His #9 has been retired by the Yankees.Īs is well known, he set a then major-league record 61 home runs during the 1961 season for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth’s single-season record of 60. Maris appeared in seven World Series, five with the Yankees and two with the Cardinals, and was a member of three World Series championship teams (1961, ’62, and ’67). He was a seven-time American League All-Star from 1959 through 1962 a two-time Most Valuable Player (1960 and ’61) the American League home run, runs scored, and total bases leader in 1961 a two-time American League RBI champion (1960 and ’61) the American League slugging average leader (1960).ĭefensively, he was the American League leader in fielding average for right fielders (1960 and ’64), and also in the National League (1967) and a Gold Glove outfielder (1960). He reached the major leagues in 1957 playing for the Cleveland Indians and played for four teams over his 12-year major league career: Indians (1957-’58), Kansas City Athletics (1958-’59), New York Yankees (1960-’66), and St. Roger Maris began his professional baseball career in 1953. Here’s a few words about the career of “Baseball’s Reluctant Hero,” Roger Maris: Mantle deservedly gets a lot of ink in baseball circles, but not so much Maris who may well be baseball’s greatest unsung and reluctant hero, which, by the way, is the title of a book on Maris by Tom Clavin. My recent post about the original “M & M Boys” (Christy Mathewson and Joe McGinnity) got me thinking about the better-known pair: Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. “It would have been a helluva lot more fun if I had not hit those sixty-one home runs.” – Roger Maris, speaking of his turbulent, record-breaking year, 1961 Maris planting a kiss on Mr.s Claire Ruth after breaking the Babe’s record The strain on Maris is evident in this photo Maris with Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle Looks like his wife in the background Historic bats in the Hall of Fame: Ruth’s #60, Maris’ #61, McGuire’s #70, and Sosa’s #66 Maris was a terriffic right fielder, shown here making a graet catch at Yankee stadium
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