Sept. 3, 1961 - Mickey Mantle treated himself, the Yankees, and 55,676 fans to a pair of homers today. They were his 49th and 50th of the season, and they helped nail down an 8-5 Bomber victory over the Tigers. Mantle was a surprise starter after straining a muscle in the left forearm Saturday. Roger Maris, leading the chase for Babe Ruth's record, was held to a single in four trips to the plate. He is eight games ahead of Ruth's record pace of 1927. Mantle is three games ahead. Maris and Mantle have 19 games remaining to reach or surpass the record within the 154-game limit set by Commissioner Ford Frick. Twenty-seven games in all remain on the schedule for the Yankees, who now lead Detroit by four and a half games.
