One fly ball that made it out of the park produced one of baseball’s most unforgettable trips around the bases.

On June 23, 1963, Jimmy Piersall celebrated his first homer as a New York Met—and the 100th of his career—in unforgettable fashion. After lofting a fly ball that just made it out of the park, Piersall ran the bases backwards, turning a routine trot into a spectacle. The home run helped lift the Mets to victory and out of the National League cellar ahead of Houston. For one afternoon, the milestone swing and the backwards dash became one of baseball’s quirkiest celebrations.

🕵️ Inside The Original Newspaper Coverage:

  • Casey Stengel’s surprising reaction to the backwards home run trot

  • The moment Piersall knew he had a home run and what happened next

  • Photo captures Piersall stepping arriving backwards at home plate

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