Home Run Derby Origins
Tonight eight players will compete in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby as part of the All-Star Game celebrations in Washington, D.C. The eight players are Jesus Aguilar, Rhys Hoskins, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Javier Baez, and the lone American Leaguer Alex Bregman. The modern home run derby has been a part of the All-Star game since 1985 when it first appeared in Minnesota at the Metrodome. However, the roots go back even further to 1960 when Mark Scott hosted
the Home Run Derby television show every week. Late in 1984 Gatorade had the precursor to the Home Run Derby with a weekly tournament called the Gatorade Super Slam. Let's look at the television show, the Gatorade Super Slam Contest and the first All-Star Game Home Run Derby.
Home run derbies were experimented with before 1985, but not as part of the All-Star game. In 1960 Mark Scott hosted a television show by the name of Home Run Derby that featured 19 different contestants and lasted 26 episodes. The first episode saw Mickey Mantle beat Willie Mays by a score of 9-8. It was a fairly simple format. One contestant stood in the batter's box trying to hit home runs, while the other contestant was interviewed by Scott. Anything that the batter did not hit over the fence in fair territory was an out. Once a contestant made three outs the other contestant would take his swings. This went on for nine innings, like a regular baseball game. Scott would become known for his trademark call during the show, "That's a hit in any park in America, but it's just an out in Home Run Derby." The show was a true Hollywood production taking place in Los Angeles, California at Wrigley Field, the original home of the Los Angeles Angels. It was a wonderful show for the personal interaction with the players, but it was not a great success and only lasted one season.
In 1984 NBC and Gatorade put together what they called the Gatorade Super Slam Contest. The competitions took place during batting practice and highlights were shown during the pregame for the game of the week during the season. The 32 contestants were made up of the 26 players who had led their team in home runs the previous season and six at large entries. The format was much like the old television show from 1960 where anything not hit over the wall in fair territory was an out, except the contests only lasted five innings. $160,000 in prize money was put up by Gatorade and NBC for winners of the weekly contests with $50,000 of it going to the finals winner and $25,000 going to the runner-up. The final event was at Tiger Stadium before Game 4 of the World Series between The
Detroit Tigers and the San Diego Padres. The contestants were Greg Luzinski of the White Sox, and Jeffrey Leonard of the San Francisco Giants. Luzinski got to the finals by defeating Tom Brunansky, Hal McRae, Larry Parrish and Tony Armas. Leonard reached the finals by defeating Greg Brock, Gary Redus, Terry Kennedy and Jody Davis. Luzinski would come away victorious by a score of 4-3. He gave $10,000 of his winnings to White Sox Coach Art Kusnyer who had pitched to him during the season long contest.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome lovingly known as the Homerdome, was the first stadium to host a Home Run Derby during the All-Star Game break. In 1985 the format pitted the American League vs. the National League instead of the more traditional format of player vs. player. For the National League it was the top five home run hitters at the break, Dale Murphy, Jack Clark, Dave Parker, Steve Garvey and Ryne Sandberg. For the American League it was Carlton Fisk, Tom Brunansky, Jim Rice, Cal Ripken, and Eddie Murray. Lou Whittaker was to compete but his flight did not arrive on time. It was reported that George Brett was going to take his spot, but instead it went to Ripken. The format called for each batter taking two rounds of swings consisting of five outs, with an out being anything that did not clear the fence in fair territory.
The contest took place the day before the All-Star Game during a workout that was open to the public. 46,024 fans paid their $2 to watch the players warm up, take batting practice and then enjoy the first Home Run Derby. San Diego Padres coach Ozzie Virgil Sr., stepped out to the pitcher's mound to pitch to the National League. Dave Parker seemed to like his lobs to the plate since he hit six home runs, the most of anyone on the day. Parker also commented on hitting in the Metrodome by saying, "It's electrifying. You know, it's like hitting in a big ol' garbage bag." Ryne Sandberg was the victim of a strange moment during his at-bat. He hit a deep ball to center field that looked like it was just going to clear the wall. Then one of the high school kids shagging fly balls by the name of Sean Moe, leaped up, stuck his glove over the fence and caught the ball. Moe got loud applause from the crowd for his great catch, but he was worried that he would get it trouble for stopping the home run. He never got in trouble and he still has the baseball as a little piece of derby history.
Minnesota Twins coach Tom Kelly, who later became the teams manager, was on the mound pitching to the American League batters. Eddie Murray was crushing the ball with three home runs going into the upper deck in right field. He almost had a fourth in the upper deck, but the ball hit a speaker. Murray became the first player to hit a speaker at the Metrodome in fair territory. When comparing the home runs hit by Murray to other participants, Kelly said, "The balls Rice hit his first turn are the hardest I was ever hit." After the first round the American League was up by a score of 10-8.
In the second round the National League jumped out to a 16-14 lead and the only batter left for the American League was hometown hero Minnesota Twins, Tom Brunansky. In his first at-bat, Bruno had been jittery and his knees were shaking. By his second time at-bat, he was more comfortable but still scared because he didn't want to flop in front of the home crowd. The first couple of pitches from Kelly were high and he let them go by. Brunansky asked Kelly to pitch him high and slightly away so that he could get his arms extended to generate more power. Instead, Kelly missed his spot and threw the pitch low and inside. Bruno swung and it jumped off his bat for a home run. The American League was now down by one home run. Brunansky looked at Kelly and asked for more pitches in that location, so Kelly obliged him. Three swings and two home runs later, the local hero had won the Home Run Derby for the American League by a score of 17-16. And the crowd was chanting "Bruuuuuuno, Bruuuuuuno, Bruuuuuuno."
