Roger Maris 1961 - 61st Home Run as Called by Red Barber, WPIX-TV, 10/1/1961

YanksAtShea proudly presents a genuine rarity; a restored clip of Roger Maris' Legendary 61st Home Run as called by Red Barber and aired over WPIX-TV. October 1, 2011 was the 50th anniversary of this marvelous moment. We must warn you the biggest disappointment is Red's call. Barber was perhaps the finest RADIO baseball sportscaster ever; but NOT the finest TV sportscaster. His call of a truly GREAT sports moment is mediocre at best and third rate at its worst...it's as if he didn't care especially compared to Phil Rizzuto's radio call. Who cares about someone winning $5,000; Maris, against all odds (and against Mickey Mantle), just set the single season home run record. Oh well, at least the video looks terrific. Enjoy with our compliments and visit our YanksAtShea page here at KZbin and at Facebook.

[@notta3d]

[Edit]The real single season home run champ right here.[/Edit] Congrats Aaron Judge. New single season home run record holder! Hats off to Roger. Took a long time for someone to out due what you did many years ago.

[@notta3d]

@wavygr If he cheated then you're right he should be removed. Not fair to the players that do it legit.

[@LiftedJeepTJ98]

100% correct!! F all the steroid junkies of the 90s!!

[@kevinmiller6324]

@@notta3d I don't feel Maris cheated; he was under too much pressure to break a hallowed record set by the immortal Babe Ruth, a record many Yankee fans felt that Mickey Mantle should have broken had it not been for the misplaced shot in the hip by a quack doctor.

[@MeneerHerculePoirot]

When all is said and done as much as I respect the accomplishment and Roger Maris I agree with Ford Frick. It should have been done within 154 games instead of 162.

[@OpinionatedPeach]

Nope

[@waynesunday]

Roger made one of the first ever "curtain calls" after the fans kept applauding. The other Yankee players had to push him out of the dugout because he was reluctant to show off.

[@johnnypastrana6727]

Maris was a humble and a good man, the guy who caught his homer offered it to him and he refused and told him to get what he could for it.

[@wmhhealth2018]

A great guy, great teammate wonderful husband and father. An American icon.

[@almell3994]

Bill veeck said it was awful that only 19000 people were at the game.if he promoted the game,it wouldve had 60000 people.Ford Frick was close to the Babe and didnt want maris to break his record.

[@bernieudo4399]

Maris a class act. Went through hell that season. True talent. All natural. The single season HR record!

[@danielbacca7980]

@@johnnypastrana6727 Wow, just imagine that today.

[@GaryFox11000]

Roger was really a class gentleman ! Very genuine , & a tremendous defensive outfielder.! 🙋‍♂️

[@dcasper8514]

Gary...you should have seen his "average " defensive skills while he was with Cleveland. I have..

[@sprsmoke]

No one could go over the fence to rob home runs like Maris. Graceful.

[@sas6561]

OH PLEASE!!! ... Can you even imagine Harry Caray's response to this MOMENTOUS moment? ... Barber called it almost as just another dramatic moment. Harry would have sent all the raw emotions of the this singular event, and blow up the radio in the process!!!!!!

[@seanohare5488]

Right

[@charlesr.aliffjr.4050]

Arnold Palmer told a different story about this “class gentleman.” 🤔🤔 Palmer said when he first met Maris on an elevator while going to an award presentation, Maris ask Palmer “Who the fuck are you?” After Palmer won the award Maris was sure he would get, Palmer ask Maris “Who the fuck are you?” 😂😂

[@mdo5121]

Many people today do not realize what a big deal this was. THIS WAS ICONIC FOR THE TIME. The pressure he was under was immense.

[@cactaceous]

It has been in books, documentaries, movies... we all know how much pressure he was on. We all know his hair even started falling out. We know.

[@bcal2524]

I’m watching this in 2020 and this gives me goosebumps. What an unbelievable accomplishment!

[@thomaspick4123]

Roger took a lot of crap. He broke Babe Ruth’s 60 record. The Babe will always be great, it was a different era. Maris’s 61 had an asterisk after it. 61’. It meant people did not accept it. The reason people gave was because in 1961, teams played many more games than in Ruth’s time. Thus, more chances to hit more. Roger performed a remarkable achievement.

[@WeirdScienceComics]

Thomas Pick more games, but only 7 more

[@tomd1438]

Breaking the Babe's season HR record was and still is a HUGE deal!!! Two side notes: my Uncle Jack was a teammate of Babe Ruth's and Roger Maris broke the Babe's record a day after my parent's got married!!!

[@speedrazer2000]

I can’t believe all the men in the audience wearing suits. What a time in history.. ✌️

[@scottmiller6495]

That's what people were like back then, now this country is horrible because of the millenials and the younger kids behind them growing up without discipline, respect and knowledge of how things were for all the good it was because they don't want to know about it and couldn't care less!!!!!

[@Peter7966]

And the crowds were much better behaved. If it was today, it would be a riot after 61. Many adults back then had fought in wars to preserve our precious freedoms. They weren't going to go berserk over things like hitting 61.

[@scottmiller6495]

@@speedrazer2000 Because I am right and can prove it too!

[@scottmiller6495]

Ok.

[@orbyfan]

Yes, people dressed up to go to ball games and movies, to go shopping, and to go on a train or plane. Now they wear their gardening clothes to church.

[@theleftuprightatsoldierfield]

To this day, it’s the second most home runs hit in a season by anyone who didn’t have to testify to Congress about it later. Congratulations to Aaron Judge on beating Maris

[@eytonshalomsandiego]

Nice to see Rodger smile poor guy it was so stressful no matter what he wasn't going to be Mickey Mantle must have been hard

[@tonygville2969]

He raised a Most Excellent Family. That's Priceless 🙏

[@craigwagner9698]

Tony G I was there at the Stadium the day that Maris hit his 45th homer. That was a wild year for Yankee fans.

