Born in Jersey City, N.J., Curry graduated from Fordham University. Another thing about his 61 homers, seeing as how you criticize the players who broke it because they used steroids: Maris hit 61 in an expansion year with two new teams in the league. Maybe, the HOF should create a gallery of MVPS and longstanding major record holders( not to mention greatest defensive players and players who were chosen by their peers for All Star games or the current day Outstanding Player Award).Then, visitors.would better understand and appreciate great baseball, and Roger Maris would be well represented in the Hall. I wouldn't say he's more famous than Pete Rose. Roger Maris played Major League Ball (MLB) for 12 seasons, from 1957-1968. Personally, I regard Maris still to be baseballs season Home Run Leader, excluding Bonds, McGuire and Sosa. Bunch of players ahead of Maris in the HOF discussion. Mickey Morgan| Incidentally, my birthday is Mar15. I'm going to back away from your examples of Kell and Mazeroski and replace them with Baines and Hunter. You may cancel your subscription at anytime by calling Seems about right for the situation. Too young to see Maris in his best years. https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mickey_Morgan/1169320, 2023 EzineArticlesAll Rights Reserved Worldwide. Fans of Roger Maris were quick to respond to my column Sunday, Maris had 58 home runs on September 18 when the Yankees came to Baltimore for a four game series. That's how news traveled back then. We would spend one season with Cleveland and the Oakland Athletics before being traded to the New York Yankees in a seven-player deal in December 1959. McMichael and Dan Hampton (a 2002 Hall of Fame inductee) formed one of the greatest defensive duos in NFL history, a unit that totaled 41.5 sacks from 1984-88. I've always been a big Maris fan, but don't see how it would be possible to make it into the Hall after an 11-year career. His defense was quite good. Just 2-3 great seasons and a few more really good seasons isnt enough. I like stuff like this more than almost anybody. As a Yankee fan for 70 years, I applaud Bob Greenes Cheer on Judge but Dont Forget Maris (op-ed, Oct. 7). Yankees All-Time Team >The 100 Greatest Right Fielders of All-Time >The All-Time Player Rankings >20 Greatest Yankees of All-Time >. He was an All-Star in baseball with the Kansas City Royals in 1989 and a Pro Bowl pick with the Raiders in 1990. There was as similar spurt in 1969 and a lesser one in 1977. But he DID it. HOF enshrinement should be based on the players overall body of work. He became the first player in history to hit 50 by the end of August. Everything is relative, he led the majors in HR eight times). Until the quality of recording improved and the introduction of the center field camera, practically all TV recordings of baseball give the appearance of a phantom ball - you can't see crap in these videos, it's all reactive like the trick play in "Little Big League". In the fourth inning, Maris came to bat again. Granted, it has been a few years since I have been to the HOF, but I would argue that, sans a plaque, Maris is as much in the HOF as some of those with plaques. For me, Roger is still a HOFer because of the 61 in 61 & the impact of that 1961 year battle between Roger & Mickey. However, the stories were not true. The only evidence of Mazeroski's homer is seeing Yogi Berra looking up dejectedly and Mazeroski circling the bases. He was great, but was unfortunately held back by the front office, bitter sportwriters fickle fans and injuries.He would have had lots of seasons like 1960 ( not 1961). Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Mioso and Tony Oliva were elected by the Golden Days Era Committee (1950-69), while Bud Fowler and Buck ONeil were chosen by the Early Baseball Era Committee (pre-1950), as announced on MLB Network. Roger caught so much flak for his accomplishments that I wonder how it ended up affecting his play as well as his legacy. Mariss career stats will continue to be evaluated by future veterans committees, so for those pulling for him, theres always a possibility. 1. Unless otherwise specified my posts represent only my opinion, not fact. Players like Hack Wilson, Cardinal Red Schoendienst, Yankee shortstop Phil Rizzuto, and Philly Richie Ashburn. Customer Service. His accomplishment which was debated greatly in its own time came back to the forefront in 1998 when his record was broken by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. @CardGeek said: Nevertheless, from 1959 -.1962 his fellow American League players (and coaches, I believe ) chose him as an American League All-Star. Still other readers say that Mariss relatively short career should not ( COOPERSTOWN, NY) The 1961 baseball season, which found Americans riveted to the great Maris-Mantle home run race, will be celebrated upon its 60th anniversary with the donation of a Roger Maris Yankees jersey from that season. They shared an apartment with Bob Cerv. Great movie. Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment, David. Or my brothers friend. His stats, 275 career HR, .260 batting average, and 38.2 WAR are nowhere near numbers to qualify for the Hall. As an insult to Roger and what he was about to accomplish, the Yankees never hyped the game the way they should have. The pitcher has a ball. Reputation: 2587. Reynolds was honored with a plaque in Yankee Stadium's Monument Park in '89. Elroy Face:He went 18-1 out of the bullpen for the 1959 Pirates for a winning percentage of .947, best in history (with at least 10 decisions). PCGS | Maybe he doesn't have the greatest career stats. Before that, Curry covered the Yankees from 1991-1997. In my opinion Roger Maris belongs in the Hall of fame. Gil Hodges - Does He Belong in the Hall of Fame? Mickey Mantle was my hero. But he struck out, flied out and grounded out. By the end of his 12-year career, Maris went on to win three World Series Championships, two MVPs, and a Roger Maris goes deep in the 3rd inning off Milt Pappas, a blast almost 400 feet into the bleachers in right field giving him 59 round trippers for the season, passing Jimmie Foxx and Hank Greenberg, but two short of breaking Babe Ruth's single season home run record. That one was in the dirt. According to reports, the reason why Roger Maris could not be inducted into the Hall of Fame was that he could not receive the vote threshold from the sixteen Were gathering again for a baseball Hot Stove Luncheon (with a dash of NFL, too) on Thursday, Jan. 20 at 11:45 a.m. at Palm Valley Country Club in Palm Desert. I didn't know it was fake when I started this thread. In the end Maris prevailed and hit No. This thread took a hard left turn since my last login. His baserunning in some seasons was extraordinary. I hate that Golden Gloves are just throw away facts when considering the HOF. Lets all return every book on Abraham Lincoln or new works on World War II, because the authors werent alive then. Note: Bill Mazeroskis series-winning home run for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960 certainly deserves to be on the list, but Mazeroski is already in the baseball Hall of Fame the one in Cooperstown. Thanks for reading. RB Roger Craig. On the one hand, youll be remembered. The dude in the stands has a ball. When Is A Future Hall Of Fame Manager Not Missed? More critics claim that he only played at the Hall of Fame level for 2 or 3 seasons, with the remainder of his career being average. He was a quiet family type guy that wanted little to do with the press & I think that hurt him! Yes I know Namath is already in. He doesn't have the number to be a hall of What if I'm a professional athlete and I use my nieces phone to bet the under. There were over 500 other baseball players during this expansion era and they did not hit 61 home runs. However, he had many skills that were hidden. Accomplishments after that date, the Frick ruling read, would be designated by an asterisk. Roger Maris had a career batting average of .260, and 275 home runs. I don't even think there's a fair slippery slope case because in 60 years nobody without mostly verified allegations has topped him. Nearly all my baseball knowledge comes from reading Beckett and trading sports cards when I was in junior high and high school. It was a great time to be a baseball fan. He He doesnt really have a long peak either. Maris' first year in pinstripes, in 1960, netted him the first of two consecutive MVP awards. Maris was elected MVP in 1960 because he led the league in RBI. Maris was a two-time MVP saddled with the reputation of a slugger, and those 61 home runs hung around his neck like a bowling ball. Nunez Impresses With Bat, if Not His Glove, Fantasy Focus: Mostly Lesser Known Keeper Targets, Yankees Set to Resume Cano Negotiations, With Sides Still Far Apart, Alderson Delivers More Laughs, but Few Definitive Answers, Some Options for Granderson and the Yankees. Maris stood out, but many had career years in these two years - Cash, Gentile, Davis among others. The HR record non- withstanding, Maris was a 7-time all-star and 2-time MVP. Mariss career stats will continue to be