1961 New York Yankees season
1961 New York Yankees | ||
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World Series Champions American League Champions | ||
League | American League | |
Ballpark | Yankee Stadium | |
City | New York City | |
Record | 109–53 (.673) | |
Divisional place | 1st | |
Owners | Dan Topping and Del Webb | |
General managers | Roy Hamey | |
Managers | Ralph Houk | |
Television | WPIX (Mel Allen, Red Barber, Phil Rizzuto) | |
Radio | WCBS (AM) (Mel Allen, Red Barber, Phil Rizzuto) | |
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The 1961 New York Yankees season was the 59th season for the team. The team finished with a record of 109–53, eight games ahead of the Detroit Tigers, and won their 26th American League pennant. New York was managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played their home games at Yankee Stadium. In the World Series, they defeated the Cincinnati Reds in 5 games. This season was best known for the home run chase between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle, with the former beating Babe Ruth's single season record by hitting 61.
The 1961 Yankees are often mentioned as a candidate for the unofficial title of greatest baseball team in history.
Offseason
[edit]- December 14, 1960: Bob Cerv was drafted from the Yankees by the Los Angeles Angels in the 1960 MLB expansion draft.[1]
- January 16, 1961: Mickey Mantle became the highest paid baseball player by signing a $75,000 contract.
- Prior to 1961 season: Art López was signed as an amateur free agent by the Yankees.[2]
- Prior to 1961 season: Ole Miss Rebels football quarterback Jake Gibbs was signed as an amateur free agent by the Yankees.[3]
Regular season
[edit]The 1961 season was notable for the race between center fielder Mickey Mantle and right fielder Roger Maris to break Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs in a season (set in 1927). Maris eventually broke the record, hitting his 61st home run on October 1, the season's final day. During the season, Maris had seven multi-home run games; in a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, he hit four home runs.
1961 was an expansion year, with the American League increasing from eight to ten teams, the first expansion in the 61-year history of the league. The old schedule of 154 games (seven opponents multiplied by 22 games apiece) was replaced by 162 games (nine opponents multiplied by 18 games apiece) which led to some controversy due to the eight extra games that Maris had to try to hit 61.
Ultimately, when Maris broke Ruth’s record in game 162, baseball commissioner Ford Frick instigated "The Asterisk", which designated that Maris had only accomplished the feat in a longer season, and disallowed any reference to him as the record-holder. When commissioner Fay Vincent removed "The Asterisk" in 1991, Maris was finally given credit as the single-season home run record-holder. However, Maris had died in 1985, never knowing that the record belonged to him.
In addition to the individual exploits of Maris and Mantle, the '61 Yankees hit a major league record 240 home runs. The record stood until 1996 when the Baltimore Orioles, with the added benefit of the designated hitter, hit 257 home runs as a team.
Roger Maris
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/YankeesRetired9.svg/95px-YankeesRetired9.svg.png)
In 1961, the American League expanded from eight to ten teams, generally watering down the pitching, but leaving the Yankees pretty much intact. Yankee home runs began to come at a record pace. One famous photograph lined up six 1961 Yankee players, including Mantle, Maris, Yogi Berra, Elston Howard, Johnny Blanchard, and Bill Skowron, under the nickname "Murderers Row", because they hit a combined 207 home runs that year. The title "Murderers Row", originally coined in 1918, had most famously been used to refer to the Yankees side of the late 1920s.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/M%26M_Boys_1961.png/170px-M%26M_Boys_1961.png)
As mid-season approached, it seemed quite possible that either Maris or Mantle, or perhaps both, would break Babe Ruth's 34-year-old home run record. Unlike the home run race of 1998, in which the competition between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa was given extensive positive media coverage, sportswriters in 1961 began to play the "M&M Boys" against each other, inventing a rivalry where none existed, as Yogi Berra has testified in recent interviews.
The 1961 home run race between Maris and Mantle was dramatized in the 2001 film 61*, filmed under the direction of Billy Crystal.