[@tonygville2969]

@@craigwagner9698 I was only one when he hit the 61. Grew up in old Miami, and I remember the first Miami Marlins or a was it Florida 🤔 . Been to the park that was near the Orange Bowl back then. In the midish 80's, I had a office a stones throw from the Yankees Spring training camp off Commercial Blvd in Ft Lauderdale. I loved watching Dad's taking their kids to the game. Mr Maris did well with passing the Faith on to his family. Viva Cristo Rey 🙏✌️

[@tonyvincent9753]

I was 6 years old, but remember vividly watching this on a new Zenith portable TV complete with rabbit ears. My Dad had bought it for my older brother and me, we were both sick with the Mumps and needed to stay in the bedroom we shared. Dad knew we had never missed a televised Yankee game and made sure we didn’t miss this one!

[@billycausgrove9657]

The true single season Home Run king

[@mikeparker3982]

Absolutely, Billy. The steroid infested records of McGuire, Sosa, and Bonds do not command my respect. And I also say remove that dad gum asterisk from the record books!

[@curtmanners01]

and while they're at it, they can stop idolizing Alex Rodriguez ...

[@NizRacingNY]

Mike Parker the asterisk was removed 25 years ago dude

[@johnmarass3021]

Where's the rest of his "team''

[@rafaelreyes9]

Pls

[@aaronklaus2934]

What a class act. He ran around the bases as if it was any old home run.

[@felixmadison5736]

That's because he was in shock!

[@johndecicco]

What grace. No fist pumping or looking up to God.

[@lawrencelewis8105]

@@johndecicco The way Jim Brown acted when he was in the end zone, he's been there before.

[@johndecicco]

@@lawrencelewis8105 Ha, I remember. He later said he would get up slowly every time so that no one knew when he really was tired.

[@jondory9378]

@@felixmadison5736 Why? He had only done it sixty other times that season.

[@walterblea8916]

The true home run KING! I remember watching the game. Those were the days, never to be repeated again. Roger Maris was a class act.

[@seanohare5488]

Right

[@ajgjr9962]

ALL RISE

[@kaleblaureano2015]

Never to be repeated again?…

[@fredmatthews2814]

This aged well

[@bkoopers]

I was at that game sitting behind first base in the lower stands. 54 years later, still hanging on my bedroom closet door is a Yankees pennant that I bought after the game across the street from Yankee Stadium at a souvenir shop.

[@Hank13665]

+Bkoopers I was sitting with my father on the 3rd base side in the lower boxes--tickets courtesy of my Uncle Ben. Sounds like the souvenir shop might have been Manny's Baseball Land.

[@jerryz2541]

We were kids in school and snuck our transistor radios to class. I listened to that 61 hit at recess - lucky timing!

[@edrobbins3133]

Roger and I went to different high schools together

[@thomasmalcolm7237]

Were you in Sunday school? October 1st was a Sunday and not a weekday.

[@steve3602]

Gary Caldwell, just to set the record straight.. you were not the catcher...I don't even think you were in baseball - at least the highly respected Baseball Reference site has no mention of you. Russ Nixon was the Red Sox catcher in that game. I was there...sitting between home and first in the mezzanine. One of my first Yankee games - I saw Maris hit the ball - it went up - disappeared due to the old Yankee Stadium over hang...and then landed it the lower right field seats. Someone named Sal caught the ball. It's just amazing to me how people can state things as facts and nobody questions them. I guess this explains why some worship the POTUS

[@preacherman85379]

A classy man, hit number 61 out of the park, runs around the bases and straight to the dug out. A true gentlemen of the game.

[@jettrink7510]

Simple times with dignified, humble people. God bless our former country. Thank you

[@scottmiller6495]

@bianca Victor Agreed 100%!!!!!

[@scottmiller6495]

Now go tell today's young people this and see what they say, they couldn't care less about it Period!!!!!

[@svs1481]

And suits and ties in the stands

[@scottmiller6495]

@bianca Victor that's true up to a point, their parents and society have ruined the good values that most of us used to have!

[@frederickrapp5396]

@@svs1481 And don’t forget hats!

[@LUISAGUILAR-sg3pn]

In my poor opinion... Maris is the really home run king in a year...!!

[@seanohare5488]

Right

[@wallyohrel9086]

I saw maris hits no. 60 home-run what a great time.😄😅🤣😂☺️🤗⚾️

[@williamkoptis8883]

Back then they awarded the fan that caught the ball $5,000. That’s cool. When Bonds surppased Aaron, the IRS already put a predetermined price tag on the ball that would break the record and the poor fan that caught it had to pay an astronomical tax bill on it. He was chased down by the police like a criminal and the kid had no choice but to sell the epic souvenir. No way he could afford that number. The message was clear- The common man can’t even fall across something sweet without The Man getting his hands on a piece of it. I mean if the guy ever wanted to sell it, then by all means, he has to pay tax on his revenue. But until he sells it, it’s just a $9.95 baseball and a great souvenir.

[@nickpaine]

Fascinating! Thanks! I watched this from my parent's living room. The way Roger was treated, by some, was shameful.

[@scootdaws25]

Sal Durante caught that ball!

[@edwardgarea7650]

You are so right.

[@DavidDavid-jb1cy]

This is not true. There is no tax event until a sale.

[@triskaidekathirteen724]

He could have just thrown it in the Bay!😱😱😱😂😂😂😂😂

[@terrypursell4332]

I was a kid then..baseball was everything....I was a left handed catcher, and the kid across the street was a pitcher....those were great times.

