ROGER MARIS SERIES

Roger Maris won his first.Īfter having a miraculous 1961 season, Maris entered the 1962 season as the American League’s Most Valuable Player again.

ROGER MARIS SERIES

The Yankees would also win the 1961 World Series against the Reds, capturing another one of their 27 championships in team history. Roger Eugene Maris was the new home run king, and the season just kept getting better for Roger. Roger would not break Ruth’s record in 154 games, but he would then “break” the record on the final game of the season. Since the commissioner at the time, Ford Frick, decided that Ruth’s record would not be broken unless broken in the same amount of games Ruth hit 60. Unfortunately, only one man would break the record, as Mantle’s health became a problem, and Maris chased Babe Ruth alone. But boy, did sport writers and the duo known as the M&M boys think wrong. Some people, including Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, who were favorites to break the record, believed it could happen. Immediately sports writers and fans were buzzing about one thing: Will anyone break the famous single season in baseball history, Babe Ruth’s 60 home run record? In 1961, the American League extended from eight to 10 teams, and the season went from 154 to 162 games. Maris earned a Gold Glove Award for his unbelievable defense and would later receive the 1960 American League’s Most Valuable Player Award. It would be Maris who would emerge victorious in 1960. Maris finished second in the total bases and most home runs category, falling one short of Yankees teammate and longtime friend Mickey Mantle. He led the league in runs batted in, slugging percentage and extra base hits. In 1960, Roger Maris would have the first defining moment of his career. In the 1960 season, Maris and the Yanks would make it to the World Series but fell short losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees decided to trade with the A’s in exchange for Maris, and the A’s received six Yankees players, including honorable mentions Hank Bauer and Don Larsen. Maris would spend another two years with Kansas City but then in 1959, he was once again traded to another team. He would play for the Indians for two years before being traded to the former Kansas City A’s. Roger Eugene Maris started his baseball career in 1957 when he was selected to join the Cleveland Indians. When it comes to Maris, fans forget that Roger didn’t just have one miraculous season, but he had a miraculous baseball career. Roger Maris will forever be associated with the 1961 season. But when the 1961 season occurred, the late Babe Ruth handed the crown of the single-season home run king to another Yankee named Roger Eugene Maris. Ruth would be later become one of the most, if not the only, iconic baseball figure in MLB history. Major League Baseball decided to have a total of 162 games for one season, and it will be one of the most dramatic, motivating and life changing seasons of a generation.įor 35 years, one player held the single-season home run record: the late, great George Herman “Babe” Ruth. It was the season that would be told from decade to century to generation. 9, Roger Maris.”įor anyone who knows the legend of Roger Maris, there’s only one question: Why is he not in the Hall of Fame?įifty years ago, history was made for Major League Baseball. In the words, of the late Bob Sheppard, “Now batting for the Yankees, right fielder, No. In 2001, San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds would break the record held by McGwire.īut before Bonds, there was McGwire and before McGwire was a baseball hero who has yet to be honored by the Hall of Fame. Little did that Yankee know that 30 years later that record would be broken again by a St. In the 1961 season, one Yankee broke the single-season home run record with a total of 61 home runs. There is one player in baseball history that has yet had his name enter the doors of Cooperstown’s Museum of Baseball Heroes.įifty years ago, one man beat the odds, became bigger than the game and would eventually have his name be chased for 30 years.

Roger maris