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All the News FINAL EDITION

That
Fits, We Print The Baseball Once-Upon-A Times. Including final
results of all ball
games

VOL. 2, No. 78 MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1971 TEN CENTS

Like Old Times: Simpson Shines, Major League Standings

Recuperated Reds Sweep Twin Bill
A.L. EAST W L PCT. GB N.L. EAST W L PCT. GB
New York 45 21 .682 --- New York 40 23 .635 ---
Baltimore 40 22 .645 3 Pittsburgh 42 26 .618
CINCINNATI One week ago the Reds single and scored in a three-run rally in the bot- Detroit 32 35 .478 13 Philadelphia 36 29 .554 5
were up to their shoulders in bad breaks. Sun- tom of the second for the Mets. Cleveland 30 35 .462 14 St. Louis 33 36 .478 10
day they swept a doubleheader from the Braves The Phils Jim Bunning (5-4) yielded four Boston 28 36 438 16 Chicago 32 36 .471 10
Washington 24 38 .387 19 Montreal 22 39 .361 17
to run their win streak to eight games. runs in five innings and lost for the first time in
And speaking of shoulders, one was conspic- four decisions on the road. A.L. WEST W L PCT. GB N.L. WEST W L PCT. GB
uous by its presence. Pirates 10-2, Expos 0-1 Oakland 42 24 .636 --- San Francisco 42 29 .592 ---
Wayne Simpson, in his first major league PITTSBURGH Bob Robertson walloped Minnesota 33 34 .493 9 Houston 35 32 .522 5
start since May 10, two home runs in the first game and lashed a go- California 33 36 .478 10 Cincinnati 35 33 .515 5
turned in his first com- ahead two-run triple in the second as the Pirates Kansas City 27 35 .435 13 Los Angeles 34 33 .507 6
plete game since last Chicago 26 35 .426 13 Atlanta 28 43 .394 14
extended their win streak to five games by
July 17 as the Reds beat Milwaukee 26 35 .426 13 San Diego 25 45 .357 16
sweeping the Expos.
the Braves 6-1 in the Robertsons two blasts in the opener helped Sundays American League Results Sundays National League Results
opener. Johnny Benchs the Bucs cruise to a 10-0 victory. Willie Stargell New York 11, Baltimore 9 Pittsburgh 10, Montreal 0, Gm. 1
tie-breaking double in joined the fun with his 31st homer in a six-run Washington 6, Boston 5 (10 innings) Pittsburgh 2, Montreal 1, Gm. 2
Wayne Simpson the bottom of the eighth Detroit 9, Cleveland 8, Gm. 1 (11 innings) New York 3, Philadelphia 2, Gm. 1
rally in the sixth. Stargell is nine games ahead of
Cleveland 6, Detroit 4, Gm. 2 New York 4, Philadelphia 1, Gm. 2
inning spurred Cincy to a 3-1 triumph in the Roger Maris 1961 record pace. Kansas City 5, California 1, Gm. 1 Chicago 6, St. Louis 5
nightcap. The Braves have lost nine straight. Steve Blass (10-3) fired his third shutout of Kansas City 5, California 3, Gm. 2 San Diego 3, San Francisco 1, Gm. 1
As a rookie last season, Simpson breezed to a 1971. Montreals Bill Stoneman (7-7) allowed Minnesota 6, Chicago 2 San Francisco 3, San Diego 1, Gm. 2
13-1 record through July 5. Plagued by a sore four runs in four innings and took the loss. Oakland 6, Milwaukee 2, Gm. 1 Houston 4, Los Angeles 1
shoulder, he finished the year with one win in Milwaukee 5, Oakland 4, Gm. 2 Cincinnati 6, Atlanta 1, Gm. 1
Robertsons triple trumped a 1-0 Montreal
his final eight starts. He was 1-3 with a 7.33 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning in the Todays Probable Starting Pitchers Todays Probable Starting Pitchers
ERA this season when he was demoted in May. nightcap, leading to a 2-1 triumph. Bob Veale
All times local All times local

Sunday he looked like his old self, if such a
thing can be said of a 22-year-old. Simpson (2-
3) scattered eight hits while striking out four.
