Maris, Roger Eugene
Maris, Roger Eugene
(măr`ĭs), 1934–85, American baseball player, b. Hibbing, Minn. He played (1957–59) for Cleveland and the Kansas City Athletics before joining (1960) the New York Yankees. In 1961, Maris hit 61 home runs, breaking Babe RuthRuth, Babe(George Herman Ruth), 1895–1948, American baseball player, considered by many the greatest of all baseball players, b. Baltimore. Early Life
When he was seven years old his parents placed him in St.
..... Click the link for more information. 's record of 60 in one season. Ford C. Frick, commissioner of baseball, ruled that since Maris had played in a 162-game schedule (as opposed to Ruth's 154 one), his record would be listed officially with a qualifying asterisk; this decision stood until 1991. In 1998, Mark McGwireMcGwire, Mark David
, 1963–, American baseball player, b. Pomona, Calif. A muscular first baseman who was a college and Olympic (1984) star, McGwire broke into the American League as Rookie of the Year in 1987 with the Oakland Athletics, hitting a record 49 home runs for a
..... Click the link for more information. and Sammy Sosa both surpassed Maris's mark. Maris won the league's Most Valuable Player award in 1960 and again in 1961. He hit 275 home runs in a 12-year major league career (1957–68).