New York Yankees clinch 26th Pennant – Maris clubs 59th homerun

 

On September 20, 1961 — The 155th Yankees game of the season (including a tie) is Roger Maris’ last chance to beat the 60 home run mark set by Babe Ruth in compliance with Commissioner Ford Frick’s statement, for the record to be broken Maris must do it in the same number of games as Ruth. Maris’ 59th home run of the year, off Jack Fisher, is short of the record, but helps the Yankees beat Baltimore, 4 – 2 to clinch their 26th American League pennant.

 


 


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New York Yankees 4, Baltimore Orioles 2

Game Played on Wednesday, September 20, 1961 (N) at Memorial Stadium

NY A 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 4 10 1 BAL A 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 - 2 4 1
BOX+PBP
WP: Terry (15-3)
LP: Pappas (12-9)
HR: Maris (59), Berra (21)

Top 5 Plays - 
Top 3rd Roger Maris hits 59th homerun off Milt Pappas giving NY a 1-0 lead
Top 3 Yogi Berra hits homerun off Milt Pappas giving NY a 2-0 lead
Bottom 6th Brooks Robinson singles in Hansen off Ralph Terry making it 4-1 
Top 2nd Bill Skowron triples off Milt Pappas 
Top 3rd Elston Howard doubles off Milt Pappas scoring John Blanchard

Play by Play

YANKEES 1ST: Richardson reached on an error by Adair; Kubek
flied out to center; Maris lined to right; Berra singled to
center [Richardson to second]; Blanchard grounded out (first to
pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Yankees 0, Orioles 0.

ORIOLES 1ST: B. Robinson grounded out (third to first); Adair
grounded out (shortstop to first); Brandt struck out; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 0, Orioles 0.

YANKEES 2ND: Howard lined to shortstop; Skowron tripled to
right; Boyer singled to center [Skowron scored]; Terry struck
out; Richardson grounded out (pitcher to second to first); 1 R,
2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 1, Orioles 0.

ORIOLES 2ND: Gentile grounded out (first unassisted); Herzog
flied out to center; Triandos grounded out (pitcher to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 1, Orioles 0.

YANKEES 3RD: Kubek grounded out (pitcher unassisted); Maris
homered; Berra homered; Blanchard singled to right; Howard
doubled to center [Blanchard scored]; HALL REPLACED PAPPAS
(PITCHING); Skowron flied out to left; Boyer was called out on
strikes; 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 4, Orioles 0.

ORIOLES 3RD: E. Robinson struck out; Hansen grounded out
(shortstop to first); Hall was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 4, Orioles 0.

YANKEES 4TH: Terry struck out; Richardson grounded out
(shortstop to first); Kubek singled to second; Maris struck out;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 4, Orioles 0.

ORIOLES 4TH: B. Robinson grounded out (shortstop to first);
Adair singled to center; Brandt lined into a double play (first
unassisted) [Adair out at first]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees
4, Orioles 0.

YANKEES 5TH: Berra popped to third in foul territory; Blanchard
was called out on strikes; Howard struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Yankees 4, Orioles 0.

ORIOLES 5TH: Gentile struck out; Herzog grounded out (second to
first); Triandos flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Yankees 4, Orioles 0.

YANKEES 6TH: Skowron was called out on strikes; Boyer singled to
right; Terry popped to catcher in foul territory; Richardson
popped to third; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 4, Orioles 0.

ORIOLES 6TH: E. Robinson grounded out (first unassisted); Hansen
singled to center; Hall singled to center [Hansen to second]; B.
Robinson singled to left [Hansen scored, Hall to second]; Adair
forced B. Robinson (shortstop to second) [Hall scored (error by
Richardson) (unearned) (no RBI)]; Brandt walked [Adair to
second]; Gentile struck out; 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. 
Yankees 4, Orioles 2.

YANKEES 7TH: Kubek grounded out (third to first); Maris flied
out to right; Berra grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 4, Orioles 2.

ORIOLES 7TH: Herzog flied out to right; Triandos flied out to
left; E. Robinson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 4, Orioles 2.

YANKEES 8TH: Blanchard doubled to right; Howard struck out;
Skowron was walked intentionally; Boyer flied out to center;
Terry grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. 
Yankees 4, Orioles 2.

ORIOLES 8TH: Hansen struck out; THRONEBERRY BATTED FOR HALL;
Throneberry struck out; B. Robinson grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 4, Orioles 2.

YANKEES 9TH: WILHELM REPLACED THRONEBERRY (PITCHING); Richardson
grounded out (shortstop to first); Kubek popped to second; Maris
grounded out (pitcher unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Yankees 4, Orioles 2.

ORIOLES 9TH: Adair grounded out (pitcher to first); Brandt was
called out on strikes; Gentile grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 4, Orioles 2.

Other Resources & Links

Baseball-Reference Box Score