It helped that the Reds, who have all their
injured players (save for Bobby Tolan) back in
the pink, crushed three home runs in the bottom
of the first inning. Lee May, Tony Perez and
Hal McRae each went deep to hand Simpson a
4-0 lead. Pete Rose cracked the fourth Reds
round-tripper in the fifth.
Atlanta starter George Stone allowed four
runs in four innings and fell to 4-3.
Bench not only broke a 1-1 tie in the second
game, he scored an insurance run. Reliever To-
ny Cloninger (5-6) hurled two scoreless innings
of relief to gain the win.
Braves fireman Cecil Upshaw (1-5) surren-
dered two runs in one inning and took the loss.
Mets 3-4, Phillies 2-1
NEW YORK Nolan Ryan and Ray
Sadecki hurled complete-game wins and the
Mets concluded a 10-3 home stand with a dou-
ble-header sweep of the Phillies.
Ryan (4-3) fired a three-hitter in a 3-2 first
game win, taking a no-hitter in the sixth frame.
He allowed both Philly runs, one on a solo
homer by Willie Montanez, in the seventh.
Phils starter Barry Lersch (4-6) was lifted
after five innings having allowed three runs.
Sadecki (5-1) won his fourth consecutive
start in the second game, a 4-1 triumph, striking
out a season-high eight. Tim Foli had an RBI
turned in two scoreless innings of relief to im-
prove to 2-2. Expos fireman Claude Raymond (1
-2) was saddled with the loss.
Giants 1-3, Padres 3-1
SAN FRANCISCO Dave Campbell blast-
ed a three-run homer in the first game and Willie
Mays homered twice in the second as the Padres
and Giants split 3-1 doubleheader victories.
N.L., Page 2
Royals Crown Angels, Jump Two Spots to Fourth Place
KANSAS CITY Simple strategy, big pay-
off.
Combing equal parts solid starting pitching
and center fielder Amos Otis, the Royals swept a
doubleheader from the Angels and escaped the
American League cellar for the first time in sev-
en weeks.
Bruce Dal Canton and Al Fitzmorris both
went the distance for Kansas City. Dal Canton (3
-6) turned in his second consecutive complete
game in a 5-1 victory, which Fitzmorris (3-3)
backed up with a seven-hitter in a 5-3 win.
Otis had a pair of run-scoring hits in the first
game. His two-run single in the fifth inning of
the second game erased a 2-0 Angels lead.
Cookie Rojas hit safely in both tilts to boost his
hit streak to 12 games, two off his career high.
Sunday wasnt an aberration. Since May 23,
K.C. is 15-8, the best record in the American
League West over that span.
Cleveland (McDowell 8-7) at Boston (Lonborg 1-4),
7:30 p.m.
Baltimore (Dobson 8-3) at Washington (McLain 2-
10), 8 p.m.
Oakland (Blue 10-3) at Minnesota (Corbin 3-2),
7:15 p.m.
Kansas City (Rooker 3-5) at Chicago (John 4-5), 8
p.m.
California (May 3-4) at Milwaukee (Pattin 7-6), 8
p.m.
(Only games scheduled)
Both Halos starters were let down by their
defense. Clyde Wright (9-6) allowed three runs
(all unearned) in six innings in the first game.
In the second, Tom Murphy (3-9) allowed five
runs (three unearned) in six frames.
Yankees 11, Orioles 9
BALTIMORE Felipe Alou had three
RBI, including a tie-breaking single in a five-
run rally in the top of the seventh inning as the
Yankees salvaged the final game of a four-
game series against the Orioles.
The Birds jumped to a 6-3 lead, pounding
three home runs by Paul Blair, Brooks Rob-
inson and starting pitcher Dave McNally in
the first three innings. Frank Robinson later
added a fourth round-tripper for the Os.
