MLB: Maris and Mantle’s 1961 Chase to Break the Babe’s Record
August 19, 2011 · Harold Friend · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Roger Maris decided that he would no longer speak to the press.
According to Clete Boyer, who was the third baseman on the 1961 New York Yankees, Maris had managed only one hit in nine at-bats in a doubleheader during the middle of August against the Baltimore Orioles.
A check on Retrosheet reveals Boyer was a little confused with respect to the games, but not about what followed.
One of the reporters asked Maris if he were choking. That was it. Maris decided that he would not speak to the media.
The story is true, but Boyer had one of the details wrong. He never went one for nine in an August doubleheader against the Birds.
Boyer recalled how almost to a man, the Yankees rooted for Mickey Mantle to set the new single season home run record. Boyer, who had roomed with Maris, didn’t care which Yankee broke Ruth’s record.
“I was pulling for both of them. I ran around with Roger and I named one of my kids after Mickey.”
With about one month left, Maris and Mantle were having quite a contest. Maris had 51 home runs and Mantle had 48.
Boyer recalled, “I remember coming in one day and seeing these three spots on the back of Roger’s head. They were bald spots. Then I knew the pressure was getting to him.”
Maris and Mantle hit home runs in the same game 14 times in 1961. For their Yankees careers, they hit back-to-back home runs 10 times.
Batting average was important in 1961. During one stretch, according to Boyer, Maris had 55 or 56 hits, 26 of which were home runs.
A major criticism of Maris after he set the new home run record was that he batted only .269. In 1927, when he hit 60 home runs, Babe Ruth hit .356.
The home race for the record was unforgettable for not only Yankees fans, but for all baseball fans.
Just as the 1997 Yankees, led by David Cone, dedicated themselves to erasing the pain of the playoff defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Indians, the 1961 Yankees were determined to make some amends for beating the Pittsburgh Pirates in every category except games won in the 1960 World Series.
It has been greatly underplayed, but the Detroit Tigers gave the 1961 Yankees a real run for their money. As late as the morning of Sept. 1, the Yankees led the Tigers by a mere one and one-half games.
The Tigers came into Yankee Stadium for a crucial, as Mel Allen used to say, three game series.
Mantle and Maris each went hitless in four at-bats against Don Mossi. But after Maris flied out to right and Mantle was called out on strikes in the ninth inning of a scoreless game, Elston Howard singled, Yogi Berra singled and Bill Skowron singled to win the game.
The next day, Maris hit a pair of home runs off nemesis Frank Lary as the Yankees won easily.
On Sunday, the Tigers scored twice in the ninth inning for a 5-4 lead, but Mantle led off the Yankees ninth with a home run to tie the game.
With two outs and two on, Elston Howard hit a three-run home run to end the pennant race.
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