Year of the Homer (Contd.)

"Ruth's record is forever safe ... it can never be taken from him," barked Cleveland Manager Jimmie Dykes last week. But Dykes's dictum was beginning to sound like wishful thinking. Minutes after he spoke, New York Yankee Rightfielder Roger Maris whacked his 32nd home run, thus zoomed 18 games ahead of Babe Ruth's pace in 1927, the year he reached his record 60.

Maris, with four round-trippers in six days, was only one of a crowd: St. Louis Cardinal First Baseman Bill White, Boston Red Sox Catcher Jim Pagliaroni, New York Yankee Catcher Elston Howard also belted four apiece. Slender Milwaukee Rightfielder Hank Aaron topped them all with five in six days. Baltimore Oriole First Sacker Jim Gentile poked only two, but both came with the bases full; with the season only half gone, Gentile thus tied the American League record of four grand slams in a full season, one away from the major league mark of five set by Chicago Cub Shortstop Ernie Banks. In six days, sluggers batted out 131 home runs, sending big league totals to 1,443 for the season--close to 200 ahead of last year, with two more teams in competition.

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