In the grand tapestry of American sports, few moments are as dramatic, conclusive, and utterly unforgettable as a walk-off home run. It is the purest form of a game-ending heroics, a sudden eruption of triumph that transforms a quiet stadium into a deafening roar of celebration. This is the moment a single swing of the bat ends all doubt, sending a team to a victory and a fan base into a state of blissful pandemonium.
The home run ball soars through the air, and for a few fleeting seconds, the entire baseball world holds its breath, knowing that history is about to be made. The power of a walk-off home run lies in its finality—there is no bottom of the ninth, no extra innings to follow, just an immediate, unchallengeable victory.
This list is a celebration of those legendary moments that have shaped the history of Major League Baseball. We’ve all seen a great home run, but the ones on this list are so much more. They are cultural touchstones, defining games, and even entire eras. These are the home runs that cemented legacies, shattered curses, and provided the kind of high-drama narrative that only baseball can produce.
This is a look back at the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs in MLB history, the moments that didn’t just win a game but became a permanent part of the sport’s lore. Each of these moments represents the pinnacle of baseball drama and is a quintessential example of why a walk-off home run is the most exciting play in the sport. These are the definitive Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs that will be talked about for generations.
The drama of a ninth-inning, game-winning home run is unparalleled, and these are the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs because they transcended their moment. They became iconic images, soundbites, and stories passed down from one generation of fans to the next. From historic World Series wins to miraculous playoff comebacks, these home runs provided a cinematic conclusion to some of the greatest games ever played.
This is a definitive look at the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs that you have to know to be a true fan of the game.
Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs
10. Carlton Fisk’s “Waved It Fair” Home Run (1975 World Series)
Game 6 of the 1975 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds is often hailed as one of the greatest baseball games ever played, and it was capped off by a home run that is as much a part of baseball lore as any other. The drama of this moment makes it a definitive entry on our list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
In the bottom of the 12th inning, with the score tied 6-6, Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk stepped to the plate. After a marathon game that had seen its share of thrilling moments, he crushed a pitch down the left-field line, cementing its place among the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
As the ball sailed through the night sky, Fisk famously hopped up and down, frantically waving his arms to try and keep the ball fair. The ball hit the foul pole for a home run, winning the game and sending Fenway Park into a frenzy. The iconic television shot of Fisk’s body language, followed by the sight of the ball hitting the pole, became a lasting image of baseball drama. Though the Red Sox would go on to lose the series, this particular moment remains a cultural touchstone and one of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
| Common Stat | Carlton Fisk’s home run came at 12:34 AM EST after a three-and-a-half-hour rain delay. |
9. Chris Chambliss’s ALCS Winner (1976 ALCS)
After more than a decade of postseason futility, the New York Yankees were on the cusp of a return to the World Series, but they had to get past the Kansas City Royals first. Game 5 of the 1976 American League Championship Series was tied 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning, with the series on the line. This game-winning moment became an essential part of any list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
First baseman Chris Chambliss came to the plate and, on the very first pitch, drove the ball over the right-field wall for a walk-off home run that sent the Yankees to their first World Series since 1964. This moment of pure drama is a perfect example of what makes our list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs so iconic.
The moment was pure bedlam. As Chambliss rounded the bases, thousands of fans poured onto the field in celebration, creating an iconic scene of chaos and pure joy. Chambliss had to fight his way through the ecstatic crowd, and he was mobbed before he could touch home plate. He would later have to come back and officially touch home to make the victory official. The home run was a sign that the Yankees were back and ready to once again become a dynasty. The sheer chaos and joy of the crowd make this a unique entry on the list of Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
| Common Stat | Chris Chambliss had to be escorted by police back to home plate to officially touch it after the home run. |
8. Kirk Gibson’s Impossible Home Run (1988 World Series)
In one of the most improbable and legendary moments in World Series history, a hobbled and injured Kirk Gibson hit a walk-off home run that will be replayed for generations, making it a definitive entry on our list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs. Game 1 of the 1988 World Series saw the Los Angeles Dodgers facing the dominant Oakland Athletics.