Roger Maris 61 Home Runs
[edit]Number | Game | Date | Pitcher | Team | Inning |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 11 | 04-26-1961 | Paul Foytack | Detroit Tigers | 5th |
2 | 17 | 05-03-1961 | Pedro Ramos | Minnesota Twins | 7th |
3 | 20 | 05-06-1961 | Eli Grba | Los Angeles Angels | 5th |
4 | 29 | 05-17-1961 | Pete Burnside | Washington Senators | 8th |
5 | 30 | 05-19-1961 | Jim Perry | Cleveland Indians | 1st |
6 | 31 | 05-20-1961 | Gary Bell | Cleveland Indians | 3rd |
7 | 32 | 05-21-1961 | Chuck Estrada | Baltimore Orioles | 1st |
8 | 35 | 05-24-1961 | Gene Conley | Boston Red Sox | 4th |
9 | 38 | 05-28-1961 | Cal McLish | Chicago White Sox | 2nd |
10 | 40 | 05-30-1961 | Gene Conley | Boston Red Sox | 3rd |
11 | 40 | 05-30-1961 | Mike Fornieles | Boston Red Sox | 8th |
12 | 41 | 05-31-1961 | Billy Muffett | Boston Red Sox | 3rd |
13 | 43 | 06-02-1961 | Cal McLish | Chicago White Sox | 3rd |
14 | 44 | 06-03-1961 | Bob Shaw | Chicago White Sox | 8th |
15 | 45 | 06-04-1961 | Russ Kemmerer | Chicago White Sox | 3rd |
16 | 48 | 06-06-1961 | Ed Palmquist | Minnesota Twins | 6th |
17 | 49 | 06-07-1961 | Pedro Ramos | Minnesota Twins | 3rd |
18 | 52 | 06-09-1961 | Ray Herbert | Kansas City Athletics | 7th |
19 | 55 | 06-11-1961 | Eli Grba | Los Angeles Angels | 3rd |
20 | 55 | 06-11-1961 | Johnny James | Los Angeles Angels | 7th |
21 | 57 | 06-13-1961 | Jim Perry | Cleveland Indians | 6th |
22 | 58 | 06-14-1961 | Gary Bell | Cleveland Indians | 4th |
23 | 61 | 06-17-1961 | Don Mossi | Detroit Tigers | 4th |
24 | 62 | 06-18-1961 | Jerry Casale | Detroit Tigers | 8th |
25 | 63 | 06-19-1961 | Jim Archer | Kansas City Athletics | 9th |
26 | 64 | 06-20-1961 | Joe Nuxhall | Kansas City Athletics | 1st |
27 | 66 | 06-22-1961 | Norm Bass | Kansas City Athletics | 2nd |
28 | 74 | 07-01-1961 | Dave Sisler | Washington Senators | 9th |
29 | 75 | 07-02-1961 | Pete Burnside | Washington Senators | 3rd |
30 | 75 | 07-02-1961 | Johnny Klippstein | Washington Senators | 7th |
31 | 77 | 07-04-1961 | Frank Lary | Detroit Tigers | 8th |
32 | 78 | 07-05-1961 | Frank Funk | Cleveland Indians | 7th |
33 | 82 | 07-09-1961 | Bill Monbouquette | Boston Red Sox | 7th |
34 | 84 | 07-13-1961 | Early Wynn | Chicago White Sox | 1st |
35 | 86 | 07-15-1961 | Ray Herbert | Chicago White Sox | 3rd |
36 | 92 | 07-21-1961 | Bill Monbouquette | Boston Red Sox | 1st |
37 | 95 | 07-25-1961 | Frank Baumann | Chicago White Sox | 4th |
38 | 95 | 07-25-1961 | Don Larsen | Chicago White Sox | 8th |
39 | 96 | 07-25-1961 | Russ Kemmerer | Chicago White Sox | 4th |
40 | 96 | 07-25-1961 | Warren Hacker | Chicago White Sox | 7th |
41 | 106 | 08-04-1961 | Camilo Pascual | Minnesota Twins | 1st |
42 | 114 | 08-11-1961 | Pete Burnside | Washington Senators | 5th |
43 | 115 | 08-12-1961 | Dick Donovan | Washington Senators | 4th |
44 | 116 | 08-13-1961 | Bennie Daniels | Washington Senators | 4th |
45 | 117 | 08-13-1961 | Marty Kutyna | Washington Senators | 1st |
