It was the home stretch of the 1961 season. The New York Yankees had widened their first place lead considerably over the Detroit Tigers. The nation, meanwhile, was still captivated by the chase of Babe Ruth's single-season mark home run. With Mickey Mantle injured, it was now his teammate Roger Maris vs. Babe Ruth. Even President John F. Kennedy w…

As the 1961 season was winding down, the New York Yankees went on a tear, reeling off 13 consecutive wins. Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris continued to hit home runs, but a disturbing incident at Yankee Stadium, highlighted a doubleheader between the Yankees and the Cleveland Indians. On Sep. 10, in the first game of a doubleheader, Indians outfielde…

A nation had become captivated with the home run race between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle, as the Yankee teammates tried to break Babe Ruth's single-season home run record in 154 games. Publications, even those not devoted to sports, started weighing in on the battle. Meanwhile, the Yankees surged into first place, but were still trying to fend o…

The home run race is full steam ahead for Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, as the Yankees maintain their grip on first place. While appearing on broadcaster Red Barber’s Yankees pregame show, Mantle and Maris are asked about Commissioner Ford Frick’s edict that in order to break Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record they would have to do it withi…

As the nation became riveted on the home run race between the Yankees's Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris to see if they would break Babe Ruth's single-season home run mark, commissioner Ford Frick tried to spoil the occasion. So much for marketing. Frick, who once was Ruth's ghost writer, said the record would have to be broken in 154 games - the leng…

The Yankees were moving in and out of first place in their battle for the American League lead. Meanwhile, Roger Maris was hitting home runs at a record pace, surging two weeks ahead of Babe Ruth's record-setting pace. Mickey Mantle was also starting to hit home runs. But the story was the first of two All-Star games. In the American League-Nationa…

The New York Yankees tasted first place again, although briefly, but they returned from their nearly two-week long road trip poised to make a move. On tap was an 11-game home stand, featuring the Senators, Tigers, Indians and Red Sox. Of course, all eyes were on the big showdown 4th of July doubleheader between the Yankees and the Tigers. With a wa…

For the first time in 1961 the New York Yankees reached first place, albeit a short-lived stay. But Roger Maris was on fire hitting home runs everywhere he played. Not to be outdone, Mickey Mantle started to belt some round-trippers, after a home run drought, as the Yankees seemed to be turning things around. Would the New York surge continue? New …

After playing mediocre baseball through the first two months of the season, the New York Yankees started hitting their stride. Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris were slugging home runs, but so were the Yankees in general. The pitching was starting to shore up and the American League was developing a tight three-way race with the Yanks, Tigers and India…

The New York Yankees continued to play up-and-down baseball, entering the month of June, seemingly winning one and losing one. But the bats of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris were starting to heat up. The weather was not cooperating, remaining unseasonably cold and wet, but the M&M boys were beginning to surge, offering hope for the Yankees and manag…

The Yankees began showing some life, after sputtering at the start of a brief, two-game road trip to Cleveland. Roger Maris seemed to be finding his home run stroke. Off the field, a fan found a $50,000 check the Yankees had sent out west. Meanwhile co-owner Dan Topping had a big announcement about an exhibition game and at the same time dug deep i…

It seems hard to believe, but the 1961 New York Yankees did have a slump, at home no less, against a first place team and an expansion club. In fact, in this episode, we learn that the Yankees actually sputtered for some time out of the gates, that Mickey Mantle was playing hurt and Roger Maris had yet to find his power stroke. Meanwhile, Willie Ma…

The Yankees continued their 4-city, 10-game road trip by making their first visit to Los Angeles to play the expansion Angels, but the result was not what was expected. By the time New York headed to Kansas City, the trade wins were blowing. Once in KC, more problems for the Bombers, and this time it was some ex-Yankees who stirred the pot. Would N…

Mickey Mantle continued his early season surge for the New York Yankees on a road trip through Washington and Minnesota. Mantle, booed regularly at home, was beginning to turn those boos to cheers with one of the greatest starts to a season in his career. Roger Maris was also showing signs of getting his season on track, as the calendar turned from…

The New York Yankees embark on their first road trip of the 1961 season and Mickey Mantle continues his power show, surging ahead of his 1960 home run pace and that of Babe Ruth in 1927. Roger Maris also homers for the first time, but the Yankees stumble after starting the road trip with a victory in Baltimore. Meanwhile, pitcher Whitey Ford comes …

After losing on Opening Day to the Minnesota Twins, the Yankees stall in developing any momentum, because of numerous rain outs. Three games are postponed over the season's first eight days. Finally, they notch their first win of the 1961 season, only to face a doubleheader rain out the next day. The Yankees manage to make up one of the games raine…

Amid the pomp and circumstance of the 1961 season opener, the New York Yankees laid an egg, losing to the Minnesota Twins, 6-0. Who could have predicted this would be a historic season, when home run records would fall, after the Bombers could muster only three singles against a pitcher who would someday have his part in Yankees' history? In episod…

Sportscaster Dan Lovallo provides a synopsis of his Baseball Sixty One podcast, previewing what to expect from the podcast and touching on spring training for the 1961 New York Yankees.By Dan Lovallo