New York cut the lead to 6-5 in the sixth,
then blew the game open in the seventh.
Reliever Lindy McDaniel (3-2) not only
earned the win but added two hits and two RBI.
Montreal (Strohmayer 2-3 and Reed 3-8) at Atlanta
(Nash 1-6 and Barber 1-1), 2, 6:05 p.m.
New York (Koosman 3-3) at Pittsburgh (Ellis 9-4),
8:05 p.m.
Philadelphia (Palmer 1-0) at Cincinnati (McGlothlin
7-2), 8:05 p.m.
St. Louis (Gibson 5-4) at Los Angeles (OBrien 0-
0), 8 p.m.
(Only games scheduled)
Baltimore fireman Dick Hall allowed four
runs (all unearned) in one-third of an inning
and fell to 1-6.
The Orioles won three of four in the series to
pull to within three games of the A.L. East-
leading Yankees.
As 6-4, Brewers 2-5
MILWAUKEE Curt Blefary swatted a go
-ahead three-run home run in the opener, and
Dave May drilled a three-run double in the
nightcap as the As and Brewers split a double-
header.
The Brewers jumped in front in the first
game on Johnny Briggs solo homer in the bot-
tom of the first inning. As starter Chuck Dob-
son allowed four hits to the first 12 batters he
faced. Milwaukee went hitless thereafter.
Blefarys pinch-blast in the seventh put the
As on top 4-2 en route to a 6-2 win.
A.L., Page 2

Around Baseball Major League Leaders Gimpy Cepeda Eyes

Gibson Activated, Set AMERICAN G AB R H AVG. NATIONAL G AB R H AVG.
Visit to Home, Doctor
To Start vs. Dodgers Carew, Min.
Epstein, Oak.
61
59
238
183
42
32
92
65
.387
.355
Stargell, Pit.
Aaron, Atl.
62
67
211
236
66
54
75
83
.355
.352
ATLANTA (AP) Atlanta Braves first
LOS ANGELES (AP) Bob Gibson, who baseman Orlando Cepeda, sidelined frequently
Murcer, N.Y. 66 255 49 90 .353 Brock, St.L 66 276 47 96 .348 in recent weeks with an ailing left knee, says he
won the Cy Young last season with a 23-7 rec-
Cater, N.Y. 63 230 26 81 .352 Alou, St.L 66 280 45 97 .346 wants to return home to Puerto Rico but only
ord and 23 complete games with the St. Louis
Johnstone, Chi. 53 173 27 59 .341 Jones, N.Y. 54 194 22 67 .345 for two or three days to see if my doctor down
Cardinals, was taken off the 21-day disabled list
there can do something about my knee.
Sunday by the club. White, N.Y. 65 241 51 79 .328 Oliver, Pit. 63 231 31 79 .342
Cepeda, hitting .243 with 11
Gibson, 5-4 with a 3.84 ERA this year, is F.Robinson, Bal. 50 181 40 59 .326 Pepitone, Chi. 52 205 32 70 .341
homers and 37 runs batted in
slated to start tonights game against the Dodg- Blair, Bal. 54 221 34 71 .321 Beckert, Chi. 67 276 35 93 .337 this year, sat out a five-game
ers. The Cards placed Gibson on the disabled
McMullen, Cal. 68 254 40 81 .319 Torre, St.L 69 259 45 87 .336 series at Cincinnati over the
list May 29 after he pulled a thigh muscle in a
Powell, Bal. 57 205 39 65 .317 Sanguillen, Pit. 61 245 36 82 .335 weekend and wasnt expected
home game against Atlanta.
to start the opener of a double-
Last season his earned run average was 3.12 HR: Cash (Det.) 19; Petrocelli (Bos.) 18; Net- HR: Stargell (Pit.) 31; Aaron (Atl.) 25;
header against Montreal, on
This season, hes pitched only 75 innings. tles (Cle.) 18; Smith (Bos.) 17; Powell (Bal.) 15. May (Cin.) 18; Robertson (Pit.) 18; 2 tied with Orlando Cepeda
Monday night.