46 | 118 | 08-15-1961 | Juan Pizarro | Chicago White Sox | 4th |
47 | 119 | 08-16-1961 | Billy Pierce | Chicago White Sox | 1st |
48 | 119 | 08-16-1961 | Billy Pierce | Chicago White Sox | 3rd |
49 | 124 | 08-20-1961 | Jim Perry | Cleveland Indians | 3rd |
50 | 125 | 08-22-1961 | Ken McBride | Los Angeles Angels | 6th |
51 | 129 | 08-26-1961 | Jerry Walker | Kansas City Athletics | 6th |
52 | 135 | 09-02-1961 | Frank Lary | Detroit Tigers | 6th |
53 | 135 | 09-02-1961 | Hank Aguirre | Detroit Tigers | 8th |
54 | 140 | 09-06-1961 | Tom Cheney | Washington Senators | 4th |
55 | 141 | 09-07-1961 | Dick Stigman | Cleveland Indians | 3rd |
56 | 143 | 09-09-1961 | Mudcat Grant | Cleveland Indians | 7th |
57 | 151 | 09-16-1961 | Frank Lary | Detroit Tigers | 3rd |
58 | 152 | 09-17-1961 | Terry Fox | Detroit Tigers | 12th |
59 | 155 | 09-20-1961 | Milt Pappas | Baltimore Orioles | 3rd |
60 | 159 | 09-26-1961 | Jack Fisher | Baltimore Orioles | 3rd |
61 | 163 | 10-01-1961 | Tracy Stallard | Boston Red Sox | 4th |
The Yankees played one tie game which was later made up, and hence took 163 games to achieve 162 decisions.
Season standings
[edit]Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York Yankees | 109 | 53 | .673 | — | 65–16 | 44–37 |
Detroit Tigers | 101 | 61 | .623 | 8 | 50–31 | 51–30 |
Baltimore Orioles | 95 | 67 | .586 | 14 | 48–33 | 47–34 |
Chicago White Sox | 86 | 76 | .531 | 23 | 53–28 | 33–48 |
Cleveland Indians | 78 | 83 | .484 | 30½ | 40–41 | 38–42 |
Boston Red Sox | 76 | 86 | .469 | 33 | 50–31 | 26–55 |
Minnesota Twins | 70 | 90 | .438 | 38 | 36–44 | 34–46 |
Los Angeles Angels | 70 | 91 | .435 | 38½ | 46–36 | 24–55 |
Kansas City Athletics | 61 | 100 | .379 | 47½ | 33–47 | 28–53 |
Washington Senators | 61 | 100 | .379 | 47½ | 33–46 | 28–54 |
Record vs. opponents
[edit]Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] | |||||||||||||
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Team | BAL | BOS | CHW | CLE | DET | KCA | LAA | MIN | NYY | WSH | |||
Baltimore | — | 11–7 | 11–7 | 9–9 | 9–9 | 13–5 | 8–10 | 11–7 | 9–9–1 | 14–4 | |||
Boston | 7–11 | — | 9–9 | 5–13 | 8–10 | 10–8 | 11–7–1 | 11–7 | 5–13 | 10–8 | |||
Chicago | 7–11 | 9–9 | — | 12–6 | 6–12 | 14–4 | 10–8 | 9–9–1 | 6–12 | 13–5 | |||
Cleveland | 9–9 | 13–5 | 6–12 | — | 6–12 | 8–9 | 10–8 | 10–8 | 4–14 | 12–6 | |||
Detroit | 9–9 | 10–8 | 12–6 | 12–6 | — | 12–6–1 | 14–4 | 11–7 | 8–10 | 13–5 | |||
Kansas City | 5–13 | 8–10 | 4–14 | 9–8 | 6–12–1 | — | 9–9 | 7–11 | 4–14 | 9–9 | |||
Los Angeles | 10–8 | 7–11–1 | 8–10 | 8–10 | 4–14 | 9–9 | — | 8–9 | 6–12 | 10–8 | |||
Minnesota | 7–11 | 7–11 | 9–9–1 | 8–10 | 7–11 | 11–7 | 9–8 | — | 4–14 | 8–9 | |||
New York | 9–9–1 | 13–5 | 12–6 | 14–4 | 10–8 | 14–4 | 12–6 | 14–4 | — | 11–7 | |||
Washington | 4–14 | 8–10 | 5–13 | 6–12 | 5–13 | 9–9 | 8–10 | 9–8 | 7–11 | — |
Monthly record
[edit]Month | Games | Won | Lost | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|---|
