On this date in New York Yankees history, Roger Maris earned the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award.
It marked the second consecutive MVP Award for Maris, who topped fellow “M&M Boy,” Mickey Mantle, by four votes.
The historic 1961 season saw Maris break Babe Ruth‘s single-season home run record, mashing 61 home runs. To this day the 61 remains a franchise and AL record, and many might say still is the clean MLB record.
In 1961, Maris also paced the Junior Circuit with 132 runs scored, 141 RBI and 366 total bases.
Plus, Maris would homer again in the Fall Classic, as the Yankees defeated the Cincinnati Reds.