Gibson, the Dodgers’ star slugger, was sidelined with injuries to both legs and was not expected to play. With his team trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth and a runner on first, Gibson was sent out to pinch-hit, delivering a moment that is a quintessential example of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
Gibson slowly hobbled to the plate and, on a two-strike count, hit a slider from one of the best closers in the league, Dennis Eckersley. The ball went over the right-field fence for a two-run, walk-off home run that gave the Dodgers a stunning victory. Gibson’s triumphant hobble around the bases and the famous call from announcer Vin Scully, “I don’t believe what I just saw!”, are as iconic as the home run itself. This moment of pure grit and drama is a quintessential example of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
| Common Stat | Kirk Gibson’s home run was his only plate appearance in the entire 1988 World Series. |
7. Bill Mazeroski’s World Series Winner (1960 World Series)
Game 7 of the 1960 World Series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees was a back-and-forth epic, with both teams trading blows throughout the game. With the score tied 9-9 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski stepped to the plate. On a 1-0 count, he crushed a pitch that cleared the left-field wall for a walk-off home run that won the World Series for the Pirates.
Mazeroski’s home run is the only walk-off home run to ever end a World Series Game 7, making it a singular moment in baseball history. The image of Mazeroski running around the bases, jubilantly waving his cap in the air, remains one of the most famous photographs in all of sports. The home run was the final, thrilling chapter in a classic World Series and a moment that put the city of Pittsburgh on top of the baseball world. This finality makes this a defining entry on the list of Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
| Common Stat | Bill Mazeroski’s home run was the first and only walk-off home run to end a World Series Game 7. |
6. Joe Carter’s World Series Winner (1993 World Series)
In a moment Canadians will never forget, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Joe Carter hit a walk-off home run that won the 1993 World Series, a key entry in our list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
With the Blue Jays leading the series 3-2 against the Philadelphia Phillies, the score was 6-5 in the ninth. With two runners on base, Carter hit a pitch from closer Mitch Williams over the left-field fence for a three-run, walk-off home run, cementing its place among the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
The home run clinched the Blue Jays’ second consecutive World Series title and is arguably the most famous moment in Canadian sports history. Announcer Tom Cheek’s legendary call, “Touch ’em all, Joe! You’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life!”, is as iconic as the home run itself. The dramatic conclusion to a World Series with a walk-off home run is a rare and special event. This moment of pure, game-winning heroics is a top-tier example of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
| Common Stat | Joe Carter’s home run was the second World Series-winning walk-off home run. |
5. Bucky Dent’s “Bleeping” Home Run (1978 AL East Tie-Breaker)
While not a World Series walk-off, this moment is a legendary part of one of baseball’s greatest rivalries and a definitive entry on our list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs. In 1978, the Yankees and Red Sox finished with identical records, forcing a one-game playoff.
With the Red Sox leading 2-0 in the seventh, Yankees shortstop Bucky Dent hit a fly ball that cleared the Green Monster for a three-run home run. This moment of pure drama is a perfect example of what makes our list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs so iconic. The Yankees won, completing a comeback and giving us one of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
Dent’s home run, which Red Sox fans still refer to as the “Bleeping Home Run,” is a moment of pure agony for one fan base and a moment of pure joy for the other. It is a symbol of the rivalry’s intensity and a moment that still haunts Red Sox fans to this day. The improbable nature of the home run, coming from an unlikely hero, is what makes it a must-have on the list of Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
| Common Stat | Bucky Dent hit only 40 home runs in his 12-year MLB career. |
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4. Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” (1951 NL Playoff)
In a moment that defined a generation of baseball fans, Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” is a vital entry on our list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs. The 1951 NL pennant race came down to a three-game playoff between the Dodgers and Giants. With the Giants trailing 4-1 in the ninth of the decisive third game, Thomson came to the plate.
