How many posters will boast they could homer at a Major League park?

[packer2012]

J-Man

I don't know where you are coming from on the softball comment.
"Back in the day" (mid 70's to late 80's) when lots of money was spent to sponsor softball teams... There were a few elite teams that played above all other levels. Far above ANY level that has even existed for several years. I have hit 100's of HR well over 400 feet and I was a pup compared to a handful of other hitters around the country.
Many areas of most MLB parks would have been well within reach of top softball power hitters.
In exhibitions HR's have been hit in the Astrodome. One of the least hitter friendly hitter parks ever!

 

[DickyW]

"Many areas of most MLB parks would have been well within reach top softball power hitters"

Sorry Packer! That is one of the most insane comments I have ever read.
I played Softball at a very "high level" for many years and have NEVER EVER seen a 400ft homer, I have seen them roll 400 feet. Back in your day I would serve you up 100 pitches and I would bet any ammount you could not put one on the warning track of commerica park

 

[packer2012]

Dicky,

This is a lame discussion because I am 20 years past my prime. I will tell you this. On your "back in the day" rebuttal... You better have been pitching in a huge park, below sea level and wind blowing in, or you would lose you butt.
If you did not see balls ever hit 400 ft, then you were not around "big time" softball. you probably were not because most people don't even recognize that this level existed.
The level of softball knowledge around here is really mimimal if someone here does not recognize the truth in what I am saying.

 

[DickyW]

Packer
There use to be a touring proffesional team called the King and His Court(maybe you heard of them) that use to stop by my home town once a year. They use to play in a park with MLB dimensions against other class A teams and I only seen one ball hit out, it was 330 ft to left center and BARELY got out. I am not saying a 400ft homer has'nt been done, just like I am not saying a golf ball has never been hit over 450 yds. It may have happened somewhere, sometime under out of the ordinary conditions. You will never convince me any man could ever hit 400ft homers multiple times.

 

[packer2012]

Sorry Dicky,

For the confusion.... Any discussion of power in softball involves slow pitch. The King and whoever (I know who they are) would have gotten their asses handed to them is slow pitch by several of the teams I am talking about. Fast pitch was never about power. Only about one thing... Pitching. Hence the King did not much need his "court".
I thought the thread was about "the long ball". Take my word for it.... Back in the day a select few people could really go deep!

 

[batman60]

Ever looked on in disbelief on one of your golf shots at how far it went same thing can happen with hitting a baseball - With the right pitch and the right swing anyone in here that doesn't have girlie buggy whip arms would pump one over the back wall once, Strong hulking men like myself a little more often! Doing it consistantly is very hard doing it once - piece of cake!

 

[Journeyman]

parker, my point was a softball player could reach 360....

i`m 205 lbs...the furthest I ever hit a softball was 360...I`m with Dicky here 400 would be a major jack wioth a softball...

The best power hitting softball players all seemed to be rather big heavy set types who can generate alot of hip action, myself I have more of a hard ball swing....

I`d love to see a 450 foot sofball homerun, lol

 

[ballsofblue]

i could take a sand wedge out no chance with a bat

 

[DickyW]

Packer
I have played in many softball leauges with the NO homer rule or 1 per inning because the big studs would plunk them out everytime. The no homer rule was normally the parks with the 275 fences and I have put more then a few out myself.
I will say this, hitting a softball is definetly an art, and I have seen plenty of great baseball players who were very average sofball players. I also am not doubting for a second a top notch slow pitch team would a MLB team in a game of softball let alone the King and his court

 

[Journeyman]

two entirely different swings...baseball swing is about quickness...softball more longer swing and weight generates power..also getting the right spin on the ball in softball for the carry...personally I hate softball unless its just batting practice or shagging fly balls....Softball games are boring.

 

[packer2012]

Now we are starting to communicate.
You see I am talking about what was called "open class" slow pitch. No A or B. Just "open".. translate to mean "you better have lots of hitters or stay home" Before everything was watered down and "sissified" with the restricted flight balls and the no homer rules. That stuff ruined the game for us. All the concern about lawsuits if someone got smoked with a line drive, you know.
We used to play lots of tournament games on high school baseball diamonds. I'm talking beautifully manicured fields. No temporary fences either. About 320 down the lines and 340 or more in the power ally. Louisville, KY was famous for these kind of parks. Had a couple huge tournaments each summer with teams from all over the country. It always came down to the same handful of teams in the end though. Most of our tournaments were all around (flew to ten tournaments in 1977) against the same opponents. Usually a few regional teams to fill out the field. They would get racked and then the same teams would be in the last 4 to 8 slots to win the championship. Those were the days.
Did not make any money, but it was a heck of a challenge.
Come to think of it, kind of similar in that way to most people's handicapping.

 

[HantaVirus]

Sure I could. If I get to hit from second base.

 

[BallRash]

LMFAO @ a 400ft softball HR

I've read it all now on this site. Next thing you know someone will have 90% year in football wagering

Packer I've seen MLB hitters have a HR derby in a softball park and I guarantee you none of them hit anything near 400ft.

There were well over 500 pitches thrown to them

 

[Journeyman]

I don`t think I ever saw a softball that wasn`t restricted, when were these balls on the market? 300 ft fence is about all i ever saw......

 

[BallRash]

J-man

Normal softball park dimensions are about 230-240 down the line in left 250-260 dead center and 230-240 down the line in right

It actually takes more skill to hit a lobbed ball out then you think

 

[winkyduck]

won't boast i can - cuz i did.

1990: i belong to a group that plays a hardball game every year at dodger stadium. before the game we take some BP. we played the game with an aluminum bat. a few swings into BP i crush one. this baby is hugging the line (ala carlton fisk in the '75 WS). i watch the ball fly down the line knowing i hit it good - but wondering how good i hit it. i see it hit the top of the railing about 6 inches inside the foul pole (330 down the line), see it bounce about 5 feet in the air (and at this point in time i am literally trying to push it over the fence) and fall on the other side of the wall for a HR.

later on i took a bat and ball and went to the warning track and fungoed a ball into the left field pavillion, too.

 

[Journeyman]

Ball Rash..

what dimensions are you playing on/ thats a small field your talking about? I have seen 280 or 300 thats usually the norm in MD.

I have hit enough balls 300 feet to know and thats about it for me, one day for some reason I was hitting balls about 360, I was so surprised how far the ball was traveling I went and measured it...I was a hardball player , I wasn t into softball other than talking BP.