[@tdevil101]

Now baseball is dying. Now it's all about money and contracts. Sad

[@nycgemini7222]

+tdevil101 so too are the other 3 major sports..baseball still holds a very special place in most people's hearts that the other sports can never even dream to understand :)

[@Eyes-of-Horus]

We had our baseball field at the edge of a cemetery. Left field was over 300 feet. Center field was around 400-500. Right field was infinity. We'd enjoy playing "Home Run Derby." We did until one of the guys hit one that cleared the trees by about 50 feet and traveling over 400 feet in left field. We didn't find he ball until the next year. Fondly think of those days.

[@williammurray8060]

Love it. We had two empty lots in our neighborhood we used for ballfields. Used cracked wooden bats,old balls,gloves falling apart.didn't matter. We even played other neighborhoods. Also played against the coloured team down the road.good times indeed. Franklin boulevard, Bessemer area of Greensboro nc.

[@MikeJones-fv1fe]

Notice how he didn't step out of the box between each pitch? Didn't walk around for 30 seconds. The pitcher got the ball back, took a moment to gather himself, stepped on the rubber and got the sign, threw the pitch. Kinda cool.

[@scottross727]

That was the game back then. Much more fun to watch. Plus, if you did any of that shit, fastball to the noggin... mikethemime.com.

[@Logan-jj7vx]

Yep-today everything is overhyped to exhaustion.

[@timhahn2428]

Your are 100 percent correct.

[@mikelly1128]

And that's why I don't watch baseball anymore! Used to love it

[@ford289cid7]

@@mikelly1128: Same here. If my favorite team makes the Series, I'll watch. Otherwise, 3+ hours is ridiculous.

[@dwlopez57]

In high school Maris once ran back 4 consecutive kickoffs for touchdowns, was a national record, may still be

[@chasbodaniels1744]

He was on the Sheehan HS basketball team too. Quite an athlete.

[@dwlopez57]

@@chasbodaniels1744 yep

[@seanohare5488]

Right

[@dan4091]

No, that was Al Bundy

[@OBESPRING1982]

@@dan4091 🤣

[@jeffdoyle4703]

A lot of people might not know that this was a difficult season for Maris. He was under a ton of pressure. The media followed his every move. My God, the man's hair was falling out! He definitely deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

[@kevinbergin9971]

Frankly, most Yankee fans either wanted Ruth's record to stand or they wanted their favorite Mantle to break it.

[@machinegunjackmcgurn7453]

Maris did not have a Hall of Fame career. He was a very good ball player, but 1960 and 1961 were the only years that were HOF worthy. 1961 was basically a fluke. The first expansion in MLB with a bunch of mediocre pitchers, Maris had a grooved swing made for the short porch at the Stadium, extra games and at bats to beat Ruth, and Mickey Mantle hitting behind him. He never came close to the numbers he posted in those two years.

[@jonnychingas5757]

@@machinegunjackmcgurn7453 You're 100% correct I couldn't have said it better

[@joyceocone4535]

Those. were the days when baseball was baseball and there were no ANALytics or ghost runners in extra innings and pitchers weren't mollycoddled. They went the whole 9 innings and if the game went into extra innings they pitched them too.

[@seanohare5488]

Right

[@4wheelsphils]

Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, man I should have saved all the baseball cards.

[@lawrencelewis8105]

You and me, both!

[@sloop51]

I keep saying the same, I enjoyed the gum though. I was ten years old.

[@lawrencelewis8105]

@@sloop51 The ones I didn't put int he spokes of my bike, my mom threw out. Oh well.

[@sloop51]

@@lawrencelewis8105 clothes pins, spokes and playing cards, wow that brought back memories.

[@sgnmath1234]

Let me guess....your mother threw them out...and the ones she didn't you clothespinned them to the spokes of your bicycle.

[@lisa-el3db]

He was such a dignified and humble man. Barry Pepper, on portraying this man was afraid he wouldn't do justice, saw how truly what a wonderful man, husband, father and ball player he was. When he read the part where a reporter (they all hated him, wanted Mantle to break the record, Mantle was a charming extrovert, and always loved the attention) asked Maris if he felt he had earned the audience's respect, "I dont know, I dont think that's something you earn on a ballfield" Such integrity. Even Mantle knew how great he was. Probably a bit jealous of him.

[@johnschanzle3593]

Great movie 61

[@stevenyourke7901]

A slight correction. Mantle was always a shy man, never an extrovert at all, but he had had years of experience dealing with reporters. He didn’t like reporters, but he became their favorite in 1961 because they really didn’t want Maris to break Ruth’s record. Roger couldn’t deal with reporters at all. Honestly, I don’t blame him.

[@seanohare5488]

Right

[@kevinfitzpatrick2779]

Mantle was not a classy guy

[@Fred-vy1hm]

Barry Pepper was perfectly typecast and did a helluva job portraying Roger in the movie 61. 😊

[@salfloria5717]

I agree.That record still stands.Why cheaters of the game are recognized is beyond me.

[@rafaelreyes9]

Stfu

[@4orrcountry]

@@rafaelreyes9 Don't be a moron, Rafael.

[@rafaelreyes9]

@@4orrcountry The moron is you actually. You're the clown of clowns, no name guy.

[@nala3038]

4orrcountry you and Rafael should get a room together, you guys are prefect for each other

[@tlz124]

All those pitchers using roids should be ashamed

[@JonDoe-fo3kl]

maris is still the real record holder in my book.

[@Andy-hb3zp]

Same

[@tjscuroko2701]

wolverinebesthero same here mate. 61 is the record to most baseball fans.

[@Tommy-76]

He still holds the American League record for Homers in a season with the "61 in '61"...

[@peggyann11]

HE ALSO HOLD THE MAJOR LEAGUE RECORD. BONDS,SOSA AND MC GWIRE WERE FAKE AND WILL NEVER BE RECOGNIZED ALONG WITH AROID!

[@alexyamach3635]

No Ruth is. 154 games to Maris's 162 game schedule.

[@kelleysauer1693]

Class! No showboating by Maris, so much different from sports today. No wonder a smaller percentage of Americans care about any of the leagues - MLB, NFL, NBA, etc.

