Roger Maris Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles
ROGER MARIS
Born: September 10, 1934 in Hibbing, Minnesota
Died: December 14, 1985 in Houston, Texas
Baseball Career:
First Game: April 16, 1957; Final Game: September 29, 1968
Bat: Left Throw: Right Height: 6' 0" Weight: 197
Awards and Achievements:
Named AL Most Valuable Player by Baseball Writers' Association of America (1960 to 1961)
Named Major League Player of the Year by The Sporting News (1961)
Named AL Player of the Year by The Sporting News (1960 to 1961)
Named outfielder on The Sporting News Major League All-Star Team (1960)
Named outfielder on The Sporting News AL All-Star Team (1961)
Won AL Gold Glove as right fielder (1960)
Roger Maris
This article was written by Bill Pruden and is presented in part, courtesy of the Society for American Baseball Research
With one extraordinary season Roger Maris secured his place in baseball history. And yet his establishment of the major league home run record in 1961 proved to be more of a personal curse than a professional triumph. It also overshadowed, indeed overwhelmed, the totality of a career characterized at least as much by his consistent and important contributions to a string of League and World Championship teams--in both leagues throughout the 1960s--as by any single slugging accomplishment.
The son of immigrants, the future home run king was born Roger Eugene Maras (the family name--or at least his side--was later changed to Maris, a change that may have resulted from family tension) on September 10, 1934, in Hibbing, Minnesota. The family moved to North Dakota when Maris was five, and he graduated from Bishop Shanley High School in Fargo. There he was an athletic legend, once returning four kick-offs for touchdowns in a single game, a feat that remains a national record. Indeed, Maris’s football exploits earned him a scholarship to the University of Oklahoma, but quickly realizing that college life was not for him, he turned his full attention to baseball, where he would make an indelible mark.
An American Legion star whose strong all-around play attracted the attention of many scouts, Maris began his professional career in the Cleveland Indians organization, being first assigned to their Fargo-Morehead club in the Northern League in 1953. Achieving much early success, he moved up the ladder the next year to the Keokuk (Iowa) Kernels, where he quickly demonstrated his all-around talent, tying an Three-I League single season record for put-outs by an outfielder in 1954, while hitting .303 and crushing seventy-eight home runs from 1953-56. Keokuk was also the place where Maris, who in his early years viewed himself as a contact hitter, discovered his power. His manager Jo Jo White taught him to pull the ball, thus unleashing what would prove to be a history-making force. But first that power helped lead the Indianapolis Indians to the 1956 Junior World Series title.
1980-Hee-Haw (in person), 1967-1967-World-Series (in person), 1961-The-Annual-National-Sports-Awards (in person), 1998-Race-for-the-Record (Other), 1961-Perry-Como's-Kraft-Music-Hall (in person), 1968-1968-World-Series (in person), 1963-1963-World-Series (in person), 1961-The-National-Sports-Awards (in person), 2008-Bigger-Stronger-Faster* (Other), 2006-Costas-Now (Other), 1960-1963-The-Ed-Sullivan-Show (in person), 2010-30-for-30 (Other), 2005-ESPN-25:-Who's-#1 (Other), 2001-Boston-Red-Sox:-100-Years-of-Baseball-History (Other), 2001-The-Greatest-Summer-of-My-Life:-Billy-Crystal-and-the-Making-of (Other), 1992-The-50-Greatest-Home-Runs-in-Baseball-History (Other), 1986-Pinstripe-Power:-The-Story-of-the-1961-New-York-Yankees (Other), 1980-It's-My-Turn (in person), 1964-1964-World-Series (in person), 1962-1962-World-Series (in person), 1962-Safe-at-Home! (in person), 1961-1961-World-Series (in person), 1960-1960-World-Series (in person), 2010-HBO-Boxing-After-Dark (Other), 1991-Baseball's-Record-Breakers (in person), 1983-1983-Cracker-Jack-Oldtimer's-Baseball-Classic (in person)
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ROGER MARIS - AUTOGRAPHED INSCRIBED PHOTOGRAPH - HFSID 253426In Yankee Stadium. Photograph inscribed and signed: "To Bill/Good Luck/Roger Maris". Color, 8x10. The man who broke Babe Ruth's record by hitting 61 home runs in 1961 poses in Yankee Stadium, "The House that Ruth Built".
