On This Day 61 Years Ago, Roger Maris Tied Babe Ruth with 60 Home Runs
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61 years ago to the day of publication, New York Yankees outfielder Roger Maris hit his 60th home run of the Major League Baseball season, tying Babe Ruth's single-season home run record.
Maris tattooed home run number 60 of the 1961 season off Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jack Fisher, in the Yankees 3-2 win at the old Yankee Stadium.
Maris' 60th blast came in his team's 158th game of the 1961 season. Five days later, Maris would set a new Major League single-season record of 61 home runs, a record that would hold for 37 years. His American League record still stands, for now.
Last week, another Yankees outfielder, Aaron Judge, hit his 60th home run of the 2022 season, in the Yankees 9-8 comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees trailed by four runs entering the bottom of the ninth, but scored five runs off Judge's homer, and a walk-off grand slam from designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton.
Judge needed 11 fewer games to get to 60 than Maris did, as he collected his 60th long ball of 2022 in his club's 147th game.
Judge even got to 60 home runs faster than Ruth did. Ruth hit 60 in 1927, back when the regular season was 154 games long.
Judge hopes to make September 26 a memorable day for himself, as his club opens a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays Monday night. Judge is having one of the best single-seasons in baseball history, as he currently leads the American League in all three Triple Crown categories, in pursuit of his 61st home run.
The Yankees can clinch an American League East title with a win Monday. It would be their first division title since 2019.
