Roger Maris

  New York Yankee outfielder Roger Maris, of Fargo, North Dakota, is best known 

for hitting sixty-one home runs in 1961. His 61 in '61 set a new major league record, breaking Babe Ruth's previous mark of 60 hit in 1927.

   Roger and teammate Mickey Mantle entertained baseball fans throughout the summer

of '61 as the two New York Yankee sluggers chased the record many called the most cherished in all of sports. Mickey dropped out of the home run race early due to an illness, but finished with a career high 54 home runs. Roger tied Ruth on September 26, hitting his 60th home run. He then hit his 61st home run on the final day of the season, October 1, 1961, against the Boston Red Sox to set a new record. The Yankees won the game, 1 to 0, and later went on to win the World Series.

   Roger was voted the Most Valuable Player in the American league for the second 

straight year, as he led the league in home runs and RBI's. He was also named the 1961 Associated Press' Male Athlete of the Year.

   During his career, Roger Maris played in seven World Series and seven All-Star 

games. He hit 275 career home runs and won the Gold Glove Award for outstanding defensive play. The New York Yankees retired his number "9" in 1984.

In 1998, Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs passed Roger Maris' single-season home run mark which stood for 37 years. They finished with 70 and 66 home runs respectively.