evaluated by future veterans committees, so for those pulling for him, theres always a possibility. Even Yankee fans failed to embrace him; they instead saw him as a threat to their hero, Mickey Mantle, as well as to the legacy of Ruth. By the end of June he had hit 27 and by the end of July Maris had hit 40 home runs. Dwight Evans.. Should Be In The Hall Of Fame. This video would be real easy to edit too. Thanks for the article. The ball traveled just 360 feet and slammed into box l63D of section 33 into the sixth row of the lower deck in right field. Over his career, Reynolds posted a 182-107 record and 3.30 ERA in 434 career games (309 starts), logging 2,492 1/3 innings, 137 complete games and 36 shutouts. Some fans disagreed with my saying Maris does not quite reach the standards of the Baseball Hall of Fame because of his modest batting average (.260), Does he deserve to be in? The online betting stuff really bothers me too. My dad ran into him and Whitey Herzog in a bar and they had drinks and talked baseball for 3 hours. And Mickey went to North Dakota for Roger's funeral in 1985. Given the number of legitimate reporters covering the race between him and Mantle and the number of fans attending the games, there is no possible way any of it could have been staged. However, Roger was still five games ahead of the record pace by Ruth, whose 51st HR didn't come until his 139th game. The record may be broken, but many younger fans are finding the answer to an important: Who was Roger Maris? Readmore, The Yankees, the Mets, and Major League Baseball. Mickey was quoted saying "Roger was one of my best friends. The commissioner, Ford Frick, refused to Buffet lunch and guest speakers. I thnk Roger should b in the Hall. On September 20, a night game, the 154th game of the season the Yankees clinch the American League pennant with a win over the Orioles in Baltimore 4-2. Eliminate 1956 and Mantle is still an HOFer. At least it still clings to 3 figures, the same seems not to apply about most who have posted here. But, on this day nearly all the reporters covering the story got the report off the wire. Expert By the way I have always thought of 1961 as the year of the home run. Red Barrett: An unknown with a pedestrian career record of 69-69 was the most efficient pitcher in history or at least he was for one game. Similarly, at least in my opinion, Hank Aaron remains baseballs all time Home Run leader to this day, regardless of Bud Selig, who was complicit in the era of rampant steroid abuse. Nobody, it seemed, wanted him to break Babe Ruth's record. But, sportswriters didnt know that in 1960. I'm sure he meant god. Please put in The Cobra and Munson! Clearly, Maris was a very good player as evidenced by his 1960 MVP. Last Friday, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum named baseball legend Roger Maris to their 10-person Golden Days Era Committee ballot. Mazeroski, Jackie Robinson and even Koufax are a few that might be considered. As others have said, he clearly falls short on the career stats, and there is simply no way of looking at it that places Maris above Dwight Evans, Bobby Bonds, Bobby Murcer, or several other better right fielders ignored by the HOF. In the video the right fielder looks like he's wearing the number 9. I was 14 years old and an eye witness to the duel in 1961 between Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris for Babe Ruths 60-dinger record from 1927. While Maris may not be a household name for younger MLB fans, Aaron Judge's quest for 62 home runs has shone a little on the former New York slugger. Roger Maris had light-brown hair, a square jaw, fair-skin, and green eyes. He lives in Michigan where he writes, runs, and enjoys a good orange soda now and again. Mantle was the favorite; Maris who had come to the Yankees in a trade with Kansas City was the outsider. We didnt mention the NL expansion in the article. I think you might be surprised what can be staged. the Angels for the Riverside Press-Enterprise in California and the Mariners for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The only thing Roger Maris had going for him was a major record. A native of Philadelphia and a graduate of Vanderbilt University, Kepner has also covered Roger Maris in the same way that the actor James Dean went fast around here. Breaking Babe Ruth's single season home run record pretty much cemented his name in popular culture. Sadly, and bizarrely, the players considered by the various Committees aren't even close to the best players from their eras who aren't enshrined. During his career