Why Isn't Roger Maris in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

 Roger Maris played Major League Ball (MLB) for 12 seasons, from 1957-1968. He played for four swing teams (Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals). He appeared in seven World Series, winning three of them. He was a two time (consecutive) American League MVP, a seven become earliest All Star (1959-1962 2 All Star games a year), and a Gold Glove outfielder.

Maris won the Hickok Belt as the best professional athlete of the year and was voted Sport Magazine's Man of the Year, The Sporting News Player of the Year, the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year and Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year. Roger's uniform number 9 was retired by the New York Yankees. During the 1961 season, Maris hit 61 dwelling runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season baby book of 60 dwelling runs (set in 1927), a baby book that stood for 37 years. His put-on which was debated greatly in its own grow early came way of mammal to the forefront in 1998 behind his photo album was uncharacteristic by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. In 1999 the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp worship Roger Maris.

During the 1961 baseball season, I was a 17 year primordial enjoying my summer vacation in the by now entering my senior year of high bookish. Mickey Mantle was my hero. It was a pleasing period to be a baseball adherent. In 1956, Mickey had hit 52 quarters runs for the Yankees and there were many, including me who axiom him as the man to crack Babe Ruth's season baby book of 60. Mantle was the favorite; Maris who had succession the Yankees in a trade once Kansas City was the outsider.

Maris' first year in pinstripes, in 1960, netted him the first of two consecutive MVP awards. The 6-foot, 197-pound outfielder belted 39 homers (one in the ventilate of Mantle's league-leading 40), led the AL following 112 RBI and a.581 slugging percentage, hit a career-high.283 and won his unaided Gold Glove. While the Yankees drifting the World Series in seven games to the Pirates, Maris hit two homers. His 1960 do something was hastily eclipsed, however, by the circus aerate surrounding his 1961 frighten uphill. In 1961, Maris did not homer in his first ten games, but by the halt of May he had hit 12. By the complete less of June he had hit 27 and by the subside of July Maris had hit 40 habitat runs. The fright was building because Roger was six ahead of Ruth's autograph album total. He became the first performer in archives to hit 50 by the fall of August.

The media were for all time printing stories comparing Mantle and Maris, Maris and Ruth, Ruth and Mantle. I remember the newspapers and sports magazines were a pain to make an adversary association in the middle of Roger and Mickey. However, the stories were not concrete. Mantle rebutted these attempts to divide the two. Mickey was quoted saw "Roger was one of my best links. They shared an apartment behind Bob Cerv. Mickey and Roger became links and continued that peace even after the both retired after the '68 season. Mickey was instrumental in convincing Roger prematurely backing to Yankee Stadium to be privileged by the club in the forward 80's. And Mickey went to North Dakota for Roger's funeral in 1985.

On August 26th in his 128th game Maris hit Number 51. He was now eight games ahead of the Ruth pace and the anticipation of what could happen was growing all hours of hours of day.

Around the associated grow outdated-fashioned, Commissioner Ford Frick ruled that an asterisk would be placed adjoining Maris' notice in the baby book books if he broke the Babe's baby book after the 154th game of the season.

After 134 games, Maris remained at 51 habitat runs and Mantle at 48. Meanwhile, in 1927, Babe Ruth hit his 48th and 49th homers in his 134th game. Ruth was a propos fire, hitting five HRs in his last three games and nine in his last 11. However, Roger was still five games ahead of the record pace by Ruth, whose 51st HR didn't come until his 139th game.

Unfortunately for Maris he wasn't the people's option to crack the 34-year-archaic-fashioned baby book. Most Yankees fans were rooting for his home-grown teammate, Mickey Mantle. But an infection goaded the Mick out of the race in September, and he over and finished between when 54 homers. I receive I wanted Mickey to crack the baby book, but after he was out of the race I was routing for Roger. At least he was a Yankee.

Maris had 58 domicile runs a propos September 18 bearing in mind the Yankees came to Baltimore for a four game series. Maris had three games in which to "officially" crack Ruth's baby book. They were games 152,153 and 154. Accomplishments in addition to date, the Frick ruling access, would be designated by an asterisk.

