1961 Yankees lefty power.

In recent seasons the Yankees have lacked power from left handed batters who could take advantage of the short distance in right field at Yankee Stadium. I decided to look at home run hitting of the 1961 Yankees, who set and held the MLB team record for home runs (240) in a season for more than 30 years, well into the Designated Hitter (DH) era that started in 1973 in the American League.

The data below is only for 1961 Yankees who hit a home run. No pitchers homered.

Mickey Mantle was the only switch hitter. His 54 home runs are split accordingly.

HR% is the percent of the total 240 home runs the Yankees hit in 1961. Roger Maris hit 61 and broke the individual home record for a season and hit 25% of his team's home runs. In 1927 Babe Ruth hit 60 of the Yankees 158 home runs: 38%.

Lefty batters, then righty:

Pos	Name	Age	AB	HR	AB/HR	HR%
RF	Roger Maris*	26	590	61	9.67	25.42%
CF	Mantle left	29	347	43	8.07	17.92%
LF	Yogi Berra*	36	395	22	17.95	9.17%
C	Johnny Blanchard*	28	243	21	11.57	8.75%
SS	Tony Kubek*	25	617	8	77.13	3.33%
1B	Bob Hale*	27	13	1	13.00	0.42%
	Left tot		2,205	156	14.13	65.00%
Pos	Name	Age	AB	HR	AB/HR	HR%
1B	Bill Skowron	30	561	28	20.04	11.67%
C	Elston Howard	32	446	21	21.24	8.75%
3B	Clete Boyer	24	504	11	45.82	4.58%
CF	Mantle right	29	167	11	15.18	4.58%
LF	Bob Cerv	36	118	6	19.67	2.50%
2B	Bobby Richardson	25	662	3	220.67	1.25%
LF	Héctor López	31	243	3	81.00	1.25%
3B	Billy Gardner	33	99	1	99.00	0.42%
	Right tot		2,800	84	33.33	35.00%
		Age	AB	HR	AB/HR	HR%
	Total		5,005	240	20.85	100%
CF	Mickey Mantle#	29	514	54	9.52

Mantle had the best rate (AB/HR) for both groups.

The lefties hit 65% of the homers despite having only 44% of At Bats (AB) of the home run hitters: 2,205/5,005.

Of these home run hitters, only Bobby Richardson and Tony Kubek are still living.

Tony Kubek

Positions: Shortstop, Outfielder and Third Baseman

Bats: Left  •  Throws: Right

6-3, 190lb (190cm, 86kg)

Born: October 12, 1935 (Age: 88-144d) in Milwaukee, WI us

Bobby Richardson

Position: Second Baseman

Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

5-9, 170lb (175cm, 77kg)

Born: August 19, 1935 (Age: 88-198d) in Sumter, SC us