Roger Maris never received the credit he deserved. the latest updates from spring training. Maybe that doesnt put him over the top, but it deserves more than a brief mention. Your cynical speculation on what Judge is accomplishing is just conjecture. Maris was the MVP that year and also won the award the previous season for the Yankees. In the video his uniform is remarkably white for an away uniform. The 6-foot, 197-pound outfielder belted 39 homers (one behind Mantle's league-leading 40), led the AL with 112 RBI and a.581 slugging percentage, hit a career-high.283 and won his only Gold Glove. But, Barry Bonds was taught by some of the best baseball players in the world. WebNot because he did or didn't use steroids (the HoF is full of cheaters, and many of the legends of the game played at a time when some of the best players in the country were barred from the sport for being black), but because he simply did not have a HoF-worthy career. Nobody, it seemed, wanted him to break Babe Ruth's record. There is no doubt he is 1 of my favorite Yankees. The selection of players for the Hall of Fame isnt always as simple as stats home runs, hits, RBI, victories. It takes decades often for the narratives to soften for the MLB HOF voting members to offer their "peace pipe" & get excellence recognized. Maris broke babe Ruths single season home run record, but then you never hear much else A HOF career should involve more than just one great year (with exigent circumstances, expansion weakened pitching) and two good years. I don't know, but that's the sort of conversation we should have had. His 38.2 WAR ranks him 595th overall, tied with Ray Langford and Bill Madlock. Roger Maris was not the very personable Mickey Mantle type guy. In 15 years on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot, Maris peaked at 43.1% of the vote in 1988, his 15th and final year of BBWAA eligibility. it could also mean he made contact. But all Roger Maris was known for was 61 swings that produced 61 homers in 1961. I disagree. ", Roger Maris hit his 61st home run exactly 61 years ago today in 1961. Reporters from all over the country had converged upon Yankee Stadium. You can probably assume that means a HR, especially if that was a statement he used frequently. CU | Honestly I don't care one way or the other. Since 1998, he has served as the newspaper's national baseball writer. The NL did not expand to 10 teams until 1962. But claiming he is ANYWHERE near Kaline or Clemente with the glove is just silly. Maris made his Major League debut on April 16, 1957, with the Cleveland Indians. Jack Curry has covered baseball for the The New York Times for 18 seasons. setting a record does not warrant induction. If Joe Namath is in the Football HOF, then I believe Roger Maris should also be in the baseball HOF. If Aaron Judge eclipses him, itll be quite an accomplishment. He won the two MVPs, which means something, but heck so did Juan Gonzalez. It is possible that any player since steroids were invented cheated. This blogs regular features, including live game analysis, news and notes from Tyler Kepner, David Waldstein and others, can now be found on the baseball section of our website.Readmore, The free-agent second baseman Robinson Cano is reportedly still seeking a 10-year deal for $310 million, figures the Yankees are said to be unwilling to meet. It's clear that Maris is below the HOF cut, given the length and quality of his overall career. He won one Gold Glove, and in 1967 he drove in seven runs in the World Series. We are delighted that you'd like to resume your subscription. Roger Maris Claim to fame: This October will mark the 50th anniversary of Roger Mariss 61st home run in the 1961 season. PSE | He HAD an overall body of work. Controversy also stemmed from a newly expanded 162-game regular season, eight games longer than the schedule played in 1927 when Ruth hit 60. There are players who are not in the Hall of Fame and likely will not be anytime in the future but their significant singular achievements are more than worthy of their special place in baseball history. What if a lot of people had money on Maris not breaking this record and the commissioner just gave it to him for publicity. Mazeroski, like Maris, was a.260 career hitter, but hit just 138 home runs in 17 seasons and never finished higher than eighth in the MVP voting. @reelinintheyears said: But he fizzled out after that and was finished at age 28. It looks like you're new here. 8 Articles, By Why Isn't Roger Maris in the Baseball Hall of Fame? He played his final Major League game