[@doc25000]

61 to break Babe Ruth's record at the time... No corny bat flip, no watching the ball go, no party at the plate, This is BASEBALL!

[@lawrencelewis8105]

Corny? You're not from Toronto, are you? But yeah, baseball and damn, I miss it. The early 60s Yanks were the guys!

[@gerrydooley951]

you're correct, so different

[@garyshingleton7143]

Roger Maris, a real gentleman. We need more like him now.

[@floatsting20]

@@gerrydooley951 You mean like they were mature ?

[@paulwblair]

ok boomer.

[@guitar1067]

Maris, two time MVP should be in the Hall.

[@ryanforsythe6335]

Maris is the true homerun king, but he never hit .300 in a season, didn’t reach 300 homeruns, didn’t reach 1,000 Runs Batted In, and and should not be in the hall of fame.... nobody with comparable numbers has made the hall

[@rafaelreyes9]

@@ryanforsythe6335 nor he's the homerun king

[@javtimestwo]

@@ryanforsythe6335 as much as i want to disagree with you, you prob make a strong argument. they do call it the hall of fame, not the hall of very good. Maris is on the margin-especially these days when MLB let's fringe players into the HOF

[@4orrcountry]

@@rafaelreyes9 Maris did it WITHOUT steroids and unlike The Babe, faced relief pitching - that's why Maris IS the regular season HR king!

[@jtjurje357]

@@javtimestwo While I'm inclined to not support Maris' induction to the Hall of Fame, I think that if we are considering the name of the institution alone Maris' case actually becomes stronger. Fame (noun): the state of being known and talked about by many people. I'd say Maris has more fame than many, and perhaps most, players who are currently enshrined. (I mean, when's the last time any of us had a conversation about HOFers like Rick Ferrell, Arky Vaughn or George Kell for example.)

[@SixFeetUndr101]

RIP Mr. Maris

[@benbeyer5860]

I really have to appreciate what i have i actually live in Fargo and i get to play on a team that maris was once part of American Legion Post 2 I feel honored to have the chance to play there

[@Iconhulk]

TRUE HOMERUN KINGS Roger Maris & Hank Aaron

[@ronaldkulas5748]

I agree with you 100%.

[@impassable]

Naw it's Barry Bonds...The best I ever saw

[@DDMV-ve5qf]

Now that’s the first thing I’ve read that makes any sense. Well done.

[@Tonetwisters]

Nobody hit 'em as far as The Mick did, though ... and I was a Braves fan ...

[@cyspiegel8603]

@@impassable juicers dont count, whenever we're ready to agree on that as a whole it'll be long overdue. Shit even Griffey gets more respect than Bonds.

[@happyblkfem]

I watched the movie 61* some time ago and it was a great movie. Maris was a class act during the entire ordeal of his 61 hits. My father actually pitched with the Kansas City A's for a couple of years and threw number 27 to Maris. My fathers name is Norm Bass. Cool that my father was part of that awesome season for Maris :). As all other stated, McGwire, Sosa and Bonds should never be recognized for hitting more home runs in a season because they were all doped up.

[@michaelsigismonde7958]

When McQuire retired, he lost a tremendous amount of weight after getting off those power-enhancing drugs. It showed just how potent those drugs were.

[@boomerws70]

I was at that game in Kansas City when Maris hit number 27. Fantastic memory.

[@ThekiBoran]

Any Hollyweird movie "based on a true story" is full half truths and falsehoods.

[@seanohare5488]

Right

[@jasonblake2918]

Don't forget table tennis player

[@procopiojrpalacios9702]

Ah, childhood memories! An 8 year old in San Diego, summer and fall of '61, b&w tv, awaiting Yankee games, to watch the bare-sleeved, crew cut, #9 for the Yankees and his pursuit of HR history... Awesome that he did it! RIP, Roger Maris.

[@leecowell8165]

yes. Roger lived in Central FL after retirement. Died fairly young from non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Mantle got all the publicity though. however I liked Maris because of his quiet, reserved manner that did not seek the limelight.

[@NatsFan18]

I’m impressed you recall age 8 so clearly lol I don’t think I could tell you one specific detail about being age 8

[@barbaramaier4758]

One of the all-time great moments in sports history!!

[@walterteske598]

Those Good Old Days of baseball are gone forever. I miss those days!

[@mickeyphillips6603]

No steroids or illegal bats were used to achieve this record. Sorry Mark, Sammy, and Barry.

[@Beck-Stein]

Look at how many at bats he had compared to the others. Tons. More chances to hit it out. You have to compare HR percentage compared to per at bat ratio.

[@johncaputo5538]

He did hit 61, but remember, at Yankee Stadium, in those days, the right field line to the fence was only 297 feet. Maris, being a lefty batter, had the shortest distance to a HR. Mantel batted both ways and blasted many of his way into the seats. Roger was good; Mantle was better overall hitter.

[@floatsting20]

@wavygr Alcohol

[@robertkelly6282]

No batting gloves no theatrics just hit run the bases

[@robertkelly6282]

Way and bonds didn’t have to face Kofax or Gibson

[@robertaxel]

I was there with my father and my younger brother...Watching this again, I am struck by how matter of fact Roger is... no bat flip, no posturing, just a trot around the bases. I see more commotion today over a homerun in an exhibition game..

[@papadopp3870]

If he had watched it, flipped the bat and pumped his arms in 1961, he’d have been shunned forever, even worse than he was for breaking Ruth’s record! It just wasn’t done!

[@papadopp3870]

BTW, you probably had better seats than the guy who got the ball. People say, “Who cares about $5000?”. It was (as of Aug 2022) worth $49,550.33 in todays money!

[@robertaxel]

@@papadopp3870 The man who caught it, used it to help buy a house...

