Auction Item Details
Lot 363
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Lot Number: 363
Description: Roger Maris, Sal Durante, and Tracy Stallard autographed baseball c.1961. In reflecting on the campaign to break Babe Ruth's single season home run record, Roger Maris declared that, "As a ballplayer, I would be delighted to do it again. As an individual, I doubt if I could possibly go through it again." The 1961 season was a unique combination of angst and joy for Roger Maris. Although it was expected that teammate Mickey Mantle would be the player to eclipse Babe Ruth's hallowed record of 60 home runs in a season, it turned out to be Maris who hammered 61 home runs to set the new mark. On October 1, 1961, in a game played against the Boston Red Sox, Roger Maris connected for his record setting 61st home run of the season. Tracy Stallard was the pitcher for the Red Sox. The ball was caught by truck driver Sal Durante, who famously tried to return the ball to Maris. Maris refused, insisting that Durante sell the ball to make some money, which he eventually did for $5,000. That baseball now resides in the Hall of Fame. The offered baseball is the first of its type that we have encountered and was amazingly signed in the period by all three key figures: Maris, Durante, and Stallard. Maris and Stallard signatures rate 8 out of 10 with Durante rating 6 out of 10. The ball itself is a cream color Cronin AL baseball with light age wear. The baseball was originally awarded as a prize at the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle and to our knowledge is the only surviving example of its type. Includes LOA from JSA: Ball: EX-EX/MT, Signatures: Range EX-NM
Estimated Price: ($2,500.00-$3,500.00)
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