As a baseball aficionado with a deep knowledge of the sport's history, I can tell you that the question of the longest home run in baseball history is a topic of much debate and discussion. There are several factors to consider when discussing the longest home run, such as the exact measurement of the distance, the conditions under which the home run was hit, and the reliability of the data.

Mickey Mantle is indeed a name that often comes up in such discussions. Known for his incredible power and speed, Mantle was a switch hitter who could hit with both power and precision. The story goes that on June 30, 1963, Mantle hit a home run during an exhibition game at the University of Michigan's Michigan Stadium. This is where the claim of the longest home run comes from, with the distance stated as approximately 656 feet to the point where it first landed.

However, it's important to note that this record is not officially recognized by Major League Baseball (MLB) due to the nature of the event and the lack of standardized measurement tools at the time. The conditions of the stadium, including the wind and the altitude, can also affect the distance a ball travels. Additionally, the ball used in Mantle's home run was a standard American League ball, which is slightly smaller and has less "carry" than the balls used in college or international play.

There are other notable home runs that have been measured with modern technology and are officially recognized. For example, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa both hit home runs that were measured at over 500 feet during the 1998 MLB season.
Barry Bonds is also known for hitting home runs with incredible distances, with some estimates placing his longest at over 500 feet as well.

In recent years, the use of advanced tracking systems like Statcast has allowed for more accurate measurements of home run distances. These systems use a combination of radar and optical tracking to measure the exit velocity of the ball off the bat, as well as the launch angle and the distance the ball travels.

It's also worth mentioning that the longest home run in terms of vertical distance is often attributed to Babe Ruth. His famous "Called Shot" during the 1932 World Series is said to have traveled an impressive vertical distance, although the exact measurement is disputed.

In conclusion, while Mickey Mantle's home run is often cited as the longest in baseball history, it is not officially recognized due to the lack of standardized measurements and the conditions under which it was hit. The longest home runs in terms of distance are still a topic of debate, with modern technology providing more accurate measurements and new records being set regularly.

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The distance: 656 feet to the point where it first landed! 19-year-old Mickey Mantle had just hit the longest home run in baseball history! But Mickey wasn't finished. His second homer, also hit left-handed, was a high, opposite-field drive that easily cleared the left-field wall.read more >>