[@johnkurtz7705]

Fantastic memory, nice

[@tomkaplavka8446]

For what it is worth, 61*, the movie, is worth viewing again.

[@robertaxel]

There it is, 61! Beautifully understated call..

[@bodensick]

And just think...unlike Bonds, he did it without using the 'clear' and the 'cream.'

[@bodensick]

Hey, bag that racism, man. I didn't mention Mark because he finally admitted to using. Bond's is a cheat and a liar. Neither one is going into the "HALL" Clemons, A-Rod won't either.

[@dobermanpac1064]

The action spoke for itself and Red did well not saying too much. After all it was Roger’s moment 😎

[@papadopp3870]

That’s true- and what I was thinking. His protege’ in Brooklyn learned well and that young redhead went on trump the ‘Old Redhead” when he called LA’s Kirk Gibson’s improbable/impossible home run in 1988. Vin Scully let it go for a about a full minute between, “She is gone…” and “in a year…”.

[@stephenkammerling9479]

Red Barber and Vin Scully had that rare ability to know when to SHUT UP! Today's announcers seem to have "diarrhea of the mouth," constantly giving listeners their worthless opinions. I liked the old days when there was only one and occasionally 2 announcers in the both. They stuck to calling the game. Now there's frequently 3 motor mouths in the booth, each competing with the others to get in the last word. I understand at the beginning of his career Scully worked with Red Barber. I've listened to Scully's calls(only some live) on the Larsen perfect game, Koufax's perfect game, Aaron's 715th homer, Gibson's WS homer off Eckersly, and Buckner's world series error to name a few. I think he called the final out of the 1955 World Series when the Brooklyn Dodgers FINALLY beat the Yankees to win their first World Series and only World Series when they were still in Brooklyn. In all those instances, Scully let the game and the crowd tell the story after briefly announcing what happened. Supposedly, after Aaron's 715th, Scully put down the mike, and went to get a beer. I listened to his run up to the final out in the perfect games. He would frequently give the time, and he said Yankee Stadium was shaking to the core of its foundation, or something like that. He knew how to set up the possibility of something historic happening shortly.

[@jeffreymliss]

61. NO juice. Still the record.

[@sean2015]

A left-handed hitter, hitting right in front of Mantle and getting a ton of fastballs, playing 81 games in Yankee Stadium with a very, VERY short fence in right-field.

[@ManMonkey600]

@@sean2015 He hit half on the road though...

[@sean2015]

@@ManMonkey600 and he hit half at home. Before Yankee Stadium was renovated and redesigned in the mid-1970s it was only 281 feet to right field. By today's standards that's almost a Little League field. And hitting in front of Mantle meant pitchers were careful not to walk him and gave him lots of pitches in the strike zone. Maris did not receive a single intentional walk during that entire 1961 season. Another thing that helped Maris in '61 is that he stayed healthy. He played in all 162 games that year -- the only season of his career that he didn't miss any games.

[@sean2015]

@@ManMonkey600 most of the stats I've given here just go to show you how much pitchers feared Mantle. Maris benefitted from that.

[@ManMonkey600]

@@sean2015 I get where you are coming from. But he still had to hit those balls regardless of all those factors.

[@russellsart]

I remember watching this as a 9 year old.....he was my favorite player when I was a kid.

[@johnkurtz7705]

I'm about the same vintage. It was quite the homerun race, until Mantle' s injuries curtailed it. I'm still glad that Roger got that record. He was MVP in 60 and 61

[@f1david]

No bat flip, no plastic arm and leg guards. Not even a batting helmet. So much respect for Roger Maris.

[@mysticakhenaton1701]

he was wearing a batting helmet.

[@TheBatugan77]

(1) Maris actually hit 31 HRs on the road. (2) He received ZERO intentional walks. Because #7 was on deck.

[@Tonetwisters]

Hard to pitch around Maris, just to get to Mantle!!

[@cyspiegel8603]

@@Tonetwisters that was as bad as Murderers Row... Gehrig right behind Babe, what a nightmare lol

[@cyspiegel8603]

When the Yankees picked up Giancarlo Stanton I thought he and Judge would be the next Ruth & Gehrig, Maris & Mantel... but they just never manage to stay healthy at the same damn time long enough to do any damage smh

[@TheBatugan77]

@@cyspiegel8603 Accumulating 400 strikeouts a year doesn't help.

[@morrish5476]

Yes he is he is still the record holder on homeruns no steroids no drugs just a real man

[@innocent718bk]

to me he still has the record he did it legit not pumped on steroids like they have now its sad he never got the respect he deserves

[@parrisprice5892]

Not to mention the ball being pumped up too,plus smaller stadiums ,tailored more for homers. Tho I would also say the pitching has gotten better than the old days too

[@Eyes-of-Horus]

Maris was not an egoist. He was rather shy and didn't particularly care for the limelight. He left that to Mantle.

[@chasbodaniels1744]

Mickey was described as a “head-ducking, foot-shuffling country boy” in his early years. He was not a big city personality by any means ... but eventually managed to embrace the public’s adoration.

[@Tonetwisters]

@@chasbodaniels1744 Ended his life as a born-again Christian ... looking forward to seeing him and playing some ball with him.

[@hcombs0104]

The man had class, plain and simple.

[@nancysmith9487]

What an ovation, pitching, fans dressed up, anounsing... thank you for sharing

[@145Slap789]

He still holds the record in my book!

[@sciwiz57]

The true single season HR champion!!!!!

[@russells9687]

The genius of Mel Allen comes through at the end: bringing Barber back to the moment and finding a simple way to characterize it for all time.

[@impassable]

He followed it up the next season with 33 H R and 100 RBI's...Not bad

[@GusBuster-ti4mc]

That record still stands in my opinion! Bonds and McGwires steroid record should be erased!

[@mhz23]

Derwoods9 Indeed! As far as I see it, they cheated.