He hit a three-run, walk-off home run that won the pennant for the Giants, a perfect example for our list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs. This hit is a must-have on any list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
The home run was a stunning end to one of the most dramatic pennant races in baseball history and is considered the greatest moment of the sport’s golden age. Announcer Russ Hodges’s famous call, “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!”, is a legendary piece of sports broadcasting. The emotional weight and historical context of this home run make it one of the most famous and influential of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
| Common Stat | The home run was a three-run home run that capped off a 4-run comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning. |
3. David Ortiz’s Walk-Off Grand Slam (2013 ALCS)
In one of the most iconic moments in recent baseball history, David Ortiz hit a walk-off grand slam that became a symbol of the Boston Red Sox’s comeback, and a key entry on our list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs. With the Red Sox trailing the Detroit Tigers 5-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning in Game 2, Ortiz came to the plate with the bases loaded.
He crushed a pitch from Tigers closer Joaquin Benoit over the right-field fence for a walk-off grand slam that tied the game, cementing its place as one of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
The home run not only won the game for the Red Sox but also completely turned the momentum of the series. The home run’s dramatic nature, combined with the context of the Red Sox’s historic comeback, made it a defining moment for the city of Boston and a fan base that had been through so much. This moment of pure power and clutch hitting is a perfect example of why David Ortiz is a legend and a must-have on the list of Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
| Common Stat | The home run was a walk-off grand slam, a rare feat, that came with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning |
2. Mickey Mantle’s Game-Winning Home Run (1958 World Series)
In a moment that perfectly encapsulates the power and legend of one of baseball’s greatest players, Mickey Mantle hit a walk-off home run that won the 1958 World Series. With the Yankees trailing the Milwaukee Braves 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 7, Mantle came to the plate with a runner on first. On a 1-0 count, he crushed a pitch from Braves reliever Bob Trowbridge that cleared the center-field fence for a two-run, walk-off home run.
The home run clinched the Yankees’ 18th World Series title and was the final, legendary moment of a season that had seen Mantle hit 42 home runs and win the American League MVP award. The home run was a moment of pure, game-winning heroics from one of the sport’s greatest legends and a fitting end to a classic World Series. The home run’s historical context and the player who hit it make this a top-tier example of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
| Common Stat | Mickey Mantle’s home run was the third World Series-winning walk-off home run. |
1. Derek Jeter’s “Mr. November” Home Run (2001 World Series)
In a moment that perfectly captured the spirit of a city and a country in the wake of the September 11th attacks, Derek Jeter hit a walk-off home run that gave the New York Yankees a victory in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series. The game, which had been delayed by the attacks, went into extra innings, and with the clock ticking past midnight, Jeter came to the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning. With the score tied, Jeter hit a home run that just barely cleared the right-field fence for a walk-off victory.
The home run earned Jeter the nickname “Mr. November,” as it was the first time a World Series game had ever been played in the month of November. But the home run was so much more than a simple victory. It was a moment of pure, unadulterated hope and catharsis for a city and a country that had been through so much. The home run was a symbol of resilience and a reminder that even in the darkest of times, sports can provide a moment of joy and unity. The sheer emotional weight and historical context of this home run make it the undisputed number one on our list of the Top 10 Most Famous Walk-Off Home Runs.
| Common Stat | The home run was hit at 12:04 AM on November 1, 2001, making it the first World Series home run in November. |
FAQs
Q1: What is a walk-off home run?
A1: A walk-off home run is a home run that ends a game. The batter hits a home run in the final inning, giving their team the winning run and ending the game, so the players “walk off” the field
Q2: Which player has the most walk-off home runs in MLB history?
A2: Jim Thome holds the all-time record with 13 walk-off home runs
Q3: What’s the difference between a walk-off home run and a grand slam?
A3: A walk-off home run ends the game with a home run. A grand slam is a home run with the bases loaded. A walk-off home run can also be a grand slam, as seen in David Ortiz’s famous home run.
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