by Bill Staples Jr.

As Meiji Jingu Stadium approaches its centennial under the shadow of demolition, a surprising piece of history is potentially rewriting the ballpark’s record books, and sparking a fascinating debate for baseball purists.

For decades, historians credited either Keio University’s Saburo Miyatake or Negro Leagues legend Biz Mackey with hitting the first home run at the historic Tokyo stadium in April 1927. But SABR member Bill Staples, Jr., seeking to learn more about the first game played at Jingu, stumbled upon a forgotten milestone from opening weekend in October 1926.

During the stadium’s inaugural game on October 23, 1926, Meiji University center fielder Fukashi Kumagai launched a towering fly ball into the left-field bleachers for a home run. The catch? The ball technically bounced into the stands. Under 1926 rules, hits like that were celebrated and recorded as a round-tripper everywhere baseball was played. By modern standards, however, it would be a ground-rule double.

So, who deserves the crown? Does Kumagai’s opening-day blast count as the stadium’s true first home run, or does the honor belong to the traditional over-the-fence power hitters of 1927?

Head over to Staples’ blog, International Pastime, to explore the evidence, dive into the era’s unique rule modifications and decide for yourself where history stands.

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