[@juan833blue]

mhz23 Back when there was no such thing as steroids, just natural power.

[@jstarks123]

+TheRealDeal Maris had nothing to do with MLB extending the season. Every player that year had the same advantage that he did. It's not like Maris broke the rules in order to gain an unfair advantage. Also, keep in mind that it wasn't until mid-season of 1961 that Ford Frick ruled that the home run record would need to be broken within a span of 154 games. When Frick saw that Babe's legendary record was in jeopardy, he was going to do everything in his power to try to protect it.

[@juan833blue]

Roger Maris; the true single season home run king, sorry Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds. RIP Roger Maris.

[@perryegolson833]

+jstarks123 I read somewhere that Maris' plate appearances in 1961 were very similar to Babe Ruth's in 1927. And I agree with you, why make this formal announcement about the 154-game crap when it became clear that Maris was in fact threatening to break the record? Why wait until the midway point of the season? Why not make an announcement prior to the start of the season about all records having to be broken within a 154-game time span? Frick was absolutely in love with Babe Ruth. He was his ghost writer back in the day. His unfair bias against Maris was appalling. Putting that ridiculous asterisk next to his record is a slap in the face to Maris and his family and it mocks his great accomplishment.

[@RodWeaverSpareTalk]

The Flintstones actually did an episode about baseball with the character, Roger Marble. This was undoubtedly a tribute to Mr. Maris.

[@alpha-omega2362]

yeah they had a lot like that...remember Cary Granite?

[@Mr966496]

Alpha-Omega how about Ann margrock as pebbles baby sitter,

[@kevinmiller1763]

@@Mr966496 Or The Jetsons episode where Dean Martin is parodied as "Dean Martian"?

[@tomryan914]

Stoney Curtis

[@BlueToronto]

My contribution....Goggles Paesano, legend! LOL.

[@Solitude47152]

He got the Budweiser distributorship in Florida due to his baseball career. Past away at only 51 years old.

[@TheBatugan77]

No sky pointing. No bling. No javelin toss batflip. Just a record setting bomb. Way to go Roger.

[@jermaineonealnumber7]

I loved the movie 61* I can watch that over & over again, how about that!

[@stevenkunzer9027]

Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Roger Maris are baseball's real home run kings.

[@DJL0455]

Steven Kunzer you’re damn right they are...

[@Celluloidwatcher]

AMEN to that. Natural talent does it all the time...Not that artificial stuff called steroids.

[@paulsarna5066]

Yeah, I got no use for Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire or any of those steroid guys...it seems history is giving them what they deserve. Nobody thinks positively of them.

[@jamesklatt]

And Mickey Mantle if he didnt got injured he would have broken the babes record too.

[@waynej2608]

Agree, 110%!!

[@shevetlevi2821]

I was 10 years old at the time. I had double and triple copies of all the Yankee baseball cards during their dynasty. It was the only time in my life that I loved and followed team sports. There was something about the soothing voices that all of the announcers had on a lazy summer afternoon with the sound of the window fan whirring that just was an all's right with the world for a ten year old.

[@hamburg1306]

I get chills every time I watch this and it’s truly baseball history to have this great moment preserved and here to view on KZbin. Thanks Yankees-at shea for this and all posts of Roger’s milestone homeruns that season.

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

He did it also under tremendous pressure. He was relatively new to New York was chasing the all-time icon, Ruth, and was competing against the new Yankee icon, Mantle, who tailed off at the end and finished with 54. What really impresses me the most is that he's exactly my size. I saw a chart once of his dimensions--chest, arms, legs--and I even took out a tape measure. We were an exact match. I was a powerful batter as a kid, but nothing like the monsters of today. Maris did it with an average athlete's body. It just amazes me. And yeah, he never was a jerk about any of it.

[@scootdaws25]

Mantle was hurt with an infection in his hip and a quack doctor made it worse otherwise it would have been cool to see them battling tile the end. I think Mantle only played a game or two in the World Series against the Reds.

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

@@scootdaws25 Didn't know that. Mantle's whole career, kinda like Griffey's had injuries shadowing it. They both still had spectacular careers, but everyone kind of expected them to be the greatest ever. Ruth seemed to luck out: hot dogs and beer and he kept chugging along. Elite athletes today are pretty smart and training and supervision are way better. Still, remaining professional player til you're 40+ involves some great genes and great luck too.

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

Oops....professional player healthy

[@patearly9492]

One of my all-time favorite ball players and people! Thank you so much for sharing and God bless everyone

[@64arguz]

Despite the video quality this’s a JEWEL ! Roger achieved his record without steroids, cork bat or energy drinks !!!

[@michaeljc]

Such an understated congratulatory response from his teammates for such an amazing historical feat. (Compared to today's overstated emotional craziness for relatively minor feats) The game was bigger than these players and they realized it. Maris was a class act.

[@lisa-el3db]

He is a sports legend. He was decent, kind, and never took cheap shots with reporters. When he was asked "Roger, do you think you earned the respect from the crowd when you hit the 61st homerun? Roger- " Uh, I don't know, I don't think that is something you earn on a ballfield."(something like that). Love him even more.

[@haroldgillette7157]

Way to go ,Roger! One of my favorite players all time...and I'ma Reds fan who suffered through the '61 series.

[@chasbodaniels1744]

That WS must have been painful for Reds fans. They had a young Vada Pinson plus Frank Robinson, but misplays, base-running gaffes ... plus Whitey ... did them in.

[@yardmandg54]

I actually remember watching this when I was 7 years old and my grandpa and Grandma's house in Chelsea Oklahoma. An old black and white Zenith TV. I asked my grandpa what did he do and he said someday you'll learn about it he has a lot of home runs. Back when baseball was baseball

[@deadalready7467]

Love the drawl, the the simple graphics, love the understated call on the historic call of Maris’#61. Love History

[@Dakers11]

What I like about htis call is that, Mr. Barber allows me to hear the crowd and feel the moment as he rounds the bases.