As exciting as the Home Run Derby was in 1985, it was not televised so no one outside of the Metrodome saw it. It would not be until 1993 that the Derby would be televised, which was the historic year that Ken Griffey Jr. hit the warehouse across the street from Camden Yards in Batimore. Many of the Home Run Derbies are not remembered for who won the event, but who smashed the most or the longest home runs. Many people remember the Griffey home run at Camden Yards, but how many remember that Juan Gonzalez actually won that year? It was memorable when Josh Hamilton hit 28 home runs in 2008, but few remember that Justin Morneau won the event. Enjoy this year's derby at Nationals Park, and while you are watching think about all of the great home run hitters who participated in the past, and the home runs they hit.
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| Mantle, Scott, and Mays on Home Run Derby in 1960 |
In 1984 NBC and Gatorade put together what they called the Gatorade Super Slam Contest. The competitions took place during batting practice and highlights were shown during the pregame for the game of the week during the season. The 32 contestants were made up of the 26 players who had led their team in home runs the previous season and six at large entries. The format was much like the old television show from 1960 where anything not hit over the wall in fair territory was an out, except the contests only lasted five innings. $160,000 in prize money was put up by Gatorade and NBC for winners of the weekly contests with $50,000 of it going to the finals winner and $25,000 going to the runner-up. The final event was at Tiger Stadium before Game 4 of the World Series between The
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| 1984 Gatorade Super Slam Contest opening credits. |
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome lovingly known as the Homerdome, was the first stadium to host a Home Run Derby during the All-Star Game break. In 1985 the format pitted the American League vs. the National League instead of the more traditional format of player vs. player. For the National League it was the top five home run hitters at the break, Dale Murphy, Jack Clark, Dave Parker, Steve Garvey and Ryne Sandberg. For the American League it was Carlton Fisk, Tom Brunansky, Jim Rice, Cal Ripken, and Eddie Murray. Lou Whittaker was to compete but his flight did not arrive on time. It was reported that George Brett was going to take his spot, but instead it went to Ripken. The format called for each batter taking two rounds of swings consisting of five outs, with an out being anything that did not clear the fence in fair territory.
The contest took place the day before the All-Star Game during a workout that was open to the public. 46,024 fans paid their $2 to watch the players warm up, take batting practice and then enjoy the first Home Run Derby. San Diego Padres coach Ozzie Virgil Sr., stepped out to the pitcher's mound to pitch to the National League. Dave Parker seemed to like his lobs to the plate since he hit six home runs, the most of anyone on the day. Parker also commented on hitting in the Metrodome by saying, "It's electrifying. You know, it's like hitting in a big ol' garbage bag." Ryne Sandberg was the victim of a strange moment during his at-bat. He hit a deep ball to center field that looked like it was just going to clear the wall. Then one of the high school kids shagging fly balls by the name of Sean Moe, leaped up, stuck his glove over the fence and caught the ball. Moe got loud applause from the crowd for his great catch, but he was worried that he would get it trouble for stopping the home run. He never got in trouble and he still has the baseball as a little piece of derby history.
Minnesota Twins coach Tom Kelly, who later became the teams manager, was on the mound pitching to the American League batters. Eddie Murray was crushing the ball with three home runs going into the upper deck in right field. He almost had a fourth in the upper deck, but the ball hit a speaker. Murray became the first player to hit a speaker at the Metrodome in fair territory. When comparing the home runs hit by Murray to other participants, Kelly said, "The balls Rice hit his first turn are the hardest I was ever hit." After the first round the American League was up by a score of 10-8.
In the second round the National League jumped out to a 16-14 lead and the only batter left for the American League was hometown hero Minnesota Twins, Tom Brunansky. In his first at-bat, Bruno had been jittery and his knees were shaking. By his second time at-bat, he was more comfortable but still scared because he didn't want to flop in front of the home crowd. The first couple of pitches from Kelly were high and he let them go by. Brunansky asked Kelly to pitch him high and slightly away so that he could get his arms extended to generate more power. Instead, Kelly missed his spot and threw the pitch low and inside. Bruno swung and it jumped off his bat for a home run. The American League was now down by one home run. Brunansky looked at Kelly and asked for more pitches in that location, so Kelly obliged him. Three swings and two home runs later, the local hero had won the Home Run Derby for the American League by a score of 17-16. And the crowd was chanting "Bruuuuuuno, Bruuuuuuno, Bruuuuuuno."
As exciting as the Home Run Derby was in 1985, it was not televised so no one outside of the Metrodome saw it. It would not be until 1993 that the Derby would be televised, which was the historic year that Ken Griffey Jr. hit the warehouse across the street from Camden Yards in Batimore. Many of the Home Run Derbies are not remembered for who won the event, but who smashed the most or the longest home runs. Many people remember the Griffey home run at Camden Yards, but how many remember that Juan Gonzalez actually won that year? It was memorable when Josh Hamilton hit 28 home runs in 2008, but few remember that Justin Morneau won the event. Enjoy this year's derby at Nationals Park, and while you are watching think about all of the great home run hitters who participated in the past, and the home runs they hit.
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