The
1961 Major League Baseball season saw
the New York Yankees defeat
the Cincinnati Reds in five games in the
World Series. The season is best known for Yankee teammates
Roger Maris’ and
Mickey Mantle's pursuit of
Babe Ruth's prestigious 34-year-old single-season home run record of 60. Maris ultimately broke the record when he hit his 61st home run on the final day of the regular season, while Mantle was forced out of the lineup in late-September due to a hip infection and finished with 54 home runs.