DETROIT The Tigers have received more RBI: Petrocelli (Bos.) 55; Murcer (N.Y.) 53; 16.
Id rather quit and go home than have to
orders than they can fill for tickets to the 1971 Nettles (Cle.) 51; 3 tied with 50. RBI: Stargell (Pit.) 64; Aaron (Atl.) 61; Torre
play like this all season, said Cepeda, a
All-Star Game. Wins: Blue (Oak.) 10-3; Coleman (Det.) 10- (St.L) 52; May (Cin.) 50; Davis (L.A.) 47.
$90,000-a-year player. I dont want to be em-
The game will be played at Tiger Stadium, 3; Kline (N.Y.) 9-2; 3 tied with 9-3. Wins: Holtzman (Chi.) 10-3; Blass (Pit.) 10-3; barrassed, and I am embarrassed when I try to
July 13. Strikeouts: Blue (Oak.) 159; Lolich (Det.) Seaver (N.Y.) 10-4; Jenkins (Chi.) 10-7; 2 tied
run and my knee tries to buckle on me.
There are bleacher and obstructed-view seats 123; Coleman (Det.) 114; Blyleven (Min.) 103; with 9-4.
Needs Knee at 100 Percent
unsold, officials said. They will go on sale at McDowell (Cle.) 96. Strikeouts: Seaver (N.Y.) 146; Jenkins (Chi.) This is my knee and this is my living, and
Tiger Stadium on July 9. ERA: Fingers (Oak.) 1.60; Wood (Chi.) 2.00; 108; Stoneman (Mon.) 105; Kirby (S.D.) 101; the only way I can produce is to be 100 percent
LOS ANGELES Billy Grabarkewitz, the Blue (Oak.) 2.18; Dobson (Bal.) 2.42; Stottle- Sutton (L.A.) 95. well, Cepeda said.
Dodgers infielder suffering from shoulder prob- myre (N.Y.) 2.49. ERA: Seaver (N.Y.) 1.56; Blass (Pit.) 2.33; Wil- Cepeda, who underwent surgery on his right
lems, came off the disabled list Sunday. son (Hou.) 2.41; Ellis (Pit.) 2.43; Billingham knee in 1964, said he will seek permission from
Grabarkewitz had been playing third base, a (Hou.) 2.52. the Braves this week to return home to see his
spot manned now by rookie Bob Valentine. CEPEDA, Page 2
 MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1971
Sc000 000 000reboard
National League Boxscores
Whos Hot - Stargell, Pit.: Batting .407, 14 HR, 31 RBI past 23 games
Whos Not - Edwards, Hou.: Hitless in 12 at-bats since June 15
Pitching Swell - Blass, Pit.: 7-2, 1.86 ERA, 3 shutouts in past 9 starts
Not So Well - Wilhelm, Atl.: 0-1, 6.75 ERA in past 3 appearances
N.L.
From Page 1
Campbells drive, aided by a
24-mph tail wind to left field,
gave Friars starter Fred Nor-
man all the support he would
need.
Norman (2-0) allowed six
hits and pitched around seven
walks in his second consecutive
complete-game win. Giants
starter Ron Bryant (5-3) al-
lowed three runs in five frames.
The second game was a tight
duel between San Diegos
Dave Roberts and San Francis-
co rookie Steve Stone.
The game was tied 1-1 when
Mays tagged his 15th home run
down the left field line in the
seventh. Mays added an insur-
ance homer in the eighth. It
was his 644th career home run.
Roberts (4-6) took the loss.
Stone (6-4) turned in his third
complete game.
Cubs 6, Cardinals 5
CHICAGO Billy Wil-
liams drove a game-ending
home run in the bottom of the
ninth inning as the Cubs van-
Cepeda
From Page 1
doctor.
He said he had seen a num-
ber of doctors around the Na-
tional League this season but
they all tell me different things
and nothing has helped. Thats
why I want to see my doctor in
Puerto Rico.
