Mayor Brown announces Kirby Park Centennial Celebration for Sept. 7

WILKES-BARRE — Wilkes-Barre City Mayor George C. Brown has announced that the Kirby Park Centennial Celebration will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Mayor Brown said that in 1924, businessman and philanthropist F.M. Kirby commissioned the construction of Kirby Park as a generous donation to the City of Wilkes-Barre.

The opening of the park was marked with a large celebration known as Kirby Day.

Mayor Brown said the community is invited to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Kirby Park with a modern “Kirby Day” featuring food vendors, live music, face painting, petting zoo, hot air balloons, carousel and children’s rides, NEPA Philharmonic performance and a fireworks display to conclude the celebration.

Mayor Brown and a representative of the Kirby Family will provide remarks at 5 p.m. at the Martz Pavilion.

Splash Pad to close for season on Sept. 3

Mayor George C. Brown announced this week that the Splash Pad at Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Park on Coal Street will close for the season on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

Inaugural ‘Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat Home Run Derby’ set for Oct. 12

In case you missed it, the inaugural “Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat Home Derby,” presented by Visit Luzerne County and the City of Wilkes-Barre, will be held Oct. 12 in Kirby Park.

The event will be held on the 98th anniversary of Ruth’s legendary — and sometimes disputed — home run.

A kiosk in Kirby Park denotes where the legendary 600-plus-foot home run off the bat of George Herman “Babe” Ruth landed back in 1926.

The blast occurred at Artillery Park — which sits adjacent to Kirby Park — and landed some 600-plus feet away, according to reports.

Here’s what happened, according to a story that ran in the Oct. 13, 1926, edition of The Wilkes-Barre Morning Record:

Ruth was at Artillery Park to play in an exhibition game between Hughestown and Larksville. Ruth played for Hughestown, and he challenged Larksville hurler Ernie Corkran to throw him his best stuff — a fastball right down the heart of the plate.

Ruth hit the ball that some say was still rising when it cleared the fence — a distance of 400 feet from home plate.

“When I hit that ball, it felt as if it was going to the best clout I ever took at one,” Ruth was quoted in the Record story.

Ruth was reportedly so impressed with the shot that he asked that it be measured. Some reports say it was the only time in his life that he had ever made such a request.

And the tale of the tape showed that it was an estimated 650 feet.

It is considered the longest-recorded home run in baseball history.

A home run idea

Alan K. Stout, executive director at Visit Luzerne County, came up with the idea for the Home Run Derby. Stout said the event will take place on the main softball field at Kirby Park.

Stout said the derby will be open to all men and women, ages 16 and up, who feel they are capable of launching a ball out of the ballpark. (He said there will be a male/female derby and the distance of the fence will be modified for the women.)

The entrance fee will be $35, and Stout said there will be no charge for spectators. All money raised will benefit the Geisinger Children’s Miracle Network/Janet Weis Children’s Hospital. Samantha Kennelly Hinkle, development specialist for the Children’s Miracle Network, attended the news conference.

The Derby will offer “Sultan of Swat” awards for the male and female contestants that hit the longest home runs and “Bambino” awards for the male and female contestants that hit the most home runs. Participants will be eligible to win both awards.

The winner of each award will be presented with a large trophy and photographed with it in front of the Babe Ruth kiosk. The photos will be shared with the media.

Stout added that the derby will also feature a hot dog vendor.

“The Babe loved hot dogs,” said Stout. “And so, we must have hot dogs.”

Pre-derby challenge

Mayor George Brown of the City of Wilkes-Barre has issued a pre-derby challenge from the City of Wilkes-Barre employees to Luzerne County employees.

“In addition to helping celebrate Babe Ruth and this great part of local history with the ‘Sultan of Swat’ event, I propose that the City and the County square off in a little derby of our own, an hour or so before the actual derby,” said Brown. “Obviously, we’re great partners with the county in presenting an event like this — and it will be all in fun — but if they accept my offer, the city aims to win.”

Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo has accepted the challenge.

“Game on!” said Crocamo. “Though the City vs. County derby is not the main event, and it’s all in fun, we will be taking our best swings!”

The City vs. County Derby will occur from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. — without Judge and Soto.

Stout said the female derby will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The male derby will follow from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. “Champ,” the official mascot of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, will also be on hand.

To register for the Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat Home Run Derby, visit — www.visitluzernecounty.com .

Wilkes-Barre announces Labor Day closings

Wilkes-Barre City Hall will be closed on Labor Day, and garbage, recycling and yard waste will not be collected on the holiday, officials announced Wednesday.

Paper and cardboard recycling and garbage for Downtown and South Wilkes-Barre 1 residents will resume Tuesday, Sept. 3. Yard waste collection will resume for Downtown and South Wilkes-Barre 1 on Monday, Sept. 9.

Regular Department of Public Works Hours of 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. will return on Tuesday, Sept. 3.