WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Baseball legend and slugger Babe Ruth was honored Saturday in Luzerne County with an inaugural event celebrating a homerun he hit right here in Wilkes-Barre.
On October 12th in 19-26, Babe Ruth played in a barnstorming game at Artillery Park in Wilkes-Barre hitting a ball an estimated 650 feet.
His homerun is considered the longest recorded homerun in baseball history and a plaque in Kirby Park marks where the ball landed.
To celebrate this fun piece of local history visit Luzerne County and the City of Wilkes-Barre hosted a Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat Homerun Derby!
Dozens came out to Kirby Park today to see if they can come close to Babe Ruth's record.
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The winner of each division was awarded a trophy and while the competition was tough local officials say it's all about fun community involvement and just a little bit of competition.
"It's all in good fun but the outcome is gonna be I challenged the county manager to a competition city vs the county but a little part of that wasn't made public was that Romilda the manager of the county said mayor let take it a step further your a Phillies fan I'm a Yankees fan how about if the county hits more home runs you have to wear a Yankees uniform to work and I said that's fine but if we hit more home runs than the county you have to wear a Phillies uniform," explained Mayor George Brown.
Saturday's event was expected to raise over 5,000 for the Geisinger Children's Miracle Network.
