The 1961 New York Yankees season was the 59th season for the team. The team finished with a record of 109–53, eight games ahead of the Detroit Tigers, and won their 26th American League pennant. New York was managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played their home games at Yankee Stadium. In the World Series, they defeated the Cincinnati Reds in 5 games. This season was best known for the home run chase between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle, with the former beating Babe Ruth's single season record by hitting 61. The Yankees won an MLB record 65 home games during the season, a record that they still hold to this day.

Offseason December 14, 1960: Bob Cerv was drafted from the Yankees by the Los Angeles Angels in the 1960 MLB expansion draft.Bob Cerv at Baseball Reference January 16, 1961: Mickey Mantle became the highest paid baseball player by signing a $75,000 contract. Prior to 1961 season: Art López was signed as an amateur free agent by the Yankees.Art López at Baseball Reference Prior to 1961 season: Ole Miss Rebels football quarterback Jake Gibbs was signed as an amateur free agent by the Yankees.Jake Gibbs at Baseball Reference

Regular season The 1961 season was notable for the race between center fielder Mickey Mantle and right fielder Roger Maris to break Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs in a season (set in 1927). Maris eventually broke the record, hitting his 61st home run on October 1, the season's final day. During the season, Maris had seven multi-home run games; in a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, he hit four home runs.

1961 was an expansion year, with the American League increasing from eight to ten teams, the first expansion in the 61-year history of the league. The old schedule of 154 games (seven opponents multiplied by 22 games apiece) was replaced by 162 games (nine opponents multiplied by 18 games apiece) which led to some controversy due to the eight extra games that Maris had to try to hit 61.

Ultimately, when Maris broke Ruth's record in game 162, baseball commissioner Ford Frick instigated "The Asterisk", which designated that Maris had only accomplished the feat in a longer season, and disallowed any reference to him as the record-holder. When commissioner Fay Vincent removed "The Asterisk" in 1991, Maris was finally given credit as the single-season home run record-holder. However, Maris had died in 1985, never knowing that the record belonged to him.

In addition to the individual exploits of Maris and Mantle, the 1961 Yankees hit a major league record 240 home runs. The record stood until 1996 when the Baltimore Orioles, with the added benefit of the designated hitter, hit 257 home runs as a team.

The Yankees set an MLB record by winning 65 home games during the season, a record that still stands as of 2026.

Roger Maris

In 1961, the American League expanded from eight to ten teams, generally watering down the pitching, but leaving the Yankees pretty much intact. Yankee home runs began to come at a record pace. One famous photograph lined up six 1961 Yankee players, including Mantle, Maris, Yogi Berra, Elston Howard, Johnny Blanchard, and Bill Skowron, under the nickname "Murderers Row", because they hit a combined 207 home runs that year. The title "Murderers Row", coined in 1918, had most famously been used to refer to the Yankees side of the late 1920s.

As mid-season approached, it seemed quite possible that either Maris or Mantle, or perhaps both, would break Babe Ruth's 34-year-old home run record. Unlike the home run race of 1998, in which the competition between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa was given extensive positive media coverage, sportswriters in 1961 began to play the "M&M Boys" against each other, inventing a rivalry where none existed, according to Yogi Berra.

The 1961 home run race between Maris and Mantle was dramatized in the 2001 film 61*, filmed under the direction of Billy Crystal.

