On March 25, 1934, Babe Ruth delivered one of the longest home runs of his career in downtown St. Petersburg. Playing in an exhibition game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Braves at Waterfront Park, Ruth launched a towering drive that became local legend.

The ball cleared the right-field fence, sailed beyond the canvas, and struck the West Coast Inn at 1st Street and 3rd Avenue South. Some accounts estimated the distance at more than 600 feet, with figures as high as 624 feet. Old-timers later claimed it even reached the hotel’s second balcony.

The blast became known as the West Coast Inn home run and is often cited as one of the longest ever hit against major league pitching. It also added to Ruth’s reputation for jaw-dropping power during his final seasons.

Waterfront Park, the site of the feat, once stood where the parking lot of Al Lang Stadium is today along the city’s waterfront. While Ruth hit other famous long balls, including one measured at 587 feet in Tampa in 1919, his St. Petersburg drive remains one of the most talked about in local baseball history.