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Let's revisit the tale of Josh Gibson hitting a baseball from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia

On Josh Gibson's birthday, we recall some HR folklore

By Matt Monagan

Josh Gibson, born on Dec. 21, 1911, would've been 104 years old today.

The Hall of Fame catcher spent his entire baseball career in the Negro Leagues, Mexican and Caribbean Winter Leagues -- slugging what many estimate to be more than 800 total home runs. He's considered to be among the best to ever play the game. Unfortunately, he died just three months before Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier.

Stories of Gibson's feats are epic, from hitting a home run clear out of Yankee Stadium as an 18-year-old in 1930 to dominating the game in three separate countries in 1937 to crushing a ball 600 feet during a 1941 Winter League game in Puerto Rico.

While some of those are true, albeit a bit exaggerated (stats from that time period are difficult to totally confirm), there's one anecdote that seems to come straight out of a Paul Bunyan tale. Of course, that means it's also the best one. Via Robert W. Peterson's book "Only the Ball was White":

"One day during the 1930s, the Pittsburgh Crawfords were playing at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, where their young catcher, Josh Gibson, hit the ball so high and so far that no one saw it come down. After scanning the sky carefully for a few minutes, the umpire deliberated and ruled it a home run. The next day the Crawfords were playing in Philadelphia, when suddenly a ball dropped out of the heavens and was caught by the startled center fielder on the opposing club. The umpire made the only possible ruling. Pointing to Gibson, he shouted, "Yer out -- yesterday in Pittsburgh!"

Some strong power from Josh, but perhaps an even a better catch by the center fielder.

Happy would-be-birthday to Mr. Gibson.