[@jameshepburn4631]

Vin Scully likely learned when to keep quiet from Red Barber. Both were masters of letting great moments "speak" for themselves.

[@thomasmann6240]

I grew up in the Bronx 4 miles from Yankee Stadium. Spent my summers as a kid in the bleachers watching all the Yankee greats, to include the M&M boys. Maris, in my opinion, still holds the record!

[@MarylandSpace]

Remember the 75 cent bleacher seats?

[@thomasmann6240]

Yes indeed!

[@ccsuwxman19]

+MarylandSpace Heck! I remember the 50 cent bleacher seats! And Grandstand seats were only $1.30. The Good Old Days, indeed!

[@chasbodaniels1744]

@@ccsuwxman19 Even field level box seats were affordable to middle class families then (for an occasional treat of course). Now, forget it.

[@frankmiller689]

I'll never forget that year. As a 9 year old it was my first season as a baseball fan and it was a magical year to be remember forever.

[@38ddkelly]

51 years later, Roger is STILL the single-season record holder.

[@gregpalermo3861]

Today i just treat pro sports like the food in a cafeteria. I pick and choose what i like, they can keep the rest.

[@anthonyfoutch3152]

no he isn't

[@SteveWachtler]

I remember being impressed as a kid by the then "state of the art" special effect (the flashing number). Thanks for posting.

[@Rayburn58]

To this day only two players have legitimately hit 60 home runs in a season.

[@albertserrano3707]

Also, they played 160 games.

[@NatsFan18]

Aaron Judge would disagree

[@rayburn5871]

@@NatsFan18 Yes it just happened today you idiot. When I wrote the comment it was true. What a dumb ass comment.

[@clouddweller1195]

Babe Ruth,Roger Maris,Mickey Mantle...no roids,no high fives....pure American heroes.

[@11aaf]

Don't forget Willie Mays, whom played at the same time as Mantle.

[@jamesmatthew3681]

And Hank Aaron as well!

[@bobcinquino9937]

You got that right!

[@randysanders777]

When sports were still sports and America was still free!

[@vicepresidentmikepence889]

Yes, Black people definitely had the freedom to vote in the south in 1961😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

[@diffened]

@randy, I can certainly agree with you on the first part. The second part you sound like a crazy person, or maybe just a bigoted old white man.

[@rt8532]

Yeah…right. Life was SO much better in 1961. Of course.

[@diffened]

@@rt8532 people like @randy live in their own little fantasy world. Not sure what he is talking about America was still free. White men were free, everybody else, not so much.

[@KnockOffBeingFat]

What makes this even more special was that it was Roger's last chance to get 61. His last at bat for the season! 61 in 61, 61 years ago!

[@NatsFan18]

Yes and couldn’t be a better person to break it than Judge!

[@MickTheQuickk]

Congrats to Sal Durante of Brooklyn who caught the ball.

[@jeffsanborn1911]

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[@jeffsanborn1911]

d66

[@jeffsanborn1911]

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[@jeffsanborn1911]

66

[@gregb6469]

@@jeffsanborn1911 -- Your cat must have laid down on your keyboard.

[@jackmackenzie2482]

I was never a Yankee fan! I was a Roger Maris fan though! This is rich history. This was a feat performed just as Babe Ruth did it, with power and technique! No blown up men full of steroids!! I was 9 years old when this happened! He was such a modest and unassuming type of guy. I was really happy for him to achieve this height!! RIP Roger!!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@paulmartin8260]

Roger Maris is still the single season Homerun king, with Hank Aaron's all time record. If Bonds, Clemens etc. aren't being put in the HOF then why let them have records. It's a shame what they did to the game.

[@hannover5551]

Baseball sucks today because of what went on with steroids. I’ll never watch it again. Roger Maris. Class all the way

[@victorcroker2765]

What a time in baseball history! No drugs, just raw talent!

[@dougbrowne9890]

Such a humble man, just doing his job. Those days are long gone, and MLB is worse off for it. RiP Roger! You are the definition of class.

[@erikbedard713]

Very sad that Maris died so young at age 51. I pray in retrospect that he did not suffer too much.

[@sinnuh]

Roger Eugene Maris - "AGAINST ALL ODDS"

[@oncethriving]

He didn't run around the bases waving his arms and pointing at himself. The other players didn't all run out of the dugout and make a dogpile. The guy who caught the ball in the stands wasn't mobbed by other people trying to take it away from him. No one ran out of the stands to run around the bases with him. No one had his face painted or his body covered with tattoos of meaningless slogans. They didn't play rap music over the loudspeakers. In fact, they didn't have rap music. Anyone know where I can get a time machine?

[@yankeemike8699]

Condoleezza Finkelstein Yeah, it's called a plane ticket to Saudi Arabia. There was a fight over the ball, people like you were complaining about that damn rock and roll. Who cares if someone has tattoos or face paint? How does that affect you?

[@scottgreenberg1596]

Yeah, because the other players hated someone breaking Ruth's record..

[@derekleaberry1199]

Your comment is excellent. We live in a vulgar cultural wasteland.

[@rayjr62]

No, but I know where you can buy a gun with bullets....real cheap.

[@bunsonbaker4156]

Stay classy Tysons

[@meadows408]

I was 12 years old and watched it as it happened. What a day for baseball. Few will remember that Roger and Mickey were both in the running to break the record, Mickey just hit a little bit of a slump. Thank you.

[@bluemoon-20]

Not a slump. Mickey developed an abscessed hip that forced him to be hospitalized. He was out the remainder of the season and limited in the World Series.

