Some home runs do more than score runs; they become chapters of baseball history that fans never stop talking about.
These legendary swings carried impossible pressure, emotional weight, and the kind of perfect timing that turned players into icons. Some changed pennant races, others decided championships, and a few even defined entire eras of the sport.
They’re replayed for decades because they capture everything baseball stands for: drama, heartbreak, triumph, and pure adrenaline. Here are the MLB home runs that became truly legendary.
Let’s take a closer look.
The Shot Heard ’Round the World — the original baseball myth
Bobby Thomson’s 1951 walk-off is still the most famous home run ever hit.
With the Giants and Dodgers tied in a three-game playoff for the pennant, Thomson stepped to the plate trailing 4–2 in the bottom of the ninth. On a 0–1 pitch from Ralph Branca, he sent a fastball screaming into the left-field seats, launching New York into the World Series and into baseball folklore.
It wasn’t only the stakes; it was Russ Hodges’ deafening call, “The Giants win the pennant!” that elevated the moment into national memory. The home run came during a booming postwar America, when baseball ruled the country’s sports landscape. Thomson’s swing became a symbol of impossible comebacks and remains the benchmark for every clutch postseason moment that followed.
Kirk Gibson’s miracle in 1988 — the homer that shouldn’t have been possible
Kirk Gibson’s hobbled home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series remains one of the most emotional moments in MLB history.
Gibson wasn’t supposed to play; he could barely walk due to injuries in both legs. But with the Dodgers trailing and closer Dennis Eckersley on the mound, Gibson limped into the batter’s box as a last-chance pinch hitter.
After fighting through a painful at-bat, he got a backdoor slider and powered it into the right-field pavilion. Gibson’s slow, fist-pumping trot around the bases is still one of the most replayed images in sports.
That swing shifted the entire tone of the series. The Dodgers, heavy underdogs, fed off that momentum and shocked the A’s to win the title. Gibson’s homer remains the gold standard for gut-check, movie-script baseball magic.
Carlton Fisk’s 1975 Game 6 blast — the swing that changed sports television
Carlton Fisk’s home run in the 1975 World Series became iconic not just for when it happened, but how it was seen.
In the 12th inning of Game 6 against the Reds, Fisk lifted a towering shot down the left-field line. As the ball drifted toward the foul pole, he famously hopped and waved his arms, trying to will it fair. When it clanged off the pole, Fenway Park erupted in pandemonium.
Even more remarkable: the moment only became iconic because a cameraman accidentally kept the lens on Fisk instead of tracking the ball. The result was one of the most emotional live shots in sports broadcast history and a turning point in how baseball moments were filmed. The Red Sox didn’t win the series, but Fisk’s home run became one of the sport’s defining images.
Joe Carter’s World Series walk-off — a championship-ending swing
Joe Carter’s 1993 blast is one of the few home runs in MLB history to win a World Series instantly.
With the Blue Jays down a run in Game 6, Carter faced Mitch Williams with runners on. On a 2–2 pitch, he sent a line drive into the left-field stands, ending the game and securing Toronto’s second straight championship. Carter leapt around the bases in a celebration that still stands as one of baseball’s most joyful scenes.
The magnitude of the moment, a World Series clinched with one swing, makes it one of the rarest achievements the sport has ever seen. It remains the dream scenario every kid imagines in a backyard game: bottom of the ninth, championship on the line, and the walk-off homer heard around the world.
Reggie Jackson’s three-homer masterpiece — Mr. October earns his nickname
Reggie Jackson delivered one of the greatest single-game performances in postseason history in the 1977 World Series.
In Game 6, Jackson came to the plate three times and homered on all three swings. Even more incredible, each blast came off a different Dodgers pitcher. The power display electrified Yankee Stadium and sealed the championship for New York.
It wasn’t just dominance; it was swagger, confidence, and the birth of the “Mr. October” legend. Jackson’s performance remains unmatched in postseason lore and stands as one of the purest showcases of a superstar rising to the moment.
David Ortiz’s 2013 grand slam — the moment that revived Fenway Park
David Ortiz has delivered countless clutch hits, but his ALCS Game 2 grand slam may be his most iconic.
Down 5–1 in the eighth against Detroit’s elite pitching staff, the Red Sox were desperate for a spark. Ortiz delivered with a towering shot to the right that tied the game instantly.
The image of Torii Hunter flipping over the bullpen wall in a failed attempt to catch the ball became an instant classic. Fenway shook with noise as Ortiz rounded the bases, and the momentum of the series flipped entirely. Boston carried that energy through the ALCS and ultimately won the World Series, making Ortiz’s homer the turning point of the entire run.
Mark McGwire breaks Roger Maris’ record — a national moment
When Mark McGwire hit home run No. 62 in 1998, baseball hadn’t seen a moment that unifying in decades.
His line drive barely cleared the wall, but its impact was enormous, ending Roger Maris’ 37-year single-season home run record. The moment stopped the nation. Fans, teammates, and even rival Sammy Sosa came onto the field to celebrate.
The home run chase brought massive attention back to the sport after the 1994 strike, turning every McGwire at-bat into live theater.
Bryce Harper’s 2022 NLCS shot — a modern classic
Bryce Harper added a new chapter to postseason lore with his go-ahead home run in Game 5 of the 2022 NLCS.
With the Phillies trailing late, Harper launched an opposite-field shot known instantly as “The Swing of His Life.” Citizens Bank Park erupted as Philadelphia punched its ticket to the World Series. It showcased Harper’s superstar presence and his ability to rise in the biggest moments.
In a modern era filled with analytics and precision matchups, Harper’s homer was a reminder of baseball at its most emotional and dramatic.
TL;DR
- A handful of MLB home runs transcend the game and become lasting pieces of baseball history.
- Thomson, Gibson, Fisk, and Carter delivered some of the sport’s most impactful postseason moments.
- Jackson’s three-homer night and McGwire’s record-breaker shaped entire eras of baseball.
- Ortiz and Harper added modern classics that carried huge emotional and competitive stakes.
Read More:
Rivalries that fueled baseball’s golden eras
How MLB Teams Use Sports Psychology to Gain an Edge
Why Base Running IQ Is Still One of Baseball’s Biggest Differentiators
This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
