I’ll never forget when I went to that game in 1961.

My best friend had a ticket, so I thought it would be fun.

“It’s the big game of the century!” That’s what everyone said.

It was the headline of the newspapers, magazines, and gazettes.

When Maris and Mantle would compete for Babe Ruth’s score.

It was the greatest time to be there in baseball, that’s for sure.

And who came to that field grabbing his big bat from the crate?

It was the only Roger Maris stepping right up to home plate!

As he walked out to the field I got up and I cheered,

but the crowd around me turned away and angrily sneered.

My friend booed and hollered “We want the Mick!”

But once his bat went up the crowd fell so silent I swear a cricket clicked.

Maris planted his feet in the dirt and raised his bat up high,

The pitcher threw, we heard a crack, and the ball flew to the sky!

The crowd yelled cheers and boos, but we were still at the edge of our seats.

The ball went higher and higher and the crowd rose to their feet.

Still the ball went farther, it could make space at this rate!

But this was all forgotten when Roger Maris hit home plate!

I jumped up and down, repeating on “Home run!”

The crowed merely stared in awe when the announcer called “A new record! Sixty-one!”

I wasn’t paying attention, with all the jumping on the stands,

When the ball hit my head and bounced right to my hand!

Today I still have that from that one home run,

So I’ll always remember that Yankee’s game from 1961.