Proven Prescription
I did the same thing in 1964
and the doctors I went to over
here tell me that maybe I can
never play again. And then I
missed almost all of 1965 be-
cause of the knee.
When I went home in the
quished the Cardinals and
gave Ken Holtzman his 10th
win on his fourth try.
Chicago led 5-4 after eight
innings, but the Birds Lou
Brock lined a leadoff pinch-hit
double in the ninth and scored
the tying run on a sacrifice fly.
Williams clubbed a 3-2
pitch from losing pitcher Bob
Reynolds (0-1) over the ivy-
covered right field wall to lead
off the bottom of the frame.
Holtzman (10-3) won for
the first time since June 3.
Astros 4, Dodgers 1
LOS ANGELES Larry
Dierker hurled a seven-hitter
and Denis Menke had a solo
homer and an RBI double as
the Astros aced the Dodgers.
Menke drove in one run and
scored another as Houston
established a 3-0 lead. His
solo shot in the eighth made it
4-1 Astros.
Dierker (8-5) is 2-0 with an
0.50 ERA against the Dodgers
this season.
Los Angeles starter Al
Downing (5-8) is 0-3 in his
past five starts.
winter, this doctor in Puerto
Rico had me playing again in
three months, Cepeda said. I
have confidence in him and I
think he can help me.
Cepeda entered his 14th
major league season with a
career batting average of .299.
He currently has 2,132 life-
time hits and 351 career hom-
ers.
Some people think I dont
want to play, Cepeda said.
That is not true. I try to play
and this knee kills me. I dont
want to sit on the bench any
longer. If I cant run, I cant
do anything.
A young Ed Kranepool soaks up the sage advice of an old Casey Stengel.
Kranepool Not on Star Ballot,
But in Thick of Mets Lineup
By IRA BERKOW
NEA Sports Editor
NEW YORK Ed Krane-
pool will always be an Original
Met. Thats not the primary
reason his name was left off
the All-Star computer ballot.
Few of last seasons .170
hitters were on the ballot, in
fact. Besides, a Kranepool to
some is indistinguishable from
a Throneberry, say. Whod
have thought, last winter when
the ballots were drawn up, that
in June, Kranepools .378
would lead the majors in bat-
ting if he had the required
number of at-bats?
It has seemed unlikely ever
since Edward Emil Kranepool
came up to the major leagues
in 1962, a 17-year-old first
baseman, blue-eyed, buffalo-
big. Soon a banner appeared in
the stands that would flap over
Kranepools head for the rest
of his career: Is Kranepool
Over The Hill? Kranepool
still cant laugh about it.
Last season, finally at age
25, the Mets sent Kranepool
over the hill. They sent him to
the minor leagues, Tidewater.
It was late June and Kranepool,
in his ninth major league sea-
son had batted just 47 times
and turned into ambulatory
damp log.
I wasnt playing and I was-
nt helping myself or the team,
and I became introverted. I
didnt want to talk to anybody
and I didnt want anybody to
talk to me, he said.
The easiest thing then
would have been to quit. But I
still thought I could play. I was
determined to play myself back
into the big leagues.
I was told on the road that I
was being sent down. I didnt
see any of my teammates be-
fore I left. One day youre in
the next youre gone.
Theres no time for tears.
Page 2
But the pressure was on. I
knew that I had three months
of my baseball career left if I
didnt hit. I batted in 45 runs
in five weeks in Tidewater. I
mustve been doing some-
thing right. It was so hot, so
depressing in the bushes. You
had to play hard or give up.
This spring he felt he
would be traded, and the en-
thusiasm and energy that
gripped him in the minor
leagues carried over.
He said he was actually
playing, not for Met manager
Gil Hodges, but for the other
23 managers. Thats why I
really busted my butt, he
said. I wanted them to see
me and trade for me.
