Roger Maris
Roger Maris Maris in 1960 Right fielder Born: (1934-09-10)September 10, 1934 Hibbing, Minnesota Died: December 14, 1985(1985-12-14) (aged 51) Houston, Texas Batted: Left Threw: Right MLB debut April 16, 1957 for the Cleveland Indians Last MLB appearance September 29, 1968 for the St. Louis Cardinals Career statistics Batting average .260 Home runs 275 Runs batted in 850 Teams Cleveland Indians (1957–1958) Kansas City Athletics (1958–1959) New York Yankees (1960–1966) St. Louis Cardinals (1967–1968) Career highlights and awards 7× All-Star (1959²–1962²) 3× World Series champion (1961, 1962, 1967) 2× AL MVP (1960, 1961) Gold Glove Award (1960) AL home run champion (1961) 2× AL RBI champion (1960, 1961) New York Yankees #9 retired Roger Eugene Maris (September 10, 1934 – December 14, 1985) was an American professional baseball player. He was a Major League Baseball (MLB) right fielder for 12 seasons and on four teams, from 1957 through 1968. Maris set an MLB record by hitting 61 home runs during the 1961 season for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs in 1927. This record was challenged by then baseball commissioner Ford Frick, who said that Maris needed to break the record in 154 games instead of the current schedule of 162 games. Maris began his professional career in 1953, and he reached the major leagues in 1957 with the Cleveland Indians. He was traded to the Kansas City Athletics during the 1958 season, and to the Yankees after the 1959 season. He ended his career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1967 and 1968. Maris was an American League (AL) All-Star from 1959 through 1962, an AL Most Valuable Player in 1960 and 1961, and an AL Gold Glove outfielder in 1960. Maris appeared in seven World Series, five as a member of the Yankees and two with the Cardinals. His accomplishment of 61 home runs in a season came back to the forefront in 1998, when the home run record was broken by Mark McGwire and later that same year by Sammy Sosa.