Page "Roberto Clemente" Paragraph 20

On May 17, 1959, in the final half inning during a double header in Chicago, Clemente hit a tape measure home run, one of three in the stadium's history to even come close to hitting its distant right centerfield scoreboard.

Clemente's home run was hit to straightaway center field, exiting Wrigley just to the left of the scoreboard.

Writing 10 years later, Cubs ' shortstop Ernie Banks would call it the longest ball he'd seen hit at Wrigley Field ; according to Banks, the consensus among the Cubs was that " it must have traveled more than 500 feet ( 152. 4 m ) on its trip into Waveland Avenue.

" Clemente himself, having walked off the distance from the centerfield fence to the back of the stadium, underneath the scoreboard, and then been directed to the landing spot of the ball, estimated the distance at 565 feet ( 172. 2 m ), the longest he would ever recall hitting.

Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse called it the hardest ball he had ever seen hit without benefit of the wind, while " Cubs ' batting coach batting coach Rogers Hornsby ," reported Les Biederman of The Sporting News, " said it was the longest he ever witnessed and manager Bob Scheffing agreed it was No. 1 in his book.