Roger Maris 61 home runs NumberGame*DatePitcherTeamInning11104-26-1961Paul FoytackDetroit Tigers5th21705-03-1961Pedro RamosMinnesota Twins7th32005-06-1961Eli GrbaLos Angeles Angels5th42905-17-1961Pete BurnsideWashington Senators8th53005-19-1961Jim PerryCleveland Indians1st63105-20-1961Gary BellCleveland Indians3rd73205-21-1961Chuck EstradaBaltimore Orioles1st83505-24-1961Gene ConleyBoston Red Sox4th93805-28-1961Cal McLishChicago White Sox2nd104005-30-1961Gene ConleyBoston Red Sox3rd114005-30-1961Mike FornielesBoston Red Sox8th124105-31-1961Billy MuffettBoston Red Sox3rd134306-02-1961Cal McLishChicago White Sox3rd144406-03-1961Bob ShawChicago White Sox8th154506-04-1961Russ KemmererChicago White Sox3rd164806-06-1961Ed PalmquistMinnesota Twins6th174906-07-1961Pedro RamosMinnesota Twins3rd185206-09-1961Ray HerbertKansas City Athletics7th195506-11-1961Eli GrbaLos Angeles Angels3rd205506-11-1961Johnny JamesLos Angeles Angels7th215706-13-1961Jim PerryCleveland Indians6th225806-14-1961Gary BellCleveland Indians4th236106-17-1961Don MossiDetroit Tigers4th246206-18-1961Jerry CasaleDetroit Tigers8th256306-19-1961Jim ArcherKansas City Athletics9th266406-20-1961Joe NuxhallKansas City Athletics1st276606-22-1961Norm BassKansas City Athletics2nd287407-01-1961Dave SislerWashington Senators9th297507-02-1961Pete BurnsideWashington Senators3rd307507-02-1961Johnny KlippsteinWashington Senators7th317707-04-1961Frank LaryDetroit Tigers8th327807-05-1961Frank FunkCleveland Indians7th338207-09-1961Bill MonbouquetteBoston Red Sox7th348407-13-1961Early WynnChicago White Sox1st358607-15-1961Ray HerbertChicago White Sox3rd369207-21-1961Bill MonbouquetteBoston Red Sox1st379507-25-1961Frank BaumannChicago White Sox4th389507-25-1961Don LarsenChicago White Sox8th399607-25-1961Russ Kemmerer Chicago White Sox4th409607-25-1961Warren Hacker Chicago White Sox7th4110608-04-1961Camilo PascualMinnesota Twins1st4211408-11-1961Pete BurnsideWashington Senators5th4311508-12-1961Dick DonovanWashington Senators4th4411608-13-1961Bennie DanielsWashington Senators4th4511708-13-1961Marty KutynaWashington Senators1st4611808-15-1961Juan PizarroChicago White Sox4th4711908-16-1961Billy PierceChicago White Sox1st4811908-16-1961Billy PierceChicago White Sox3rd4912408-20-1961Jim PerryCleveland Indians3rd5012508-22-1961Ken McBrideLos Angeles Angels6th5112908-26-1961Jerry WalkerKansas City Athletics6th5213509-02-1961Frank LaryDetroit Tigers6th5313509-02-1961Hank AguirreDetroit Tigers8th5414009-06-1961Tom CheneyWashington Senators4th5514109-07-1961Dick StigmanCleveland Indians3rd5614309-09-1961Mudcat GrantCleveland Indians7th5715109-16-1961Frank LaryDetroit Tigers3rd5815209-17-1961Terry FoxDetroit Tigers12th5915509-20-1961Milt PappasBaltimore Orioles3rd6015909-26-1961Jack FisherBaltimore Orioles3rd6116310-01-1961Tracy StallardBoston Red Sox4th *The Yankees played one tie game which was later made up, and hence took 163 games to achieve 162 decisions.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions May 8, 1961: Lee Thomas, Ryne Duren, and Johnny James was traded by the Yankees to the Los Angeles Angels for Bob Cerv and Tex Clevenger. July 1, 1961: Roy White was signed as an amateur free agent by the Yankees.Roy White at Baseball Reference

Roster 1961 New York Yankees Roster Pitchers Catchers

Infielders Outfielders

Other batters Manager

Coaches

Game log Regular season Legend Yankees win Yankees loss Yankees tie Postponement Clinched pennantBoldYankees team member

|- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 1 || April 11 || || Twins || 6–0 || Ramos (1–0) || Ford (0–1) || || || 14,607 || 0–1 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 2 || April 15 || || Athletics || 5–3 || Turley (1–0) || Daley (0–1) || Stafford (1) || || 11,802 || 1–1 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 3 || April 17 || || Athletics || 3–0 || Ford (1–1) || Walker (0–1) || || || 1,947 || 2–1 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 4 || April 20 || || Angels || 7–5 || Ditmar (1–0) || Grba (0–1) || Stafford (2) || || || 3–1 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 5 || April 20 || || Angels || 4–2 || Turley (2–0) || Garver (0–1) || Arroyo (1) || || 7,059 || 4–1 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | style=";" |6 || || style=";" |8:00p.m. EST || style=";" |@ Orioles || style=";" |W 4–2 || style=";" |Ford (2–1) || style=";" |Barber (1–1) || style=";" |— || style=";" |2:17 || style=";" |12,368 || style=";" |5–1 || style=";" |W5 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | style=";" |7 || || style=";" |2:00p.m. EST || style=";" |@ Orioles || style=";" |L 3–5 || style=";" |Wilhelm (1–0) || style=";" |Duren (0–1) || style=";" |— || style=";" |2:17 || style=";" |12,536 || style=";" |5–2 || style=";" |L1 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffffcc" | style=";" |8 || || style=";" |8:00p.m. EST || style=";" |@ Orioles || style=";" |T 5–5 || style=";" |— || style=";" |— || style=";" |— || style=";" |2:09 || style=";" |14,126 || style=";" |5–2 || style=";" |T1 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | style=";" |9 || || style=";" |2:00p.m. EST || style=";" |@ Orioles || style=";" |L 1–4 || style=";" |Estrada (1–1) || style=";" |McDevitt (0–1) || style=";" |Hall (1) || style=";" |2:40 || style=";" |18,704 || style=";" |5–3 || style=";" |L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | style=";" |10 || || style=";" |1:30p.m. EST || style=";" |@ Tigers || style=";" |L 3–4 || style=";" |Lary (3–0) || style=";" |Turley (2–1) || style=";" |— || style=";" |2:19 || style=";" |5,662 || style=";" |5–4 || style=";" |L2 |- style="background:#bbb;" | style=";" |— || || style=";" |1:30p.m. EST || style=";" |@ Tigers || colspan=8 style=";" |Postponed (Rain) (Makeup date: September 15) |- style="background:#bfb;" | style=";" |11 || || style=";" |8:15p.m. EST || style=";" |@ Tigers || style=";" |W 13–11 || style=";" |Arroyo (1–0) || style=";" |Aguirre (0–1) || style=";" |— || style=";" |3:20 || style=";" |4,676 || style=";" |6–4 || style=";" |W1 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 12 || April 27 || || Indians || 4–3 || Ditmar (2–0) || Antonelli (0–2) || || || 8,897 || 7–4 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 13 || April 29 || || Indians || 4–2 || Terry (1–0) || Perry (2–1) || Arroyo (2) || || 14,624 || 8–4 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 14 || April 30 || || @ Senators || 4–3 || Ford (3–1) || Donovan (0–4) || Arroyo (3) || || || 9–4 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 15 || April 30 || || @ Senators || 2–1 || Woodeshick (1–1) || Sheldon (0–1) || Burnside (1) || || 21,904 || 9–5 ||

|- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 16 || May 2 || || @ Twins || 6 – 4 || Coates (1–0) || Pascual (2–1) || Arroyo (4) || || 16,669 || 10–5 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 17 || May 3 || || @ Twins || 7–3 || Turley (3–1) || Ramos (2–1) || || || 18,158 || 11–5 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 18 || May 4 || || @ Twins || 5–2 || Ford (4–1) || Kaat (1–2) || Coates (1) || || 18,179 || 12–5 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 19 || May 5 || || @ Angels || 5–4 || McDevitt (1–1) || Clevenger (2–1) || Arroyo (5) || || 17,801 || 13–5 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 20 || May 6 || || @ Angels || 5–3 || Grba (2–2) || Ditmar (2–1) || || || 19,865 || 13–6 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 21 || May 7 || || @ Angels || 5–3 || Kline (1–0) || Coates (1–1) || Clevenger (1) || || 19,722 || 13–7 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 22 || May 9 || || @ Athletics || 5–4 || Herbert (2–1) || Arroyo (1–1) || Archer (1) || || 13,623 || 13–8 || |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 23 || May 10 || || @ Athletics || 9–4 || Clevenger (3–1) || Daley (3–4) || || || 15,986 || 14–8 || |- style="background:#fbb;"