⚾
NO STAT IS SAFE. NO ERA IS FORGOTTEN.
VOL. 1, NO. 19 · JULY 6, 2026 · EVERY MONDAY
ISSUE #019 · EXPANSION
Roger Maris — 61 HR, An
Asterisk That Wasn't, And
Death Threats
On October 1, 1961, Roger Maris hit home run #61 before 23,154 fans — one-third of Yankee Stadium's
📅 THIS DATE IN
BASEBALL capacity.
THE STAT THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST 01
HE BROKE THE MOST FAMOUS RECORD IN BASEBALL AND WAS NEVER FORGIVEN FOR IT.
61 Home Runs In 1961. The Asterisk Was Never
Official. He Got Death Threats Doing It.
ROGER MARIS 1961 BABE RUTH 1927 MARIS THROUGH 154 GAMES
73 Hundreds 214
BARRY BONDS 2001 DEATH THREATS RECEIVED MARIS CAREER HR (OTHER YEARS)
Maris hit 61 HR in 1961, breaking Ruth's 34-year record. Commissioner Ford Frick — Ruth's former
ghostwriter — decreed records set after 154 games would be noted separately. The 'asterisk' was never
officially placed in the record books but stuck in public memory for 30 years. Maris received hundreds of
death threats. His hair fell out from stress. He never got comfortable with any of it.
THE GAME YOU FORGOT 02
VS Boston Red Sox OCTOBER 1, 1961
4th Tracy Stallard 23,154 W 1-0
HOME RUN # INNING PITCHER STADIUM ATTENDANCE RESULT
Number 61
THE RECORD — IN FRONT OF A MOSTLY EMPTY STADIUM
Maris hit his 61st home run off Tracy Stallard of Boston on the final day of the 1961 season. Yankee Stadium
was one-third full — New York fans had largely been rooting against him breaking Ruth's record all season.
He circled the bases to a standing ovation from the fans who were there, tipped his cap, and sat in the
dugout. He looked more relieved than happy. He said later he didn't enjoy it. The chase had been miserable.
ERA VS ERA 03
Who Really Owns The AL Home Run Record — Maris Or Bonds?
ROGER MARIS 1961 BARRY BONDS 2001
HOME RUNS HOME RUNS
ERA VS ERA
Pre-steroid Steroid era
ASTERISK STATUS HOF STATUS
Officially removed 1991 Not inducted
Maris held the record from 1961 to 1998. McGwire broke it at 70. Bonds broke McGwire at 73. Both are
associated with PED use. If you accept that framing, the record belongs to Maris. If you accept the official
numbers regardless of era, it belongs to Bonds. Baseball has chosen not to resolve this.
Who holds the true single-season home run record?
ROGER MARIS — 61 BARRY BONDS — 73 MARK MCGWIRE — 70 BABE RUTH — 60
THE COLDEST MOMENT 04
1961 · THE ASTERISK THAT STUCK ANYWAY
Commissioner Frick — Ruth's Former Ghostwriter
— Created The Asterisk That Was Never Official.
Ford Frick had been Babe Ruth's friend and ghostwriter before becoming Commissioner. When
Maris approached 60, Frick declared any record set after 154 games would need to be noted
separately. He never formally placed an asterisk anywhere — it was an oral decree. It stuck in
public memory for 30 years until Commissioner Fay Vincent officially removed any distinction in
1991. Maris spent those 30 years dealing with what was never even in the record books.
They acted as if I was doing something wrong, poisoning the record books or
something.
— ROGER MARIS
THE STAT VAULT 05
HOME RUNS — 1961 HR THROUGH 154 GAMES
61 AL record until Bonds hit 73 in 2001. Maris 59 Ruth set the record with 60 in 154 games.
had 59 through 154 games — one fewer Maris had 59. The extra 8 games
than Ruth. produced 2 more.
AL MVP AWARDS ASTERISK OFFICIALLY REMOVED
2 Won in 1960 and 1961. Back-to-back 1991 Commissioner Vincent ruled: no
awards overshadowed by the HR distinction in the record books. 30 years
controversy. after the fact.
275 CAREER HOME RUNS
Outside 1961, Maris averaged ~25 HR per season. One transcendent year inside a good career.
THE FORGOTTEN MAN 06
OVERLOOKED · UNDERRATED · DESERVES MORE
Tracy Stallard
BOSTON RED SOX · 1960-1965
CAREER RECORD 30-57 · THE MAN WHO THREW PITCH #61
The Pitcher Who Threw HR #61. His Career Was More Than One At-Bat.
Tracy Stallard pitched for Boston for four seasons and is remembered entirely for the pitch Roger Maris hit
for home run #61 on October 1, 1961. He had nothing to be ashamed of — he threw a fastball and Maris hit it.
His name became a trivia answer. His actual career, 30 wins across four seasons, deserved more than one
pitch's infamy.
THE CONNECTION:
Stallard and Maris are linked forever by a single moment neither chose. Maris became famous.
Stallard became a footnote. Neither had much say in how history remembered them.
COMING NEXT MONDAY
Next Monday: Carl Yastrzemski went 7-for-8 in the final two games to clinch the 1967 pennant for Boston.
Who's Your Forgotten Man?
Reply with a player from any era who deserves more credit. Best answer gets featured next Monday.
All Eras. All Stats. No Debate.
Every Monday. No exceptions.