July 17, 1961 - Yankees manager Ralph Houk (center) takes the impartial managerial view in the home run battle between his sluggers, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. "I hope they both break the record," Houk said today. "That would make me look like a better manager. But our job is to win pennants, not worry about setting individual records." Asked if he would change his line-up to help either player reach the record, Houk replied with an emphatic "never." But he qualified that by saying if the pennant already had been clinched he would bat Maris and Mantle in the first and second spots to give them additional times at bat.
top of page
bottom of page
Comments