April | 15 | 9 | 5 | .643 |
May | 26 | 14 | 12 | .538 |
June | 32 | 22 | 10 | .688 |
July | 29 | 20 | 9 | .690 |
August | 31 | 22 | 9 | .710 |
September | 29 | 21 | 8 | .724 |
October | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
Record vs. American League
[edit]Team | Games | Won | Lost | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|---|
Baltimore Orioles | 19 | 9 | 9 | .500 |
Boston Red Sox | 18 | 13 | 5 | .722 |
Chicago White Sox | 18 | 12 | 6 | .667 |
Cleveland Indians | 18 | 14 | 4 | .778 |
Detroit Tigers | 18 | 10 | 8 | .556 |
Kansas City Athletics | 18 | 14 | 4 | .778 |
Los Angeles Angels | 18 | 12 | 6 | .667 |
Minnesota Twins | 18 | 14 | 4 | .778 |
Washington Senators | 18 | 11 | 7 | .611 |
Notable transactions
[edit]- May 8, 1961: Lee Thomas, Ryne Duren, and Johnny James was traded by the Yankees to the Los Angeles Angels for Bob Cerv and Tex Clevenger.[5]
- July 1, 1961: Roy White was signed as an amateur free agent by the Yankees.[6]
Roster
[edit]1961 New York Yankees | |||||||||
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Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
| Catchers Infielders
| Outfielders
Other batters
| Manager
Coaches
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Game log
[edit]Legend | |||
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Yankees Win | Yankees Loss | Yankees Tie | Game Postponed |
1961 Regular Season (109–53) Home: 45–36 Away: 42–39 Game Log | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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April (9–5) Home: 6–1 Away: 3–4
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May (14–12) Home: 7–6 Away: 7–6
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June (22–10) Home: 10–1 Away: 12–9
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July (20–9) Home: 11–5 Away: 9–4
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August (22–9) Home: 7–9 Away: 7–5
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September (21–8) Home: 15–1 Away: 6–7
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Source:[7] |
Postseason Game log
[edit]Legend | |||
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Yankees Win | Yankees Loss | Game Postponed |
1961 Postseason (4–1) Game Log | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Player stats
[edit]= Indicates team leader |
= Indicates league leader |
Batting
[edit]Starters by position
[edit]Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | Elston Howard | 129 | 446 | 155 | .348 | 21 | 77 |
1B | Bill Skowron | 150 | 561 | 150 | .267 | 28 | 89 |
2B | Bobby Richardson | 162 | 662 | 173 | .261 | 4 | 49 |
3B | Clete Boyer | 148 | 504 | 113 | .224 | 11 | 55 |
SS | Tony Kubek | 153 | 617 | 170 | .276 | 8 | 46 |
LF | Yogi Berra | 119 | 395 | 107 | .271 | 22 | 61 |
CF | Mickey Mantle | 153 | 514 | 163 | .317 | 54 | 128 |
RF | Roger Maris | 161 | 590 | 159 | .269 | 61 | 141* |
- Tied with Jim Gentile for league lead in RBI.
