorching end to August, belting eight homers in just 14 games. By September 8th, he was tied with Maris at 61. Facing the Cubs, McGwire smashed his 62nd home run, sending the ball over the left-field wall and into the record books.
He finished the season with a staggering 70 home runs, while Sosa followed closely with 66. The chase not only broke records but also reignited a nationwide passion for baseball.
“Touch ’em all, Joe”
With the Blue Jays down 6-5 in the ninth inning of Game 6 in the 1993 World Series, it looked like the Phillies were ready to push the series to Game 7. Closer Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams was on the mound, but things quickly went awry.
He walked Rickey Henderson and gave up a single to Paul Molitor, putting Joe Carter at the plate with one out. The stakes were sky-high. Carter delivered one of the most memorable moments in baseball history by launching a three-run homer into the left-field stands.
As he jubilantly rounded the bases, Tom Cheek’s legendary call echoed, “Touch ’em all, Joe, you’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life!” With that swing, Toronto claimed their second consecutive World Series title, and Carter etched his name into baseball lore.
The Bottom Line
Baseball is a game of moments, and these are just some of the unforgettable ones that have shaped its rich history.
From walk-off home runs to record-breaking blasts, we never know when we are going to witness another iconic moment on the diamond.
