Who is the greatest home run hitter of all time in major league baseball, and why?

Answer 1

It is a coin flip here. Hank Aaron has the most and did it while most of the country was against equality. Babe Ruth because of the length of the fields and playing his first few seasons as a pitcher in turn not playng everyday. But there is one more and I ask that you do some research on him Josh Gibson who played in the ***** Leagues. His Baseball Hall of Fame plaque says he hit "almost 800" homers in his 17-year career, although the estimates range anywhere from 200 to more than 1000. He is credited with several amazing years, slugging 69 home runs in 1934 and batting .467 with 55 home runs in 137 games in 1933. His lifetime batting average is said to be higher than .350, with other sources putting it as high as .384, the best in ***** League history. It was reported that he won nine home-run titles and four batting championships playing for the Crawfords and the Homestead Grays. In two seasons in the late 1930s, it was written that not only did he hit higher than .400, but his slugging percentage was above 1.000. The Sporting News of June 3, 1967 credits Gibson with a home run in a ***** League game at Yankee Stadium that struck two feet from the top of the wall circling the center field bleachers, about 580 feet from home plate. Although it has never been conclusively proven, Chicago American Giants infielder Jack Marshall said Gibson slugged one over the third deck next to the left field bullpen in 1934 for the only fair ball hit out of the House That Ruth Built.

Answer 2

Ted Williams is always underated in this debate. He hit 511 jacks, but lost five years of prime playing time during when he served in the military. Forty a year would have gotten him close enough to make Babe Ruth a target. He could have been selfish and hit against watered down war time pitching and even hit more. He deserves more credit.

Babe Ruth wasn't a full time postition player during the first few years of his carreer. The ball was different then, so lets say that he should have hit twenty to twenty five a year for the first four years. That could get him up to eight hundred maybe.

Aaron hit the most though. I always say that Aaron was the greatest hitter. He had a lot of hits, not just homers. He could run too. Aaron never gets enough credit. It is pretty sad because he has gotten so much fanfare, but all people look at is the home runs.

My vote is for Ruth. He had to hit against puitchers who scuffed the ball, spit on it and used a lot more pine tar than Kenny Rogers.

Answer 3

I'd go with Babe Ruth for a couple of reasons.

The main reason is that Ruth was so superior to his peers when it came to hitting the long ball. In both 1920 and 1921, he won the home run title by 35 over the second-place finisher. There were also multiple other years in which he had over 20 more than his next closest competitor. I mean no disrespect to Aaron, who finished with the most, but he never hit 50 in a season, and never finished more than 4 homers ahead of the others.

Ruth also played in parks that weren't designed for homers, as are many of today's parks. If he'd had the benefit of parks like those in Houston or Cincinnati, he'd no doubt put up even bigger numbers. Same goes for many of the older greats like Ted Williams or even Aaron.

I think a case could be made for Aaron, Ted Williams, or even Barry Bonds if you can look past the steroids question (I can't). Still, I believe that Ruth outdoes all of them.

Answer 4

The "Babe"......had he had those nearly 4000 extra turns at bat that Aaron had.....he would have had over 1100 home runs.....don't ever forget that.....people look at the final totals but look at the home run per bat ratio and Ruth is really way up there.....no contest.....Yes Williams lost 5 1/2 years and Mays 1 to military service they may have had more or close to Ruth.....but Ruth was also a pitcher for what 3-4 years....how many more would he have hit!!!!.....Ruth by far is the "greatest"!!

Answer 5

Babe Ruth hands down. When he hit 29 home runs in 1919, it was more than most TEAMS had in a total year. And then in 1920, he hit 54. Aaron has more now, as does Barry, but Aaron was mainly consistant & then once they moved to Atlanta, he always felt the ballpark helped him out. The numbers don't really reflect this as he just kept hitting 35+ most of his career. Playing for 23yrs helps also....
As far as Barry goes, he is also great, but he is under much scrutiny at this time...

Answer 6

Even though he probably cheated I would have to say Mark McGuire. If you look at his stats, he hit them more often that Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, or even Babe Ruth. He was the best of all time

Answer 7

The Babe ! does anything else have to be said but" THE BABE" no contest.Can I also mention he had to play in double headers every week.Traveled by bus or train overnight.Must have been hard to get a real good nights sleep.When in a hotel room there probably wasn't AC.So many variables between then and now.Equipment...omg ..what a difference...dead ball...etc.

Answer 8

Hank Aaron because he didn't us drugs to pass Babe Ruth when hr hit 715 home runs

Answer 9

I'm just glad that all the answers to this question don't include Barry Bonds.
My vote goes to Hank Aaron. A true gentleman and a helluva ballplayer.

Answer 10

Ryan Howard would've been... I liked Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris... or The Babe.