This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 5/11/2001.
As spring stretched into summer in 1961, both Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle were chasing after the ghost of Babe Ruth, whose record 60 home runs in 1927 were in reach of both of the Yankee sluggers. The chase for "61 in ‘61" captured the imagination of the nation the same way another duo of sluggers would for another generation of fans 30 years later when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa got within reach of the seemingly unbeatable 61 home runs that Maris wound up with after cranking one out on the season's final day. (Mantle had to settle for 54.) This
oversized (6" in diameter) button probably could have been found being hawked at a concession stand outside Yankee Stadium during those days of high drama, and while much of those items have perished with time, the off-white button is in excellent condition, with just a few markings of wear. The images of Mantle and Maris flank Ruth atop the slogan "Shooting for 61 in ‘61." At the top it reads "The Greatest Home Run Hitters" and on the bottom "New York Yankees."