West Coast Wrigley Field hosts its last game

ByThis Day in Baseball

The Wrigley Field on the west coast hosts its last professional baseball game when the Angels, who will play at Dodger Stadium next season, are defeated by Cleveland, 8-5, in front of 9,868 fans at the 36 year-old ballpark, which will be torn down in five years to make room for an eventual public playground and senior center. In addition to being the home for the American League expansion team, the venue housed the PCL’s Angels from 1925 through 1957 and served as the location for the 1960 television series Home Run Derby.

Willie Mays becomes 8th player to join 40+ homerun mark in 1961 Season

ByThis Day in Baseball

Willie Mays hits his 40th home run when he goes deep off Lew Burdette in the Giants’ 8-2 victory over Milwaukee in the opener of a twin bill at County Stadium. The ‘Say Hey Kid’ is the eighth player to reach the mark this season, a major league first, joining Roger Maris (61), Mickey Mantle (54), Harmon Killebrew (46), Orlando Cepeda (46), Jim Gentile (46), Rocky Colavito (45), and Norm Cash (41) in accomplishing the feat.

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Roger Maris of the New York Yankees blasts his 61st home run

ByThis Day in Baseball

On October 1, 1961, At Yankee Stadium, Roger Maris of the New York Yankees blasts his 61st home run, eclipsing baseball’s most glamorous record-the single-season home run mark set by Babe Ruth in 1927. Maris’ solo shot against Tracy Stallard of the Boston Red Sox gives the Yankees a 1-0 win. Depending on how you…