Eyes turned skyward once again over Mitchel Field as Nassau County officials recreated one of baseball’s most improbable moments — Babe Ruth catching a baseball dropped from an airplane nearly a century ago.
“I knew nothing about this – a friend of mine sent me a picture of it and I didn’t know whether it was real or not,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said. Following the discovery, he called Yankee President Randy Levine he said who didn’t know about this catch either. Together they contacted a Yankee historian who confirmed it with a video.
The ceremony, led by County Executive Bruce Blakeman, celebrated the famous 1926 publicity stunt, known as “The Catch,” which highlighted both Ruth’s celebrity and Long Island’s aviation history. Because Federal Aviation Administration regulations now prohibit dropping objects from aircraft, members of the Uniondale Fire Department recreated the feat by tossing baseballs to children attending the Nassau County Summer Recreation Program.
“We wanted to challenge each and every one of you to do the same, but the Federal Aviation Administration said, ‘No, Mr. Blakeman — you can’t drop anything from a helicopter or an airplane,’” Blakeman told the children. “So that’s why we have our great firefighters here today.”
Uniondale firefighters Jessica Ellerby and Jason Padilla climbed a 95-foot ladder and tossed more than 100 baseballs, one at a time, for campers waiting below to make their own version of “The Catch.”
For cousins Sky Bruzgis, of East Meadow, and Valentina Peranzo, of Levittown, the event offered a chance to become part of baseball history. The pair joined dozens of other children trying to catch baseballs falling from nearly 100 feet above.
“I had a lot of fun, but I didn’t catch the ball,” Bruzgis said.
Peranzo also came up empty-handed but said she enjoyed the experience just as much. Although both girls were familiar with Babe Ruth, neither knew about the legendary airplane catch before attending the event.
“It sounds crazy,” Peranzo said.
The cousins also shared what they enjoy most about the game. Peranzo said she likes throwing the ball and running the bases, while Bruzgis prefers batting.
Whether they made the catch or not, every camper left with a baseball to keep as a souvenir, creating a lasting reminder of a summer day inspired by one of baseball’s most enduring legends.
A commemorative plaque now installed at Mitchel Field marks the spot where Ruth completed the famous catch on Aug. 25, 1926. To preserve the moment for future generations, the marker recognizes the publicity stunt that became one of the most memorable stories in baseball history and highlights Mitchel Field’s role in both the sport’s and Long Island’s aviation heritage.