at age 34, retiring with a career .260/.345/.476 slash line. As well as modest. But, Maris is way, way more famous than any baseball player not in the HOF, and he didn't get famous for having great teammates (although he did have great teammates), he got famous for breaking the most famous record not just in baseball, but in all of sports. I wouldnt agree that Maris was the best right fielder in baseball for half his career. I have read alot about baseball and the greats of the game. "We've only got a handful of people sitting out in left field," Rizzuto continued, " but in right field, man, it's hogged out there. He was Does Roberto Alomar Deserve To Be Inducted Into The Hall of Fame? @ElvisP said: The excitement was building because Roger was six ahead of Ruth's record total. The guy was the best at his position for more than half his career. Maury Wills:In 1962, he stole a record-shattering 104 bases while being caught only 13 times. Before then, he was a staff writer for the Dallas Morning News for two years. Aaron , Robinson , Clemente and Colavito were all great players but Maris was probably better as an overall defensive player, even than Clemente.Roger Maris, who won two Most Valuable Player Awards, primarily for his offense, was better at fielding, in my opinion than hitting. He did it while being a teammate of the iconic Mickey Mantle and wearing the famed pinstripe uniform of the greatest team in sports. I was too young to have see Maris play,but what I have heard an seen,he is not a H O F. If you put Maris in, Juan Gonzalez, Dave Parker and Frank Howard all need to get the H O F ! Reynolds pitched 10 dominant innings of one-run ball in Game 2, lifting New York to a 2-1 victory. His 1961 season was the best of his career, and one of the best seasons of all time. WebThe "M&M Boys" were the duo of New York Yankees baseball players Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, who were teammates from 1960 to 1966.They gained prominence during the 1961 season, when Maris and Mantle, batting third and cleanup (fourth) in the Yankee lineup respectively, both challenged Babe Ruth's 34-year-old single-season record of 60 home Because except for a a couple seasons, he basically was average https://bleacherreport.com/articles/221894-the-king-without-a-crown-should-roger-maris-be-in-the-hall-of-fame. While the Hall of Fame may always elude Maris, the rejuvination of interest in his career may work in his favor to one day get the call to Cooperstown. What has happened to sports cards in the past 20 years really bothers me. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in Manhattan. I enjoyed reading it. While fans largely celebrated Mantle, Maris received hate mail and threats from fans who thought he was unworthy of the Great Bambinos record. Its the Hall of Significant Achievement. Im a big fan of Maris and his cards. Maybe roger never makes it to the Hall, thats ok. Here are my reasons/rebuttals that Maris does not belong in the Hall of Fame. The announcer calls it as soon as Maris swings. | It's bleeding over in to MTG. Maybe he's the chosen one. as for the HOF, he had a 2 year anomaly, then was fairly average. While the Yankees lost the World Series in seven games to the Pirates, Maris hit two homers. Sorry. The HoF has never had standards as low as it did starting shortly after Maris retired and continuing on and off for about a decade, and it never will again. Reynolds also became the first pitcher in AL history to toss two no-hitters in the same season in 1951. WebDuring his career Roger Maris never received the credit he deserved. Pretty much the only thing that I've learned about baseball and sports cards in the past few years is that I don't want to be involved. He and his wife, Pamela, live in New Jersey. You judge a player by the impact he had in his time. Then look at Larry Bowa when he retired he had the highest fielding percentage of all shortstops that ever played in MLB and set the record two times for fewest errors by shortstop in a season he also had the most hits by a shortstop in the history of MLB and the writers didnt like him and you guessed it hes not in the HoF. Maris received three or fewer votes from the 16-member committee appointed by the Hall of Fame to review a 10-candidate Golden Era ballot. A two-time Most Valuable Player (1960, 61) and seven-time All-Star, Maris starred from 1957-68 with the Indians, Athletics, Yankees and Cardinals. Maris for the Hall. He had a fine 822 OPS, which for that era was very good. The catcher has a ball. If Aaron Judge eclipses him, itll be quite an