MLB's Most Memorable Home Runs

Ruth first set the single-season home run record in 1919 with 29, then broke it each of the next two years by hitting 54 in 1920 and 59 in 1921. Over the next five years, he hit 194 homers but never reached 50 in a season, leading some to wonder if his best homer-hitting days were behind him. Entering the final month of the 1927 season, he had 43 home runs but went on a tear and hit 17 the rest of the way, including the record-setting 60th on the next-to-last day of the season.

By the end of the 1932 regular season, Ruth had hit 652 of his 714 career home runs but his most famous home run was yet to come. In Game 3 of that year's World Series against the Cubs, Ruth hit a towering home run in the first inning and in the fifth he hit another, both to deep center field. Legend has it that the latter blast was preceded by Ruth either pointing to the center field fence or by telling the Cubs' catcher he intended to hit the next pitch out. Either way, it became the most memorable -- and controversial -- home run of Ruth's career.

Joe DiMaggio, left, was on base when Ted Williams hit a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to lift the AL to a 7-5 victory in the Midsummer Classic in Detroit's old Briggs Stadium.

"THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!" New York's Bobby Thomson took Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca deep to clinch the NL pennant at the Polo Grounds.

The Yankees outscored the Pirates 55-27 in the Series but lost on Maz's one-out homer off Ralph Terry in the ninth at Forbes Field.

Roger Maris passed Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs with this solo shot off Boston's Tracy Stallard at Yankee Stadium. It was the only run of the game. Maris would never hit more than 33 home runs in a season again.

Hank Aaron took over as baseball's all-time home run king with No. 715 off the Dodgers' Al Downing. The game was delayed 11 minutes for a celebration.

Carlton Fisk's bomb off Reds lefty Pat Darcy in the bottom of the 12th stayed fair, forcing a Game 7 in the 1975 World Series.

Chris Chambliss' leadoff homer in the bottom of the ninth off Kansas City's Mark Littell snapped a 6-6 tie and ended New York's 12-year pennant drought. Chambliss needed a police escort to reach home plate after pandemonium broke out at Yankee Stadium.

Reggie Jackson homered in three consecutive at-bats in Game 6 against the Dodgers to clinch the Yankees' first World Series title since 1962.

In a one-game playoff, the diminutive Bucky Dent smashed a three-run homer in the seventh at Fenway Park for a 5-4 win. The Yankees had come back from 14 games out in late July to win the AL East.

George Brett hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to give the Royals a 5-4 lead, but it was disallowed when Yankees manager Billy Martin informed home plate umpire Tim McClelland, right, that Brett had too much pine tar on his bat. Brett went nuts; the Royals protested and won the appeal. The ending of the game was replayed on Aug. 18, 1983, with pitcher Ron Guidry lining up in center field and Don Mattingly -- a lefty -- at second base for the Yankees.

Ozzie Smith's ninth-inning solo shot off closer Tom Niedenfuer gave St. Louis a 3-2 victory and a 3-2 NLCS lead. It was the switch-hitting shortstop's first home run batting left-handed in 3,001 career at-bats.

On the brink of advancing to the World Series, the Angels blew a 5-2 ninth-inning lead when Donnie Moore allowed a two-out, two-run home run to Dave Henderson. Boston eventually won the game 7-6 in the 11th on Henderson's sacrifice fly.

Kirk Gibson shocked the A's -- and the baseball world -- with his pinch-hit, game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1. It was Gibson's only at-bat of the Series, which the Dodgers won in five games.

If it weren't for Kirby Puckett's 11th-inning homer off Charlie Leibrandt, there would not have been the classic Game 7 the following night.

Touch 'em all, Joe! Carter kept the World Series trophy north of the border with his Series-ending homer off Philly's Mitch Williams.

On the night in which he broke Lou Gehrig's record for most consecutive games played, Cal Ripken Jr. added an exclamation point by hitting a home run in the fourth. The Orioles went on to a 4-2 victory.

Twelve-year-old Jeffrey Maier created a game-tying homer by Derek Jeter in the eighth inning of Game 1 of the ALCS when he reached out of the stands and grabbed a ball that was about to be caught by Tony Tarasco. Bernie Williams homered in the 11th to give New York a 5-4 victory.

With Roger Maris' family in attendance at St. Louis' old Busch Stadium, Mark McGwire broke Maris' single-season home run record with this shot off Cubs right-hander Steve Trachsel. McGwire would extend the record to 70.

McGwire's reign as single-season home run champion didn't last long. Barry Bonds took the crown away with this first-inning home run off Los Angeles' Chan Ho Park. In the third inning, Bonds tagged Park again for No. 72 and would end the season with 73.

The Yankees already had Mr. October. Derek Jeter became Mr. November with his 10th-inning blast off D'backs reliever Byung-Hyun Kim, which came after the clock had struck midnight. The blast evened the Series at 2-2.

D'backs reliever Byung-Hyun Kim blew his second save in less than 24 hours as Scott Brosius drew the Yankees even at 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth in Game 5 of the World Series. New York went on to win 3-2 in the 12th, but Arizona won the Series in seven games.

Pedro Martinez couldn't hold leads of 4-0 and 5-2, and Boston couldn't score against Mariano Rivera in Game 7. Enter Aaron Boone, who set off bedlam in the Bronx with a leadoff home run in the 11th inning off Tim Wakefield to give New York a 6-5 victory and its 39th American League pennant.

Marlins shortstop Alex Gonzalez ended the second-longest game in World Series history with this shot off Yankees reliever Jeff Weaver. The win evened the Series at 2-2. Florida went on to win in six games.

Houston was ready to celebrate the Astros' first NL championship, but Albert Pujols took the air out of Minute Maid Park with this three-run blast in the top of the ninth of Game 5. The Astros went on to win the series in Game 6 in St. Louis.

The White Sox' scrappy leadoff hitter, Scott Podsednik, hit zero home runs during the regular season but gave Chicago a 2-0 World Series edge with this shocking blast off Houston closer Brad Lidge in the ninth at U.S. Cellular Field.

Barry Bonds' pursuit of Hank Aaron's career home run record was marred by controversy, as Bonds was ensnared in a steroid scandal stemming from his involvement with BALCO. On August 8, Bonds hit a 3-2 pitch from Nationals pitcher Mike Bascik into the seats at AT&T Park for his 756th career homer, one ahead of Aaron's mark that had stood for 33 years. Bonds hit six more home runs that season, the last of his career, leaving the record at 762.