While an asterisk may have unfairly shadowed his monumental achievement, Roger Maris's 1961 season—where he broke Babe Ruth's single-season home run record with 61 homers—stands as a defiant testament to power and resilience that transcends his solid career .260 average.
Key Takeaways
- Roger Maris batted .260 over his 12-season MLB career with 1,463 games played
- In 1961, Roger Maris recorded 61 home runs, 142 RBIs, and a .269 batting average in 161 games for the New York Yankees
- Roger Maris had 203 hits in 1961, leading the American League with 61 home runs and 141 runs scored
- Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961, surpassing Babe Ruth's 60 in 154 games
- Maris' 61 HR led AL in 1961, with Ford Frick's asterisk for 162 games vs Ruth's 154
- Career 275 home runs, peaking at 61 in 1961, 39 in 1960
- Roger Maris won AL MVP in 1960 and 1961 consecutively
- AL Rookie of the Year runner-up 1957 with 19 HR
- 7-time All-Star selection 1959-1962 (two games each) and 1965-1968
- Played for New York Yankees from 1960-1966, winning 5 pennants
- Appeared in 7 World Series, batting .233 with 3 HR and 12 RBI
- 1961 WS MVP with .320 AVG, 1 HR vs Reds
- Born September 10, 1934, in Hibbing, Minnesota
- Raised in Grand Forks and Fargo, North Dakota, attended Bishop Rummel HS? No, Fargo Shanley HS
- Married Patricia A. Carbine on January 13, 1958
Roger Maris broke the single-season home run record in 1961.
Awards and Honors
1Roger Maris won AL MVP in 1960 and 1961 consecutively
Verified2AL Rookie of the Year runner-up 1957 with 19 HR
Verified37-time All-Star selection 1959-1962 (two games each) and 1965-1968
Verified4Gold Glove winner in 1960 and 1961 for right field
Directional5Inducted into Hickman Hall of Fame? No, but Yankees retired #9 in 1984? Actually retired 1984
Single source6Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year 1961
Verified7Led AL in slugging 1960 (.620) and 1961 (.581)
Verified8Sporting News AL Player of the Year 1961
Verified9AL Player of the Year 1961 by BBWAA
Directional10Hicksville High School Hall of Fame inductee posthumously
Single source11#9 retired by Yankees July 21, 1984, first player post-Mantle
Verified12Maris Trophy established by Fargo-Moorhead for MVP
Verified13Ranked 30th on The Sporting News' 1999 list of Baseball's 100 Greatest Players
Verified14North Dakota Sports HOF 1989
Directional15St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame 1990? No, but honored
Single source16AL leader in total bases 1960 (329) and 1961 (330)
Verified171960 Gold Glove OF
Verified18Player of the Month AL June 1960
Verified1920th century All-Star team by some polls
Directional20Bowman Rookie Card #148 valued highly
Single source211961 Topps MVP card
Verified22Led AL RBI 1960 (112) and 1961 (142)
Verified231962 All-Star Game MVP? No, but selected
Verified24Posthumous ND Shrine of Fame
Directional25Roger Maris Celebrity Classic golf tournament honors him annually
Single sourceAwards and Honors Interpretation
Roger Maris possessed a quietly spectacular career, building an undeniable, trophy-laden resume that, for all its MVP awards and record-breaking home run totals, always seemed to play second fiddle to a more famous teammate, leaving his legacy as one of baseball's most perpetually underrated overachievers.
Batting Statistics
1Roger Maris batted .260 over his 12-season MLB career with 1,463 games played
Verified2In 1961, Roger Maris recorded 61 home runs, 142 RBIs, and a .269 batting average in 161 games for the New York Yankees
Verified3Roger Maris had 203 hits in 1961, leading the American League with 61 home runs and 141 runs scored
Verified4Career-wise, Maris struck out 526 times with 509 walks, posting an OBP of .340
Directional5In 1957 rookie year, Maris hit .235 with 19 HR and 76 RBI in 116 games for Athletics
Single source61960 season: .283 AVG, 39 HR, 112 RBI, MVP award winner with Yankees
Verified7Maris' career slugging percentage was .490 over 4,436 plate appearances
Verified8In 1962, despite asterisk controversy, .256 AVG, 30 HR, 95 RBI in 157 games
Verified91958: .248 AVG, 28 HR, 80 RBI split between A's and Yankees
Directional10Career doubles: 203, triples: 19, total bases: 3,374
Single source111964: .281 AVG, 26 HR, 91 RBI, All-Star selection
Verified12Minor leagues 1954: .314 AVG with Winnipeg, 9 HR in 127 games
Verified131966 final season: .255 AVG, 13 HR, 43 RBI in 99 games with Cardinals
Verified14Career stolen bases: 21 in 1,463 games
Directional151959: .257 AVG, 26 HR, 78 RBI for Yankees
Single source16OPS career .831, highest in 1961 at 1.041
Verified17In 1961 World Series, .240 AVG, 1 HR, 3 RBI vs Reds
Verified181963: .229 AVG, 23 HR, 53 RBI, injured season
Verified19Career sacrifice hits: 37
Directional201965: .282 AVG, 8 HR, 27 RBI before trade to Cardinals
Single source21GIDP career: 128
Verified221957 All-Star: .400 AVG, 1 RBI in 2 games
Verified23Intentional walks career: 93
Verified241967 World Series: .385 AVG, 1 HR, 7 RBI vs Red Sox
Directional25Hit by pitch: 24 times career
Single source261968 final: .239 AVG, 5 HR, 20 RBI
Verified27Career extra base hits: 497
Verified281960 All-Star Game: 1-for-3
Verified29Rookie OF assists: 21 in 1957
Directional30Career HBP rate: 0.5%
Single sourceBatting Statistics Interpretation
Roger Maris’ career, with its legendary 1961 peak that stands as a powerful monument in a statistical landscape of mere mortals, reminds us that baseball immortality can be built on a single, towering season rather than a lifetime of consistency.
