Baseball Roundtable always likes a little irony, so …
In two successive seasons, Roger Maris set the record for the most home runs by a player who received NO intentional walks in a season – and the MOST intentional walks received in a single game (since broken).
Photo by rchdj10 
During the 1961 season, Yankees’ RF Roger Maris – in the process of winning his second consecutive MVP Award and setting a (since-broken) record for home runs (61) in a season – did not draw a single intentional walk. This despite leading the AL in home runs (61), RBI (141) and runs scored (132), with a .269 average. The following season, dropping to a .256-33-100 line, Maris received eleven intentional free passes and an AL-record (since tied) four IBB in a single game (a May 22, 12-inning, 2-1 Yankees’ win over the Angels.) In six plate appearances in that game, Maris drew five walks (again, four intentional) and flew out to center (in the second inning). His day went like this:
- Second inning – fly out to center leading off against Dean Chance.
- Fourth inning – walked by Dean Chance with one out and no one on. (Angels were leading 1-0. Yankees did not score.)
- Sixth inning – Intentional walk from Chance with runners on second and third and no outs. (Yankees tied the game 1-0 in the inning).
- Eighth inning – Intentional walk from Ryne Duren with a runner on second and one out. (Two fly outs followed the IBB, keeping the score at 1-1.)
- Tenth inning – Intentional walk from Jack Spring with a runner on second and two out. (A fly out after the IBB kept the game tied 101.)
- Twelfth inning – Intentional walk with a runner on third and one out. (A second IBB, this on to Hector Lopez, loaded the bases. The winning run then scored on an Elston Howard sacrifice fly to right.)
Maris’ AL record for intentional walks in a game was tied by the Red Sox Manny Ramirez in an 18-inning, 4-3 Boston win over Detroit on June 5, 2001.
The current record for intentional walks in a single game belongs to the Cubs’ Andre Dawson who drew five intentional passes in an 18-inning, 2-1 Cubs win over the Reds on May 22, 1990. Barry Bonds is the only player to draw four intentional walks in a nine-inning game – and he did it twice in one season (May 1 and September 22, 2004.
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BREAKING A TIE, IRONICALLY, COULD MEAN LOSING A RECORD …
and more “In baseball, we track everything.”
More recent irony: Yesterday, YankeeS’ catcher Kyle Higashioka collected just his third MLB hit – making him 3-for-34 (.088 average) in 34 MLB at bats. The long ball tied Higashioka with the Cardinals’ Keith McDonald for the most hits in a career by a player whose every MLB base rap cleared the fences. (McDonald had nine total MLB at bats and collected three hits, all home runs.) To learn more about McDonald, click here.
Of course, when Higashioka collects his next safety, the record will again be solely in McDonald’s hands (unless of course, Higashioka’s next hit is a home run.) Even if Hagashioka hits a fourth round trippers for his next hit, McDonald will get the record back as soon as the Yankee rookie hits anything but a dinger.
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A FINAL THOUGHT ….
The final score of the game in which Roger Maris hit his then record-breaking 61st home run (October 1, 1961) was 1-0 … a Yankee win over the rival Boston Red Sox. The homer came off Red Sox starter Tracy Stallard. (The Yankee starter was the similary named Bill Stafford … don’t know why that caught my eye.) BBRT found a touch of irony and/or coincidence in the facts that:
- the 61-HR season came in 1961;
- that a fellow Yankee broke Ruth’s record;
- the long ball came in the final game of the regular season and the 161st game Maris played that campaign;
- Maris’ homer accounted for the only scoring in the contest; and
- the historic homer came against the rival Red Sox.
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Member: The Society for American Baseball Research; The Baseball Reliquary; The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
