Position-dependent wind field modeling for Yankee Stadium on May 22, 1963

Develop a physically realistic, position-dependent model of the wind velocity field inside Yankee Stadium on May 22, 1963 that specifies wind speed as a function of horizontal position x and vertical position y, so trajectory simulations with aerodynamic drag and Magnus effect can accurately represent the tailwind’s influence on Mickey Mantle’s home run.

Background

The paper notes that historical weather records indicate a west-northwest tailwind of 6.26 m/s with gusts on the night of Mantle’s home run. Because the stadium geometry complicates airflow, the analysis initially assumed no wind, then later tested a constant tailwind, finding that such extremes do not plausibly resolve the discrepancy in required exit velocity and range.

The authors explicitly state that it was unclear how to simulate the wind’s speed as a function of position, highlighting the need for a position-dependent wind model to better capture the stadium-modified flow field for accurate trajectory calculations.