Questions About Plays in the Outfield

[Wsmith]

While we’re waiting for baseball to resume, I have a couple of questions regarding outfield play:

 

1. What was the longest fly ball caught in the outfield? Some of the old ballparks had really long fences. For example, centerfield in the Polo Grounds was about 480 ft. from home plate. Did anyone ever catch a fly ball at the warning track?

 

2. What was the longest putout on a sac fly attempt? I’d guess 340 ft. Of course the variables would include (a) the speed of the runner; (b) jump off the base; © and the strength of the outfielder’s arm.

[bcl412]

I love useless baseball history. It's one of the reason why the baseball abstract is so epic.

 

I'm not sure if there is a way to get these answers as it really isn't something that is recorded to my knowledge but my guess Willie Mays' catch would be up there. It would at least be the longest famous out in baseball.

[Derwood]

yep, probably the Mays catch. At the warning track in center field of the Polo Grounds.

 

The Polo Grounds probably had the shortest home runs as well, as it was only 258 feet down the right field line

[Wsmith]

I love useless baseball history. It's one of the reason why the baseball abstract is so epic.

 

I'm not sure if there is a way to get these answers as it really isn't something that is recorded to my knowledge but my guess Willie Mays' catch would be up there. It would at least be the longest famous out in baseball.

 

Yeah, I was thinking about the Mays catch too. The wall was about 440' where he made the catch.

[Guest]

The old timey ballparks had dimensions that would never allow for this type of trivia to be answered. Back then, I'd bet there were some inside the park home runs where the ball never even rolled all the way to the outfield fence. I think I remember seeing that one park had a centerfield fence that was 600 some odd feet from home plate.

[laurens]

We need to get OMC in here. I bet he can answer your question without even having to look anything up.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Given the somewhat urban-legendy history of baseball, I imagine any answers would be shaky at best.