Yahoo Finance Aaron Judge Hits 61st Home Run to Tie Roger Maris' Record and Gifts Historic Ball to His Mother
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Aaron Judge ran around the bases and into the history books on Wednesday when he hit his 61st home run of the season, tying Roger Maris' single-season American League home run record.
The 30-year-old New York Yankees outfielder, No. 99, reached the mark with a line drive into the left field seats at the top of the seventh inning, at Toronto's Rogers Centre.
Maris, the Yankees slugger who died in 1985, coincidentally broke the home run record 61 years ago in 1961.
His son, Roger Maris Jr., was in the stands on Wednesday night as Judge hit the homer, sitting next to Judge's mother Patty. Cameras captured the two embracing after the athlete's history-making hit.
"He's been chasing history and now he makes it," one sportscaster exclaimed of Judge, in video of the moment shared by the Yankees on Twitter. "Mom knew it, Roger Mathis Jr. knew it. And they are united in history around the magical, mystical number 61."
61 years since 61.
Aaron Judge has written his name alongside Roger Maris in baseball's record books. pic.twitter.com/1V4Gums34C— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 29, 2022
Just last week, on Sept. 20, Judge hit his 60th homer, tying Babe Ruth's 95-year-old record (Ruth hit 60 home runs in 1927).
Since then, fans have been watching Judge's every swing to see if he could reach the milestone. Eight days later, as the Yankees played the Toronto Blue Jays, Judge gave baseball fans what they were hoping for.
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"It's an incredible honor and there's a lot of emotions," he told the Yes Network after the game. "It took me a little longer than I wanted to but ... it's something pretty special."
"Getting the chance to be associated with one of the Yankee greats, one of baseball's greats... words can't describe it," Judge added to reporters in a post-game press conference, SNY reported.
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RELATED: Aaron Judge Ties Babe Ruth's 95-Year-Old Record with 60th Home Run
Only three players have ever hit more homers in a single season: Sammy Sosa (66), Mark McGuire (70) and Barry Bonds (73) — though baseball fans often place an asterisk on their success as Sosa, McGuire and Bonds were later linked to allegedly using performance enhancing drugs.
There are still 7 games left in the season for Judge to set a new record.
He's also on pace to win the MLB's Triple Crown, as he leads the league in bating average (.313), RBIs (130) and home runs (61).
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As for the ball hit in Judge's history-making home run on Tuesday, fans in the stands tried to catch it, but it wound up landing over the fence with Toronto's pitching coach, who gave it to the Yankees.
Judge eventually got the ball in his hands and gifted it to his biggest fan: Patty.
"Getting to share this moment with my mom.... it means a lot..." Judge told the Yes Network.
