50 home runs 1920-1965: team game numbers, including a surprising number of ties.

This is an expansion of a post in the series "1961 HR race":

1961: Aug. 22 Maris 50, Mantle 46. Yankee game 125. Saturday, August 22, 2020

In 1961 the American League expanded from 8 to 10 teams and increased its schedule from 154 to 162 games. Both the 1927 and 1961 Yankees played one tie game...

In 1961 Roger Maris became the soonest to 50 home runs to that point in baseball history. In terms of the number of team games, which may include ties, Maris tied Ruth in 1921 at Yankee game 125.

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Willie Mays 1965 season is included simply because he fits with the others and it's natural to wonder how many games his Giants, by then in San Francisco, played when he had his second 50 home run season. Mays first was in New York in 1955.

G50: team game for home run 50

tG: total number of team games, including ties; BOLD shows more than scheduled.

Rk	Player	HR	Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	Date	G50	Ties	tG	Year	HR	Player
1	Roger Maris	61	1961	26	NYY	AL	161	698	590	1961-08-22	125	1	163	1961	61	Roger Maris
2	Babe Ruth	60	1927	32	NYY	AL	151	691	540	1927-09-11	138	1	155	1927	60	Babe Ruth
3	Babe Ruth	59	1921	26	NYY	AL	152	693	540	1921-09-03	125		153	1921	59	Babe Ruth
4	Jimmie Foxx	58	1932	24	PHA	AL	154	702	585	1932-09-03	135		154	1932	58	Jimmie Foxx
4	Hank Greenberg	58	1938	27	DET	AL	155	681	556	1938-09-12	135	1	155	1938	58	Hank Greenberg
6	Hack Wilson	56	1930	30	CHC	NL	155	709	585	1930-09-15 (2)	145	2	156	1930	56	Hack Wilson
7	Babe Ruth	54	1920	25	NYY	AL	142	617	458	1920-09-24 (1)	148		154	1920	54	Babe Ruth
7	Babe Ruth	54	1928	33	NYY	AL	154	684	536	1928-09-15	140		154	1928	54	Babe Ruth
7	Ralph Kiner	54	1949	26	PIT	NL	152	667	549	1949-09-19	143		154	1949	54	Ralph Kiner
7	Mickey Mantle	54	1961	29	NYY	AL	153	646	514	1961-09-03	135	1	163	1961	54	Mickey Mantle
11	Mickey Mantle	52	1956	24	NYY	AL	150	652	533	1956-09-18	145		154	1956	52	Mickey Mantle
11	Willie Mays	52	1965	34	SFG	NL	157	638	558	1965-09-25	154	1	163	1965	52	Willie Mays
13	Willie Mays	51	1955	24	NYG	NL	152	670	580	1955-09-20 (2)	149		154	1955	51	Willie Mays
13	Ralph Kiner	51	1947	24	PIT	NL	152	666	565	1947-09-18	147	2	156	1947	51	Ralph Kiner
13	Johnny Mize	51	1947	34	NYG	NL	154	664	586	1947-09-20	145	1	155	1947	51	Johnny Mize
16	Jimmie Foxx	50	1938	30	BOS	AL	149	685	565	1938-10-01	146	1	150	1938	50	Jimmie Foxx
Rk	Player	HR	Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	Date	G50			Year	HR	Player

Of the 16 seasons included, 9 had at least one tie game and two had two tie games. 8 of the 9 seasons with tie games played at least one more than the scheduled number of games. The 1938 Red Sox played a tie but still had a total of only 150. Jimmie Foxx hit two home runs in 1938 Red Sox game 149 and then did not play in game 150.

The 1930 Cubs and 1947 Pirates each played two tie games for a total of 156 games. In 1947 Kiner and Mize tied for most NL home runs with 51 and the Giants of Johnny Mize played one tie, so it was team games: Kiner 156, Mize 155.

The teams of Ruth in 1921 and Foxx in 1938 played fewer than the scheduled number of games: 154.

Greenberg and Wilson were the only two whose teams played ties who played in all their team's games.

Four of the six most home run totals in this group, had ties and more team games than scheduled.

Maris had the most season at bats (AB): 590. Ruth with 54 HR in 1920 had the fewest AB: 458, the only AB below 514: Mantle 54 HR in 1961 when he missed 10 of 163 games.

The inclusion of Mays in 1965 shows that a tie game occured in that last season in this group for a tie with the 1961 Yankees of Maris and Mantle at 163 team games. Mays hit number 50 in 1965 in the highest team game in the group: 154.

60 Home Runs in 154 games: Ruth yes. Maris no. Bonds, McGwire, Sosa? Monday, June 12, 2017