Buck Freeman’s return to the District in 1898 created a wave of Buckmania. The bleachers were quickly renamed Bucksville and fans were in awe of his long home runs.
On 12 October 1899 in a 9-7 loss to New York Buck Freeman hits his 25th and last home run of the season. In doing so he was acknowledged by some to be the single season home run leader. A record he would hold until broken by Babe Ruth.[1][1]
A quick check of the history books would indicate that Ned Williamson of the 1884 Chicago team should be the leader with 27. Fans would be surprised that his home run record is tainted! In a sport that made no-hitters disappear with a single keystroke this record has been allowed to stand. Steroids you wonder, no a 190 foot right field fence. The 1884 Chicago White Stockings turned Lake Front Park into a home run paradise. The 190 foot right field fence that was used that season and the rule change that counted balls hit over the fence a home run. Eddie Brinkman would have been in double digits if he played there. This allowed Ned to hit 23 of his home runs at home and just four on the road. Three of his teammates had over twenty. Williamson’s next highest single season home run total was 9 in 1887, In 1885 the National League would mandate that the outfield fence must be a minimum of 215 feet from home plate.
[1][1][1] The Great Encyclopedia of 19th Century Major League Baseball by David Nemec, has an interesting article on Ned Williamson’s tainted title. For a more scholarly read see Baseball’s First Power Surge: Home Runs in the Late 19th-Century Major Leagues by Christopher D. Green
