Home Run Derby (television program)

Note: This page links to the television program that aired from 1959 to 1961. For the Home Run Derby on All-Star Monday click here.

Home Run Derby was a 1959 television program featuring two players in a home run hitting contest. The episodes were filmed in the off season after the 1958 and 1959 seasons at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, CA. The program's host was Mark Scott and former major league umpire Art Passarella called balls and strikes in addition to ruling homers fair or foul. Former major league outfielder Tom Saffell was one of the pitchers, while another former big leaguer, Eddie Malone, was the backstop. The show gained a new generation of fans when it aired daily in the late 1990s on the Classic Sports Network, which later became ESPN Classic.

The Show's Format

The rules were simple; any contact was either an out or a home run. A swinging or called strike was also an out. Each batter received "nine innings." However, since there were only two possible outcomes of a play (an out or home run), each batter was essentially given 27 outs. The player with the most home runs after nine innings wins, if the players were tied after nine frames, the derby would go into extra innings.

The winner of the week's contest would receive $2,000 and would be invited back to play against a new player the following week's episode. The loser would receive $1,000. There was also a $500 bonus for three consecutive home runs and additional $500 for a fourth home run in a row. Any consecutive home runs hit beyond that point would each be worth $1,000. Jackie Jensen was the only player to hit more than three home runs in a row as he hit five consecutively, but still lost to Mickey Mantle.

Scott, the host, would often chat with each player while his opponent was batting. Willie Mays joked with Scott that he should be quiet while he batted. Scott took him up on the request and whispered into the microphone whenever Mays would step up to the plate.

The Players

Unlike the current Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game, the biggest stars of the day all participated. In total, nine future Hall of Famers were on the show, including Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Harmon Killebrew, and Willie Mays.

Aaron won most money on the show, winning $13,000 in 6 consecutive wins, plus a $500 bonus. His run was ended by Wally Post, who was ousted on the following week's episode by Dick Stuart.

Eddie Mathews and Duke Snider were the only left-handed batter to compete; Mantle, a switch-hitter, batted right-handed in the contests.

Participants included:

• Hank Aaron
• Bob Allison
• Ernie Banks
• Ken Boyer
• Johnny Callison
• Rocky Colavito
• Gil Hodges
• Jackie Jensen
• Al Kaline
• Jim Lemon
• Harmon Killebrew
• Mickey Mantle
• Eddie Mathews
• Willie Mays
• Wally Post
• Frank Robinson
• Duke Snider
• Dick Stuart
• Gus Triandos

Further Reading

• Don Zminda: "Home Run Derby: A Tale of Baseball and Hollywood", in Jean Hastings Ardell and Andy McCue, ed.: Endless Seasons: Baseball in Southern California, The National Pastime, SABR, Number 41, 2011, pp. 69-73.