Great Home Runs of the 20th Century

By: Rich Westcott

Narrated by: Gary L. Willprecht

Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

The home run is the single most dramatic moment in baseball. Often it has been the exclamation point that appears at the end of a game, a season, a playoff, or a World Series. For fans, certain images such as that of Carlton Fisk urging his shot fair over Green Monster or of Kirk Gibson limping around the bases are engraved in memory. From Babe Ruth to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, the author tells of the stories of what he has selected as the thirty most memorable home runs.

Many of the stories include comments from the author's interviews with home run hitters. Other sections cover sixty additional noteworthy home runs, All Star Game home runs, and milestones such as total home run production and grand slams.

In Rich Westcott's journey through baseball history, fans will encounter the most famous moments and longest blast, as well as fascinating sidelights like these about balls that didn't travel as far. Who won a home run title without hitting a single ball out of the park? Who hit the first inside-the-park home run in a World Series game? Who hit the shortest home run, one that failed to reach the pitcher's mound?

Ty Cobb won the title in 1909 with nine inside-the-park home runs. Casey Stengel for the New York Giants in 1923. Andy Oyler of the Minnesota Millers scored on a two-foot drive into a mud puddle in front of home plate during a game in 1900.

Currently, Westcott teaches sports writing at LaSalle University and is an official scorer at Phillies games.

©2001 Temple University (P)2013 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic Reviews

"This book is a home run on its own and I'm proud to be part of it." (Reggie Jackson)

"Great Home Runs of the 20th Century is an exciting book. It's well worth reading. You really learn a lot about some of the top moments in baseball history. I think it's a great book." (Tommy Lasorda)

"A must for any baseball library." (Jerome Holtzman, Official baseball historian for Major League Baseball)

Very interesting for a fan

A really interesting book! Some of the interviews contained within were fascinating and the descriptions of what happened were exceptional! From this book alone, you will learn a lot about the history of baseball. Well worth a read. Furthermore, the narration is wonderful; keeping you engaged and excited throughout.