Maris Hits 51st as Yankees Crush Athletics, 5-1

Aug. 26, 1961 - Roger Maris exploded his 51st homer of the year today and baseball's nerve-wracking home run derby continues. While the blow was more or less ornamental in a 5-1 Yankee triumph over Hank Bauer's hapless Athletics, it brought the Bombers' smooth-swinging star to within 9 homers of Babe Ruth's mark of 60. Maris now has 26 games left in which to break Ruth's record within the 154-game limit set by Commissioner Ford Frick. There are 34 games left in the new 162-game schedule.

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