Honoring a yearly tradition, local ballplayers celebrate Babe Ruth homer

In October 1924, probably the most famous baseball player of all time came to Spokane on a barnstorming tour.

A game was played in the old ballpark at the long-gone Natatorium Park, and Babe Ruth hit a home run so far that the ball landed on the banks of the Spokane River.

That moment in local baseball history is not only unforgettable, but celebrated each fall by David Jackson and a band of fellow baseball fanatics.

“We thought, ‘Let’s raise one to The Babe, maybe the greatest athlete in American history,’ ” said Jackson, a co-founder of Hoopfest and teacher at Lewis and Clark High School.

The tradition dates back to 2008, when Jackson rallied a few friends to celebrate a local feat by the Bambino and share some laughs in the process.

Following the 11th annual outing on Wednesday, Jerry Schmidt managed to defend his spot above the rest as the “River King” – a nickname earned since belting one over the Spokane River in 2010. That year, batting in front of a crowd of roughly 50 people, Schmidt connected and sent the ball to the far side of the river.

“I was never a home-run hitter, but I just launched one,” said Schmidt. “All the stars lined up, and it was probably the longest ball I’ve ever hit.”

Kevin Cronin, a Spokane native and lifelong Yankees fan, made a trip from New Jersey to come back home and blast some baseballs from the banks.

“My dad was a Yankees fan, so we heard all about Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio growing up,” said Cronin. “I travel the world, but there’s nothing like it here.”

And despite the closest hit ball coming up 50 feet short of the opposite side of the river, the fun and commemoration of the feat remained the same.

There had already been countless tales of Babe’s achievements by the time he rolled into Spokane and won an exhibition match against a squad led by Yankees teammate Bob Meusel, but the distinct mythos of his Lilac City smash lives on every fall on the banks of the Spokane River.