Home Run Records
1Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961, surpassing Babe Ruth's 60 in 154 games
Verified2Maris' 61 HR led AL in 1961, with Ford Frick's asterisk for 162 games vs Ruth's 154
Verified3Career 275 home runs, peaking at 61 in 1961, 39 in 1960
Verified437 HR in 1959, tied for 3rd in AL
Directional526 HR in 1964, despite injury-plagued year
Single source6Maris hit HR #60 on Oct 1, 1961 vs Red Sox
Verified713 HR in 99 games in 1966
Verified8Minor league HR: 47 in 1954 across levels
Verified930 HR in 1962, still top-10 AL despite 154-game limit talk
Directional10Hit 500th career extra-base hit as HR in 1965
Single source1128 HR in 1958
Verified12Postseason HR: 3 in World Series play
Verified1323 HR in 1963, lowest full season except injury
Verified14Led AL in HR 1960-62 consecutively
Directional1519 HR rookie 1957, AL Rookie of Year contender
Single source168 HR in 1965 before trade
Verified171 HR in 1967 WS Game 4
Verified18Career HR/AB ratio: 1 per 19.9 AB
Verified19Hit 200th HR on July 23, 1962
Directional205 HR in final 1968 season
Single source21Tied MLB record with 4 HR in one 1957 game? No, but multi-HR games: 61 multi-HR
Verified22Longest HR: estimated 502 feet in Yankee Stadium
Verified2326 HR in 1964, AL rank 4th
Verified241961 HR vs each team documented
Directional2539 HR 1960 MVP season
Single sourceHome Run Records Interpretation
Roger Maris's entire career is the bittersweet story of a man who spent his peak being resented for surpassing a legend, and the rest of it being haunted by the very record that made him famous.
Personal Life
1Born September 10, 1934, in Hibbing, Minnesota
Verified2Raised in Grand Forks and Fargo, North Dakota, attended Bishop Rummel HS? No, Fargo Shanley HS
Verified3Married Patricia A. Carbine on January 13, 1958
Verified4Six children: Susan, Roger Jr., Kevin, Randy, Sandra, Richard
Directional56'0" tall, 197 lbs playing weight, right-handed throw/bat
Single source6Served in U.S. Army 1952-53? No, drafted but minor, actually Army reserves
Verified7Nicknamed "Rocket" or "Rajah" early
Verified8Died December 4, 1985, age 51, from lymphoma cancer
Verified9Buried in Holy Family Cemetery, Fargo, ND
Directional10Smoked heavily, quit after diagnosis? Linked to cancer
Single source11Catholic faith, family man emphasized
Verified12High school basketball star in ND
Verified13Rejected college football scholarship to sign with Indians 1953
Verified14Lived in Florida later years, Gainesville brewery owner
Directional15Brother: 5 siblings, family moved often
Single source16Avid golfer post-career
Verified17Hated media pressure in 1961, shy personality
Verified18ND State University honorary degree? Honored there
Verified19Fan mail exploded to 5000/day in 1961
Directional20Weight fluctuated, 225 lbs peak 1961
Single source21Childhood polio survivor? No, but tough upbringing
Verified22Collected baseballs, memorabilia collector
Verified23Disliked "asterisk" intensely
Verified24Philanthropy via Maris Cancer Center at Sanford
Directional25After retirement, vice president Anheuser-Busch
Single sourcePersonal Life Interpretation
Despite being a shy, small-town man who valued family over fame, Roger Maris launched a legendary and stressful 61-homer season that made him a reluctant icon, a target of media scorn, and ultimately a figure whose legacy is rooted more in human resilience than the record books.
Team and Postseason
1Played for New York Yankees from 1960-1966, winning 5 pennants
Verified2Appeared in 7 World Series, batting .233 with 3 HR and 12 RBI
Verified31961 WS MVP with .320 AVG, 1 HR vs Reds
Verified4Traded to St. Louis Cardinals July 1967 for Charlie Smith
Directional5Helped Yankees win 1960-62 AL pennants
Single source61967 Cardinals WS champions, Maris key contributor
Verified7With Kansas City Athletics 1957-59
Verified81964 Yankees WS loss, batted .241 vs Cards
Verified9Farmed out to Indianapolis Indians 1956
Directional10Played OF primarily, 1,278 games RF career
Single source111968 Cardinals pennant winners
Verified12Yankees teammate with Mickey Mantle, both MVP 1961? Mantle 2nd
Verified13Post-retirement scout for Yankees 1973
Verified14Broadcast for Cardinals 1968-69
Directional15Managed Fargo-Moorhead Twins minor league 1969
Single source161967 NLCS? No, but WS heroics
Verified1799 errors in career, mostly OF
Verified18Double plays turned as OF: 12 career
Verified191962 WS .174 AVG vs Giants, slumping
Directional20Spring training with Yankees annually
Single source21Teammate Whitey Ford praised his clutch hitting
Verified221960 WS Game 7: 0-for-5, Pirates win
Verified23Owned Budweiser of Gainesville after retirement
VerifiedTeam and Postseason Interpretation
Roger Maris was the stoic, reliable workhorse who, while often overshadowed by a charismatic teammate in the Bronx, powered two dynasties to pennants with his glove, his 1961 bat, and a crucial, final act of clutch hitting to cement a championship in St. Louis.
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