ALL RISE

Aaron Judge Ties Roger Maris’ Record With 61st Home Run of Season

Roger Maris set the single-season American League home run record in 1961—exactly 61 years ago.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge reached a new milestone in his remarkable season for the history books on Wednesday, hitting his 61st home run and tying fellow Yankee Roger Maris’ single-season American League record, set in 1961—exactly 61 years ago. Batting in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays, Judge had gone an unusual seven games and 31 turns at the plate without a homer, sending the ball soaring over Rogers Centre’s left field with his mother and Roger Maris Jr. in attendance. And with seven games left in the season, Judge, 30, has ample opportunity not only to break but far surpass Maris’ record. “I don’t think about the numbers,” Judge told reporters after tying Babe Ruth’s 60-home run record last week. “And when you talk about Ruth and Maris and Mantle and all these Yankees greats that did so many great things in this game, you never imagine as a kid getting mentioned with them. But it’s an incredible honor. It’s something I don’t take lightly. But we’re not done.”