In 1961, why was Commissioner Ford Frick biased against Roger Maris' home run record?

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YahooMan

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He said that any record broken beyond 154 games would get an asterisk (*) attached to the number. Maris' record was the only one that got the asterisk. I heard that Sandy Koufax broke Christie Mathewson's single-season strike out record that same year which was first set in a 140-game season. Why didn't he get an asterisk?
 
Roger Maris, if you greak the 1961 season down, actually hit his 61 HRs in less time than Babe Ruth did.
 
And in 1962, when the NL expanded and stretched its schedule to 162 games, Maury Wills stole 104 bases and broke Cobb's standard of 96. And Wills got an extra three games (2-of-3 playoff with the Giants) -- he played in the entire 165 games -- yet, no talk of an asterisk.

Nor with Maris. There never was an asterisk. Historical myth.
 
you have to consider the magnitude of the record, first of all ... the home run record was previously held by Babe Ruth, then and still now the most recognized name in the game

I have to trust your facts because I'm not sure of them, but Christie Mathewson's career high in strikeouts was 267 in 1903 ... Sandy had 269 in 1961 ... however, Koufax did it 255.1 innings pitched ... Mathewson's record was in 366.1 innings ... back in the early 1900's, the pitchers would be out there every other day ... though Koufax did start 35 games in 1961, Christie started 42 games and had 3 relief appearances in 1903 ... I'd understand if it was the other way around and Sandy pitched 100 more innings than Mathewson, but that record was justified not to have an asterisk

I always thought it was wrong to put an asterisk next to any record based on the length of the season ... what if Maris had broken the record in the last game of the season, but had only played 154 games? It was really a controversial decision on the commissioner's part, and I'm glad they eventually removed the asterisk in the 1990's ... I only wish Roger was around to enjoy being the king

((The asterisk was never used in any official record books .. however, Frick wanted to make it understood that Maris and Ruth were two separate home run champions ... it was only 'til 1990 that it was established there could only be one record holder))
 
Not sure what Bert W is claiming there. Ruth hit 60 homeruns in 151 games and 540 at bats, and Maris hit 61 homeruns in 590 at bats. But there was a bias because the commissioner didn't attend the game in which Maris broke the record.
 
Not sure what Bert W is claiming there. Ruth hit 60 homeruns in 151 games and 540 at bats, and Maris hit 61 homeruns in 590 at bats. But there was a bias because the commissioner didn't attend the game in which Maris broke the record.
 
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