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Posted By: jay behrens

You need to do a little research about those "huge" ballparks. Yes, there were places that went back to 490 and even 500 plus feet, but everyone of those dimensions there were short right and left field porches under 300 feet and power alleys that were under 330 feet.

When Ruth hit 60 HRs, he hit 3 of them in the short porch of right field at Sportsmans Park in St Louis. Becuase so manny HRs were being hit into this area, an 8 foot fence was erected shortly after. When Jimmie Foxx hit 58 HRs in 1932, there is strong evidence that at least 5 balls, and possibly more, were hot off this screen. Given teh same conditions, Foxx would have set the single season record.

As to your comments on pitching, don't kid yourself. Most pitchers in that era were still only throwing in the 70s and 80s. Feller was the exception throwing 90 plus on a regular basis. And with fewer teams and minimal use of relievers, batters faced the same pitchers over and over again and had a chance to get used to pitchers and how thy threw, making it that much easier for the hitters.

David, are you also going to reduce by 1/3 Nolan Ryan's K total because he used training methods and dietary supplements that Walter Johnson didn't use or have access to? Every era of baseball is unique unto itself. Training methods change, playing style and game philospohy changes. "Old Timers" were appauled when players started lifting weights and there was serious talk about putting asteriks next to any records set by these players. 30 years from now our kids will be wondering whatever happened to the good old days of the turn of the century. 21st century that is.

Jay