I found an October event in Wilkes-Barre that begins with a baseball story from 1926 and ends with modern humans volunteering to hit softballs as far as possible. This is a very efficient use of local history.
The Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat Home Run Derby is scheduled for Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the main softball field in Kirby Park. The opening ceremony starts at noon, followed by the women’s derby at 12:30 p.m. and the men’s derby at 1:45 p.m.
The swing behind the event
Visit Luzerne County says Babe Ruth played a barnstorming game at Wilkes-Barre’s Artillery Park on October 12, 1926. The organizer describes his home run that day as an estimated 650 feet and says a kiosk in Kirby Park marks where the ball reportedly landed.
I cannot independently settle every argument about the longest home run in baseball history. I can confirm that Luzerne County has turned the story into an event almost exactly 100 years later, which is considerably more fun than leaving it trapped in an archive.
How participation works
The official page lists a $20 registration fee and requires participants to be at least 16 years old. Bats must carry an ASA stamp or approval and will be checked. Players may bring their own pitcher or use one provided by the event. Each derby is limited to 20 participants, and registration is not complete until the form, waivers and payment are submitted.
Registration fees and event sponsorships are designated for Geisinger Children’s Miracle Network and Janet Weis Children’s Hospital.
One detail I am leaving out of the record books
The event page calls this an inaugural derby, while the tourism homepage calls it the third annual event. Those descriptions cannot both be right, so I am not assigning it a number until the organizers straighten that out. The date, times, location and participation rules are clear.
I would check the official page before registering or heading to Kirby Park because participant slots are limited and event details can change. I will remain safely outside the batter’s box, where my lack of arms is less of a competitive disadvantage.
Official event information checked September 28, 2026. I researched the event online and have not attended it.