Hodges liked what he saw
enough to hang onto Krane-
pool. Not so Ron Swoboda,
Kranepools friend and busi-
ness partner. (They recently
opened a restaurant in a New
York suburb.) Swoboda want-
ed to be traded and was. He is
with the Expos now.
And not playing, said
Kranepool. Hes away from
home and sitting. If he was
going to sit, he might as well
have been sitting here. Hes
worse off now than before.
And Kranepool is riding a
tide. In fact, the New York
Daily News has campaigned
for All-Star write-in votes for
Kranepool.
Its ego satisfying to get
this attention now, said
Kranepool. Maybe I have an
outside chance
In 1965, Kranepool was
named to the All-Star team
but did not get into the game.
But he doesnt kid himself
about being a star.
Im struggling all the
time, he said. Most of us are
struggling all the time. The
game is very difficult unless
youre a superstar.
 MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1971
Sc000 000 000reboard
American League Boxscores
Whos Hot - Rojas, K.C.: .452 during 12-game hit streak
Whos Not - Fosse, Cle.: Hitting .080 in 25 at-bats since June 13
Pitching Swell - Kaat, Min.: 6-1, 3.21 in past 10 starts
Not So Well - Lolich, Det.: 1-2, 4.75 ERA in past 8 starts
A.L.
From Page 1
Dobson (3-6) and four As
relievers teamed on a four-
hitter. Brewers starter Jim
Slaton allowed four runs in
eight innings and fell to 1-3.
Mays bases-loaded two-
bagger fueled another fast start
for Milwaukee in the second
game. This time the Suds held
on for a 5-4 win despite Reggie
Jacksons 13th homer.
Marcelino Lopez (1-1)
earned the win, allowing four
runs in eight-plus innings. John
Morris earned his first save.
As starter Diego Segui (3-3)
yielded five runs in seven in-
nings and took the loss.
Tigers 9-4, Indians 8-6
CLEVELAND Tony Tay-
lor belted a game-winning
homer in the 11th inning in the
first game, and Graig Nettles
tagged his 18th four-bagger in
the second as the Tigers and
Indians split a doubleheader.
Taylors blast gave the Ben-
gals a wild 9-8 win in the first
game. Roy Fosters second
home run of the contest, a two-
run shot in the ninth, helped
Cleveland rebound from a 8-4
deficit to force extra innings.
Relievers earned the deci-
sions: Tom Timmermann (1-1)
for Detroit and Rick Austin (0-
2) for the Tribe.
Cleveland scored four runs
on five consecutive hits in the
first inning of the nightcap,
fueling a 6-5 win. Nettles
drive moved him to within one
of the league lead.
Ed Farmer held the Tigers
to four runs in 7 2/3 innings to
earn his first career win. De-
troits Bill Zepp (2-3) allowed
six runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Senators 6, Red Sox 5
WASHINGTON D.C.
Frank Fernandez singled home
the winning run in the bottom
of the 10th inning as the Sena-
tors tripped the Red Sox.
Fernandez was batting .103
before his decisive safety
made a loser of Boston starter
Gary Peters (6-7).
Nats reliever Paul Lindblad
hurled 1 2/3 scoreless innings
to improve to 3-0.
The game marked the major
league debut of pitcher Pete
Broberg, the Senators top
pick in the recent draft. Brob-
erg allowed five runs in eight
innings and got no decision.
Twins 6, White Sox 2
BLOOMINGTON, Minn.
Jim Kaat went the distance
for his sixth win in his past
seven decisions as the Twins
topped the White Sox.
Kaat (9-3) fired a five-hitter
with eight strikeouts. He is 3-0
against the ChiSox this year.
Tony Oliva had three hits
and three RBI for Minnesota.
Harmon Killebrew pounded a
double, but remained stuck on
499 career home runs.
Chicago starter Joe Horlen
(3-3) was lifted after six in-
nings having allowed three
runs.
Roger Maris, now a beer distributor: Im glad I did it but its all done.
A Decade Later, Maris Glad
The 61-HR Stuff is Over
By TOM KELLY
St. Petersburg Times
Roger Maris did it and hes
glad. But dont ask him to talk
about it unless you want the
conversation to end abruptly.
