1961: Sep. 20 Maris 59, Mantle 53 after 155 games. Ruth hit number 60 in game 154.

Part of a series that started with August 1, 1961.

Roger Maris and Yankee teammate Mickey Mantle engaged in a home race during a pennant race, both trying to pass the season record of 60 home runs hit in 1927 by Yankee Babe Ruth.

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:

- Thursday, April 14, 1927 Philadelphia Athletics 9, Yankees 9 after ten innings; no home runs

- Saturday April 22, 1961 in Baltimore: Orioles won game one 5-3; game two: 5-5 tie after 7 innings.  Only Bill Skowron (bases loaded) homered for the Yankees that day.

1961: Maris and Mantle lost a home run in July 17 rainout, replayed in September. Thursday, August 27, 2020

Doubleheader:

Tuesday, September 19, 1961 ...

Skowron hit the only Yankee home run in that (September 19) doubleheader.  Game two is probably the game that replaced the July 17, 1961 non game in which Maris and Mantle had homered.

______________________

This was 1961 Yankee game 155 (104-50-1). Maris hit number 59 as the clock ran out. In 1927 Yankee game 155 (110-44-1) Ruth already had 60. The Babe had tied his own 1921 season record of 59 when he hit two in game 153, then another in game 154. 0 for 3 plus a walk in game 155. Maris has those 8 extra games to go but the home run race was all but over and anti-climactic. Note the attendance.

Wednesday, September 20, 1961

Attendance: 21,032

Venue: Memorial Stadium

Game Duration: 2:00

Night Game, on grass

Yankees 4, Orioles 2

HR: Roger Maris (59, off Milt Pappas, 3rd inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep RF)

Maris was 1 for 5, no walks. There are stories about the wind and Ruth's ghost in his home town. This post is about facts. Maris hit number 50 in team game 125 and had 30 games to tie the Babe in 155, even benefiting from that April tie. He hit only 9 in those 30 games. Then he had 8 more games.

Maris played center field in place of the injured Mantle.

The pennant race was over: 10 game lead with 8 games to go.

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
NYY	104	50	.675	--	804	594	.635
DET	93	59	.612	10.0	780	629	.597
BAL	89	65	.578	15.0	654	558	.572
CHW	84	70	.545	20.0	727	681	.530
CLE	74	79	.484	29.5	684	703	.487
BOS	73	81	.474	31.0	703	761	.464
MIN	67	83	.447	35.0	657	722	.457
LAA	66	86	.434	37.0	688	736	.469
KCA	57	95	.375	46.0	647	818	.394
WSA	56	95	.371	46.5	583	725	.402