Other batters
[edit]Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Johnny Blanchard | 93 | 243 | 74 | .305 | 21 | 54 |
Héctor López | 93 | 243 | 54 | .222 | 3 | 22 |
Bob Cerv | 57 | 118 | 32 | .271 | 6 | 20 |
Billy Gardner | 41 | 99 | 21 | .212 | 1 | 2 |
Joe DeMaestri | 30 | 41 | 6 | .146 | 0 | 2 |
Deron Johnson | 13 | 19 | 2 | .105 | 0 | 2 |
Earl Torgeson | 22 | 18 | 2 | .111 | 0 | 0 |
Jack Reed | 28 | 13 | 2 | .154 | 0 | 1 |
Bob Hale | 11 | 13 | 2 | .154 | 1 | 1 |
Jesse Gonder | 15 | 12 | 4 | .333 | 0 | 3 |
Tom Tresh | 9 | 8 | 2 | .250 | 0 | 0 |
Lee Thomas | 2 | 2 | 1 | .500 | 0 | 0 |
Pitching
[edit]Starting pitchers
[edit]Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whitey Ford | 39 | 283.0 | 25 | 4 | 3.21 | 209 |
Bill Stafford | 36 | 195.0 | 14 | 9 | 2.68 | 101 |
Ralph Terry | 31 | 188.1 | 16 | 3 | 3.15 | 86 |
Bud Daley | 23 | 129.2 | 8 | 9 | 3.96 | 83 |
Bob Turley | 15 | 72.0 | 3 | 5 | 5.75 | 48 |
Other pitchers
[edit]Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rollie Sheldon | 35 | 162.2 | 11 | 5 | 3.60 | 84 |
Jim Coates | 43 | 141.1 | 11 | 5 | 3.44 | 80 |
Art Ditmar | 12 | 54.1 | 2 | 3 | 4.64 | 24 |
Danny McDevitt | 8 | 13.0 | 1 | 2 | 7.62 | 8 |
Al Downing | 5 | 9.0 | 1 | 0 | 8.00 | 12 |
Relief pitchers
[edit]Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
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Luis Arroyo | 65 | 119.0 | 15 | 5 | 29 | 2.19 | 87 |
Hal Reniff | 25 | 45.1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2.58 | 21 |
Tex Clevenger | 21 | 31.2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.83 | 14 |
Ryne Duren | 4 | 5.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.40 | 7 |
Johnny James | 1 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 2 |
Duke Maas | 1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54.00 | 0 |
1961 World Series
[edit]
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Awards and honors
[edit]- Roger Maris, American League MVP
- Roger Maris, Associated Press Athlete of the Year
- Whitey Ford, Cy Young Award
- Whitey Ford, Babe Ruth Award
1961 All-Star Game
- Whitey Ford, starter, pitcher
- Tony Kubek, starter, shortstop
- Mickey Mantle, starter, center field
- Roger Maris, starter, right field
- Luis Arroyo, reserve
- Yogi Berra, reserve
- Elston Howard, reserve
- Bill Skowron, reserve [9]
League leaders
[edit]- Whitey Ford, led league in innings: (283)
- Whitey Ford, led league in games started: (39)
- Whitey Ford, led league in batters faced: (1,159)
- Luis Arroyo, led league in games pitched: (65) and saves: (29)
- Roger Maris, Major League Baseball home run champion, (61)
Franchise records
[edit]- Roger Maris, Yankees single season record, home runs in a season: (61)
- Mickey Mantle, Yankees single season record, home runs by a center fielder: (54)
Team leaders
[edit]- Home runs – Roger Maris (61)
- RBI – Roger Maris (142)
- Batting average – Mickey Mantle (.317)
- Hits – Bobby Richardson (173)
- Stolen bases – Mickey Mantle (12)
- Walks – Mickey Mantle (126)
- Wins – Whitey Ford (25)
- Earned run average – Bill Stafford (2.68)
- Strikeouts – Whitey Ford (209)
Farm system
[edit]Harlan affiliation shared with Chicago White Sox[10]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Bob Cerv at Baseball Reference
- ^ Art López at Baseball Reference
- ^ Jake Gibbs at Baseball Reference
- ^ "Roger Maris 1961 Home Run Season by Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com.
- ^ "Rome News-Tribune - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
- ^ Roy White at Baseball Reference
- ^ "1961 New York Yankees Roster by Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com.
- ^ a b "1961 New York Yankees Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1961 All-Star Game". www.baseball-almanac.com.
- ^ Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 2nd and 3rd editions. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1997 and 2007