Since 1971 is the 10th anni-
versary of Maris record-
breaking 61-home run season,
a lot of people would like
Roger to tell how it was to
chase the ghost of Babe Ruth
back in 1961. Maris isnt in-
terested.
Ive turned down at least
50 people in the last couple
months, Maris said a few
days ago as he leaned against
a wire screen at Payson Field
in St. Petersburg.
New York newspapers,
magazine writers, television
shows. They all want me to do
a story on the 61 homers. Hell,
I dont want to talk about it. If
you come to see me in Gaines-
ville well talk about Bud-
weiser or our kids or anything
else you want to talk about,
but dont ask me about the 61
homers.
Maris is 36 years old and a
prosperous beer distributor in
Gainesville. Just as he did
when he was a slugging star of
the New York Yankees, Maris
values his privacy above all
else.
Maris, his wife Pat and six
children, including four sons
aged 7 to 12, visited Whitey
Herzog, director of player de-
velopment for the New York
Mets, who supervises the
rookie camp at Payson Field.
Every chance they got, the
Marises took advantage of the
Mets facilities, with the boys
batting against pitching ma-
chines and the pitching of
their father.
Roger was in a faded blue
shirt, dirty chino pants and
tennis shoes for the workout.
He still wears his hair in a
squared-off blond crewcut and
his waistline has expanded
several inches since he retired
from baseball in 1968.
I have a good life, Maris
said. I like what Im doing. I
always say you gotta look to
the future. Thats why Im
never gonna live in the past.
Whats the good of that?
Most people in baseball
live in the past. You get
around baseball men and all
they want to talk about is the
way they did this or that or
some game 30 or 40 years
ago. The hell with that stuff. I
cant stand to listen to it.
The 61-homer stuff is
over. Im glad I did it but its
all done. What good does it do
to keep talking about it?
Maris has said often that he
Page 3
considered the pressures of
chasing the home run record
the most difficult time of his
life. As the public and the me-
dia descended on him, he with-
drew into himself and present-
ed a sullen face to the world as
he grimly chopped away at
Ruths record.
Ten years ago yesterday
Maris hit his 26th home run
off Joe Nuxhall of the Kansas
City Athletics. It was Rogers
14th homer of June his big-
gest month and sent him 11
games ahead of Ruths 1927
pace.
Maris went on to break
Ruths record with a homer in
the final game of the season.
But it took Roger 163 games
(he played in 161 of them) to
beat Ruth, who had hit his 60
homers in the old 154-game
season (Ruth played 151).
Although his record chase
was the most exciting thing to
happen to baseball since in a
quarter-century, Maris was not
the most popular champion.
Old-timers resented him for
toppling Ruth. Younger fans
resented Maris overshadow-
ing of the more popular Mick-
ey Mantle. The press resented
Maris attitude.
A ball player is a public
figure, sure, Maris said, but
you have to allow a man some
privacy. Most of the writers
today dont want to write
about baseball. They want to
know about the girl a guys
going with and the way hes
sending his free time. Thats
none of their business.
Maris tries to shield his chil-
dren from the pressure of his
fame and isnt always success-
ful. I think its worse if the
kid has the same name, he
said. Little Roger has taken a
lot of heat all along. I dont
push the kids to play baseball
but they like it.
Gainesville isnt New York
City, and Maris is grateful for
that. He picks up a baseball so
seldom that his right arm
ached after a brief session of
pitching with his sons. And he
has become only a casual read-
er of the sports pages. I used
to keep track of the guys, he
said, but now theres just too
much to keep up with that.
Maris peered through the
screen at a game between Mets
and Kansas City Royals rook-
ies. He shook his head as he
said hed never trade his
slightly paunchy status as an
ex-home run king for the firm
muscles and ambition of the
youngsters on the field. Boy
Id hate to have to go through
that all over again, said Roger
Maris. Id really hate it.