Price: $950.00
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ROGER MARIS - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH - HFSID 155409His A.L. record of 61 home runs still stands after 40 years. Photograph signed: "Roger Maris". B/w, 8x10. In 1961, Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth's single season record when he hit 61 home runs. The record had stood for 34 years.
Price: $900.00
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ROGER MARIS - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH - HFSID 50044. Photograph signed: "Roger Maris". Color, 7½x9½.
Sale Price $1,095.00
$1,300.00
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ROGER MARIS - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH - HFSID 52142The first Major Leaguer to hit more than 60 home runs signs this 8½x11 photocopy Photocopy signed in Ink: "Roger Maris". B/w, 8½x11.
Sale Price $625.00
$750.00
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ROGER MARIS - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH - HFSID 52143Photograph signed: "Roger Maris". B/w, 7½x7¼. Reproduction of a newspaper photograph showing the Yankee slugger just after he hit his 61st home run.
Price: $1,300.00
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ROGER MARIS - COLLECTION WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 90650Comprises: (1) Sports Card signed: "Roger Maris". Color, 2½x3½. Topps #2. Stats from 1953-1960 on verso. Displayed in 3½x5 case. Fine condition. (2) Baseball signed: "Roger Maris". Official Rawlings Bobby Brown American League baseball.
Sale Price $2,395.00
$2,800.00
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ROGER MARIS - CONTRACT SIGNED 09/05/1961 - HFSID 262418. Maris signs this contract for an appearance on Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall Typed Contract signed: "Roger Maris", 11½p, 8½x11. No place, 1961 September 5. In letter form from Roncom Productions to Maris c/o Frank Scott, The Biltmore Hotel, New York.
Price: $2,500.00
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ROGER MARIS - CONTRACT SIGNED 09/05/1961 - HFSID 275009He agrees to appear in a taping of Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall on September 29, 1961; He would hit his record breaking 61st homer two days later! Carbon Typed DS: "Roger Maris" in ink under "Agreed to and Accepted", 1p, 8½x11.
Sale Price $1,850.00
$2,200.00
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ROGER MARIS - DOCUMENT FRAGMENT SIGNED CIRCA 1962 - HFSID 266756. Lower portion of a Partly Printed DS: "Roger Maris", 1p, 8½x7¼. No place, [1962 January 9] Countersigned: "Thos M. Lacey" for Cooper Tire & Rubber Conpany. Top portion of document cut away.
Price: $950.00
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ROGER MARIS - MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPH SIGNED - HFSID 158762First major leaguer to hit more than 60 home runs. Magazine Photograph signed: "Roger Maris". Color, 8x10. Maris broke Babe Ruth's 34-year-old major league record of 60 home runs in one season when he hit 61 in 1961.
Price: $800.00
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ROGER MARIS - MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPH SIGNED - HFSID 53679First major leaguer to hit more than 60 home runs. Magazine Photograph signed: "Roger Maris". Color, 7½x9¾. Maris broke Babe Ruth's 34-year-old major league record of 60 home runs in one season when he hit 61 in 1961.
Price: $425.00
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ROGER MARIS - MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPH SIGNED 04/28/1968 WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 57179Magazine Photographs signed: "Roger Maris", "Orlando Cepeda" and "Tim McCarver" on their respective photos. Color, 8½x11. MARIS broke Babe Ruth's 34-year-old major league record of 60 home runs in one season when he hit 61 in 1961.
Price: $500.00
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ROGER MARIS - PHOTOCOPY SIGNED IN INK - HFSID 546388x8 photocopied image of the first Major Leaguer to hit more than 60 home runs Photocopy signed in Ink: "Roger Maris". B/w, 8x8.
Price: $950.00
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ROGER MARIS - TRADING/SPORTS CARD SIGNED - HFSID 50041First major leaguer to hit more than 60 home runs. Sports Card signed: "Roger Maris". Color, 2½x3½. Maris broke Babe Ruth's 34-year-old major league record of 60 home runs in one season when he hit 61 in 1961.
Price: $440.00
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MICKEY MANTLE - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH WITH CO-SIGNERS - HFSID 42279. Photograph signed: "Roger Maris", "Willie Mays" and "Mickey/Mantle". B/w, 9x6¾. In 1961, ROGER MARIS broke Babe Ruth's single season record when he hit 61 home runs. The record had stood for 34 years.
Price: $2,800.00