[@meadows408]

@@bluemoon-20 Thanks

[@bluemoon-20]

@meadows408 That's just the version that the public heard about. Supposedly, Mantle had caught an STD from a woman on the road. To treat it without the Press finding out, Yankees broadcaster Mel Allen introduced Mickey to Dr. Max Jacobson- also known as "Doctor Feelgood". Among his "clients" was President John F. Kennedy, who received massive injections of speed and painkillers for his back pain. Mantle received an injection from Jacobson for the STD, but the injection site (his hip) got infected and developed a dangerous abcess, leading to Mick's hospitalization. That derailed Mantle's chances of breaking Ruth's home run record in '61. Mantle never spoke to Mel Allen again.

[@paulyboy976]

Still the AL Home Run Champ for over 60 years. Incredible.

[@57rfx]

I love the calls the old-time announcers used to make. That's why I love listening to Vin Scully, and I'm a Mariners fan. But it sure makes me miss Dave Niehaus even more.

[@jameshepburn4631]

I know the feeling. In my mind I can still hear Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse inviting fans to "come out to beautiful Wrigley Field".

[@alonenjersey]

I've always said that today's broadcasters of baseball could learn than a thing or two from the greats of the past.

[@MyRofaith]

Take the asterisk off his 61st..... at least he didn't take steroids like McGuire, Sosa, and the rest of them. He was a great baseball player

[@toddmaniatoddmania9844]

There never was an asterisk

[@supbrahimhammer.421]

The asterisk was taken off 25 years ago

[@stephenkammerling9479]

Maris was named the undisputed record holder in the mid 80's. But I think it was after his death. I checked Maris's stats for first 8 games of season. It appears he hit no homers. If true, Maris did 61 homers in 154 game span. I was prompted to so that research when Maris asked "which 154 games." The commissioner, a buddy of Babe Ruth, screwed Maris.

[@boblackey1]

I remember watching this live on TV. I was 14 years old & my dad wasn't much of a baseball fan & I had to really fuss & whine to both of my parents to have control of the TV that night. We just had one. It was a Capart. Spelling may be wrong but it was pronounced Kay-part. I went to a hotel lobby in the fall of 1961 & it was full of people watching the Reds & the Yankees play the world series in COLOR! The hotel had a color TV & that was the first time I had seen anything on TV in color.

[@kentidball1849]

We had about a 17" Admiral b&w with doors on it that opened and closed. It was good enough to watch Roger power that ball out of the park!

[@jaivette]

I also was watching I was 11

[@dalethelander3781]

Could've been worse. Could've been a Muntz tv.

[@robertbateman2355]

Too be honest, Roger still holds the record. such a classy gentleman, no showboating etc etc and no ROIDS Pure natural power

[@robbybonfire9944]

Really nice of Roger to shake hands with the fan who came onto the field to congratulate him. Warms my heart to see that.

[@veteranprepper1188]

That was nice.

[@GordonMBSC2009]

No real surprise at Red's call. He always said he preferred radio to television because with TV, he was, "A slave to the camera" while with radio he could paint a word picture. I remember that mom would often watch the Yankee games on TV with the sound turned down and listen to Red calling the game on the radio.

[@drumdad54sdl47]

So true..that's why my memories of listening to Tiger games on my little AM pocket radio while growing up are priceless..and few could paint a word picture as well as Ernie Harwell.

[@Peter0955]

That's funny, we would turn the radio on when Red was broadcasting TV, he said little to nothing. Interesting about his preference for radio. Thanks!

[@williamdunphy352]

The most underrated home run call in baseball history.

[@davesparks9503]

"True class"...should be in the Hall of Fame...

[@hoss73ford]

+Dave Sparks I'm more of a football person but I did follow baseball back in the 60s & 70s. I learned just today that Maris is not in. That's disgusting. They must be as bad as the rock and roll hall of fame who recently declared they were not concentrating on the pioneers any more. A total joke.

[@hoss73ford]

+TheLegacyofWrestling you do have a very valid point but I'd like to see him get in by all means.

[@CapAnson12345]

+TheLegacyofWrestling It's a really iffy thing with Maris.. yeah if he had played a healthy 18-20 year career he'd be a no brainier.. but he didn't even have a healthy five years. The other mediocre years he had drag down his 1960-62 statistics.

[@Riot98765]

It's a tough call he only played 11 years. Had injuries not of slowed him down and he played longer then I'm sure he would have made it in.

[@4orrcountry]

If, if, if...means nothing when it comes to HOF because "didn't" rules, as it should.

[@strawberryshortcake8382]

Such a class act 👏🏼🙌🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Good husband, father and ball player. He had it all ❤️

[@jamescpotter]

I was 9 years old living in El Paso, TX watching this unfold on the old B&W set. Amazing!

[@chasbodaniels1744]

Same here, brother ... except I listened to it on the radio in Buffalo.

[@dalethelander3781]

It was covered on national television?

[@jamescpotter]

@@dalethelander3781 , yes. Back in 1961 there were only three television networks and each would typically broadcast sports such as baseball and football. The same year Micky Mantle hit 55 (if I'm not mistaken) home runs as he and his teammate Maris were competing in a friendly match to see who could hit the most that season.

[@dalethelander3781]

@@jamescpotter I know; but this took place when I was two weeks shy of 3 years old. As I recall, there was only one network that televised a game nationally, NBC, and that was on Saturday afternoons.

[@jonathanstiegler2770]

A humble hero.

[@davidtaghon]

The best kind

[@Bill-uo6cm]

A home run record that may never be broken.

[@GreekboyyD]

57 for Judge.

[@NatsFan18]

This comment didn’t age well 😂

[@Lifeblesser]

I think Red's letting the crowd tell the story was doing more with less...

[@dontraylor4476]

Roger, you were beyond great. I'm glad I got to see you play. You're with the Lord now, I'm sure.

[@randywheeler1436]

Maris was a really class act. When he came to the Cardinals for his final 2 seasons, he helped St. Louis win 2 pennants and 1 World Series title and said it was the most fun he had in baseball.