What’s the fastest time for an “Inside the Park Home Run” in Baseball?
I am referring to the time “around the bases” from home plate, touching all 3 bases, and crossing home plate again?
First, we have to calculate the actual distance.
90 feet between bases, makes 360 feet or 120 yards of linear running. Draw a circle around the base paths, and that makes about 133 yards (using circumference = pi x diameter). 133 yards is about 121.6 meters.
To get an idea of 120 meters on a curve, run from Lane 1 starting from the “3rd leg” 4×100 meter acceleration zone using a standing pike start. Some stadiums have a track on the inside rail as a “warm-up lane” for joggers and walkers like Stanford. Don’t you just hate recreational walkers getting in your way of a speed workout?
Of course, the curve of a baseball running path is twice as tight at approx 60 feet 6 inches (20 yards) compared to an IAAF track with a radius measuring 36.80m.
Who the heck is Evar Swanson?
A contest was held on September 15, 1929 between baseball games of a doubleheader. The “World Best” time according to Guinness is 13.3 seconds set by Evar Swanson which still stands today!
This event should be held at the All Star Game next to the home run derby. We all like to show off speed, power, and strength at these events.
I guess they don’t hold this event as it might result in a few hamstring pulls or tears.
NHL Hockey has a similar speed event in their All-Star Game.
Anybody got Bud Selig’s email?
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Hi Jimson,
Very nice idea about including an around the bases event for the All Star game. I’m sure they could get a number of young bucks off of the various rosters who predominantly might sit the bench during the season to enter into such a contest so that the “A” players aren’t affected. Heck, bring in some blazing minor leaguers who usually are on the 40 man rosters for the last month of the season.
On base stealing, as an ex-base stealing fool I would say that the most important factors with an understanding of the game situations and conditions are:
1. Pure Speed and absolute quickness as a combined talent
2. Bold aggressiveness and a daring attitude
3. Reading the pitcher’s moves and tendencies with the catcher (always assume the catcher will throw the runner out if given a decent chance)
4. Giving the pitcher and catcher different looks and perceptions leading off the bag by changing the tempo, timing and distance of harboring around the base
5. Decoying the specific fielders covering the bag one is currently occupying
6. Deploying various initial moves towards the next bag (artfully beginning a slow walk while just off the bag into a full sprint is highly successful when used at the appropriate time)
7. Having a slew of sliding tactics and techniques for “hitting the bag” to be stolen
8. A willingness to sacrifice one’s body for the many collisions to occur with the basemen receiving and delivering the tags
There are plenty of other nuances, but it basically boils down to speed, guts and developing a sixth sense of creating odds for success
p.s. Try pitching your idea to the commissioner’s office. Who knows what might happen down the road?!
@Fred – yes, I would love to see this “event” at the All Star game.
As a base stealer myself, I was focusing on staying low, and used my hand to get that “jump”. I found my hand moved my feet.
You also need the eyes of a long jumper hitting the board, as to know when to start your slide.
I thought that Deion Sanders broke that record while playing for the Braves against Colorado in 95 or 96? Deion did it in like 13 flat, and didn’t even turn the jets all the way on.
Here is an example of an “inside the park” homerun in 13.8 seconds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2RTN3-RfgI
the true fastest runner ever is actually cool papa bell 12 flat
I agree completely – very true! Cool Papa = 4 bases in 12 seconds…fastest in the league.
The record is actually of dominican player Esteban Vargas, 13.2 in the negro league: http://baseballhistoryblog.com/1238/tetelo-vargas-the-dominican-deer/
@Jesus, thanks for this great find. But how did they record 13.25 back then? My guess it’s 13.2 which is really 13 and one-fifth. Stopwatches back then were to the fifth, then later, tenths.
If someone knows of a stopwatch with 1/4 second increments, let me know.