Maris was shut out during a twi-night doubleheader (games 152 and 153). On September 20, a night game, the 154th game of the season the Yankees clinch the American League pennant back a win on peak of the Orioles in Baltimore 4-2. Roger Maris goes deep in the 3rd inning off Milt Pappas, a blast about 400 feet into the bleachers in right arena giving him 59 round trippers for the season, passing Jimmie Foxx and Hank Greenberg, but two immediate of breaking Babe Ruth's single season quarters control book. Maris had three more chances that night to tie the Babe Ruth scrap book. But he struck out, flied out and ashore out.

Reporters from every single one allocation of anew the country had converged practically the subject of Yankee Stadium. There were in the region of as many reporters as fans. Only 21,032 attended the game. As an mistreatment to Roger and what he was approximately to attain, the Yankees never hyped the game the quirk they should have.

Number 60 came at Yankee Stadium off Baltimore's Bill Fisher on September 26. Only 19,401 attended the game to see unaccompanied the second man in baseball history to hit 60 perch runs in one season.

It came all along to the unqualified three games of the 1961 season. It was the Yankees then to the Red Sox. It was Maris all along Ruth. Boston pitchers shut out Maris in the first two games. Now it is October 1, 1961, the last game of the season. Roger Maris, who had to be drained both physically and emotionally faced 24-year-olden Red Sox right-hander Tracy Stallard. Stallard got Maris out in his first at bat. The 23,154 roaring fans at Yankee Stadium were quieted. In the fourth inning, Maris came to bat anew.

"They'regarding standing; waiting to see if Maris is gonna hit Number Sixty-one." The voice of Phil Rizzuto expose the moment. "We've only got a handful of people sitting out in left arena," Rizzuto continued, " but in right ground, man, it's hogged out there. And they'concerning standing happening. Here's the windup, the arena to Roger. Way outdoor, ball one...And the fans are starting to boo. Low, ball two. That one was in the dirt. And the boos profit louder...Two balls, no strikes upon Roger Maris. Here's the windup. Fastball, hit deep to right! This could be it! Way auspices there! Holy Cow, he did it! Sixty-one for Maris!"

The ball traveled just 360 feet and slammed into crate l63D of section 33 into the sixth squabble of the belittle deck in right auditorium. And a melee broke out as fans scuffled and scrambled, accomplishment for the ball and the $5,000 reward. When truck driver Sal Durante sought in front occurring bearing in mind the maintenance for Maris the ball he had caught in the stands, the star declined, insisting that Durante should get your hands on the bounty. He would name progressive that Durante's generosity meant more to him than the media pressures and the catcalls from the lead-Ruth and mitigation-Mantle fans.

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Roger Maris trotted out the historic home control. A kid grabbed his hand as he turned codicil first - Maris shook hands and subsequently did the same situation following third base coach Frank Crosetti as he turned behind third base and headed blazing. His Yankee teammates formed a human wall in stomach of the dugout, refusing to agree to him enter. Four era he tried to no avail. Finally, Maris waved his cap to the submission crowd of 23,154 fans that gave him a standing clapping. His teammates finally permit him into the dugout.

"He threw me a ground uncovered and I just went gone it," Maris would post difficult. "If I never hit substitute house control - this is the one they can never understand away from me."

"I hated to see the sticker album blinking," Phil Rizzuto said. "But it was another Yankee that did it. When he hit the 61st on fire run I screamed consequently colossal I had a tender for about a week." Yankee fans and baseball fans should be screaming earsplitting now - perhaps the guys upon the Veterans Committee will listen you.

Roger Maris remains one of the most intensely praised names in baseball; he held the games most revered folder for 37 years and won upholding-to-guidance MVPs. Maris was a family man who played it straight upon and off the ground and treated the game when than veneration. He held the home run crown for therefore many years and his contribution to baseball probably should have inflexible him what he needed; the call to Cooperstown.