1961: Sep. 6 Maris 54, Mantle 51.

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. Both ties were in April:

Thursday, April 14, 1927 Third game of season.

Start Time: 3:30 p.m. Local

Attendance: 9,000

Venue: Yankee Stadium I

Game Duration: 2:50

Day Game, on grass

Philadelphia Athletics 9, Yankees 9 TIE after 10 innings

No home runs by either team.

Saturday, April 22, 1961 8th game of season.

Attendance: 14,126

Venue: Memorial Stadium

Game Duration: 2:09

Night Game, on grass

Second game of doubleheader, see First game. (Orioles 5, Yanks 3)

Yankees 5, Orioles 5 TIE after 7 innings

HR: Bill Skowron (1, off Wes Stock, 4th inn, 3 on, 0 outs to Deep RF Line). Only Yankee home run in the doubleheader.

 

Wednesday, September 6, 1961

Start Time: 2:04 p.m. Local

Attendance: 12,295

Venue: Yankee Stadium I

Game Duration: 2:11

Day Game, on grass

Yankees 8, Senators 0

HR: Roger Maris (54, off Tom Cheney, 4th inn, 0 on, 2 outs to Deep RF)

Wednesday, September 12, 1962 Tom Cheney struck out 21 batters:

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA	BF	GSc	IR	IS	WPA	aLI	RE24
Tom Cheney, W (6-8)	16	10	1	1	4	21	0	3.01	62	115			1.430	1.80	6.4
Team Totals	16	10	1	1	4	21	0	0.56	62	115			1.430	1.80	6.4

1961:

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
NYY	94	45	.676	--	724	536	.634
DET	86	53	.619	8.0	720	569	.606
BAL	83	59	.585	12.5	626	524	.581
CHW	77	65	.542	18.5	673	632	.529
CLE	71	69	.507	23.5	644	638	.504
BOS	67	75	.472	28.5	650	717	.455
LAA	61	79	.436	33.5	638	684	.468
MIN	59	79	.428	34.5	615	683	.452
WSA	51	88	.367	43.0	547	684	.399
KCA	51	88	.367	43.0	602	772	.388