This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 5/11/2001.
This lot of six Roger Maris pins recalls the quiet man who has never really gotten his due for breaking Babe Ruth's longtime record of 60 home runs in a season. The taciturn Maris was uneasy in the glare of the spotlight, and thus was never being embraced by fans or the media, yet it took a special man to achieve what he did under the pressure and hostility from a baseball establishment loyal to Ruth. The collection of pins captures Maris's grandeur and grit. Two 3 ½"
pins and one PM-10 1 3/4" pin feature a head shot of a grim Maris set against a bright yellow background. Another PM-10 2" pin shows him set against an off-white background with a laconic look. These three pins were issued during Maris' playing days. There is a 3 ½" black and white pin that reads, "Salute to Roger Maris 61st Home Run," which features a box score of the October 1, 1961 game when Maris socked No. 61 against the Boston Red Sox. Another pin is a posthumous tribute from his home state of North Dakota showing a smiling Maris in an oblong area under which are gold letters reading, "Roger Maris, North Dakota Roughrider, 1988." On the left side is the state's crest in blue, red and gold and on the right a blue and gold pennant with the words, "N.Y. Yankees, 61 in 61." This pin is 2" tall and 2 ½" wide. All pins with the exception of the last are in good condition with tarnishing on the back. The Roughrider pin is in near mint condition.