Roger Maris oral history interview, circa 1968
Roger Maris oral history interview
Datecirca 1968
DescriptionRoger Maris was interviewed in St. Louis. Missouri around 1968. Content of the interview include:
Track 1 - On his 15th year in professional baseball, 11th year in the Major Leagues, his first year as a professional was in his home town of Fargo, ND, in the Cleveland organization; his second year, 1954 was in Keokuk, IA; third year was in Redding, PA; then in 1956, Indianapolis; in 1957 and part of 1958 was in Cleveland before being traded to Kansas City in June of 1958; traded to New York in latter part of 1959, played seven years in New York until being traded to St. Louis (00:00:00 to 00:01:09)
Track 2 - On playing for the Yankees, made his baseball career, had good years and bad ones there; looking forward to what's going on now (00:01:09 to 00:01:35)
Track 3 - On setting records, a lot of pressure when he was heading for #61, the only breather he got was when he was out on the field playing the ball game; hitting so many home runs, everybody wants your autograph, wants to know you, to be close to you, the sportswriters and news reels right there wanting something from you; causes you to want to run away; interferes with your home and private life; his wife wasn't under too much pressure, just sweating it out with him to see what would happen, he was in New York and she was in Kansas City taking care of the children (00:01:35 to 00:04:03)
Track 4 - On being a "twin" with Mickey Mantle on the Yankees; he never felt that way, it was a good friendly rivalry between he and Mantle, no real pressure between the two of them; Mantle had been there quite a long time, the fans previously had given him a really hard time, and the first two years Maris was in New York, the fans were on Mantle's back, and Maris was unnoticed; after the '61 season, he did something wrong in hitting the home runs and people expected it from Mantle rather than Maris, so they picked Maris as a goat, and that got the pressure off of Mantle's back, and recognized him as the great player that he is (00:04:03 to 00:06:40)
Track 5 - On being glad to be in St. Louis, a pleasure being away from New York, he overstayed his welcome in NYC, the last couple of years were a headache there; St. Louis a new home, enjoyed it very much and people have been great, first time in a few years that he can put his head out on the field and not want to pull it back in like a turtle in a shell; happy he got off to a good start with St. Louis; a prettier uniform, red has always been his favorite color, so the uniform brightens things up more than the Yankee colors; a beautiful stadium, nice to play in, a very spacious stadium, bigger in some respects, down the lines, bigger than Yankee Stadium; if you hit the ball, it will go here; been hitting a lot to left and center field, hasn't hit a lot of home runs, but isn't worried about it (00:06:40 to 00:09:39)
Track 6 - Spending the off-season in the suburbs of Kansas City, in Independence, MO; he plays golf after the season is over, doesn't shoot that well, but enjoys playing; goes hunting with friends; doesn't see Mantle in the wintertime because he lives in Dallas; on not being sure what he will do after his playing days are over; would like to be in business for himself, something he would enjoy (00:09:39 to 00:11:38)
Track 7 - On being a firm believer in education, either between seasons, or getting an education before starting pro baseball, he didn't get his education, and he wished he had, a good thing to keep up with your education before going into pro baseball (00:11:38 to 00:13:17)
Track 1 - On his 15th year in professional baseball, 11th year in the Major Leagues, his first year as a professional was in his home town of Fargo, ND, in the Cleveland organization; his second year, 1954 was in Keokuk, IA; third year was in Redding, PA; then in 1956, Indianapolis; in 1957 and part of 1958 was in Cleveland before being traded to Kansas City in June of 1958; traded to New York in latter part of 1959, played seven years in New York until being traded to St. Louis (00:00:00 to 00:01:09)
Track 2 - On playing for the Yankees, made his baseball career, had good years and bad ones there; looking forward to what's going on now (00:01:09 to 00:01:35)
Track 3 - On setting records, a lot of pressure when he was heading for #61, the only breather he got was when he was out on the field playing the ball game; hitting so many home runs, everybody wants your autograph, wants to know you, to be close to you, the sportswriters and news reels right there wanting something from you; causes you to want to run away; interferes with your home and private life; his wife wasn't under too much pressure, just sweating it out with him to see what would happen, he was in New York and she was in Kansas City taking care of the children (00:01:35 to 00:04:03)
Track 4 - On being a "twin" with Mickey Mantle on the Yankees; he never felt that way, it was a good friendly rivalry between he and Mantle, no real pressure between the two of them; Mantle had been there quite a long time, the fans previously had given him a really hard time, and the first two years Maris was in New York, the fans were on Mantle's back, and Maris was unnoticed; after the '61 season, he did something wrong in hitting the home runs and people expected it from Mantle rather than Maris, so they picked Maris as a goat, and that got the pressure off of Mantle's back, and recognized him as the great player that he is (00:04:03 to 00:06:40)
Track 5 - On being glad to be in St. Louis, a pleasure being away from New York, he overstayed his welcome in NYC, the last couple of years were a headache there; St. Louis a new home, enjoyed it very much and people have been great, first time in a few years that he can put his head out on the field and not want to pull it back in like a turtle in a shell; happy he got off to a good start with St. Louis; a prettier uniform, red has always been his favorite color, so the uniform brightens things up more than the Yankee colors; a beautiful stadium, nice to play in, a very spacious stadium, bigger in some respects, down the lines, bigger than Yankee Stadium; if you hit the ball, it will go here; been hitting a lot to left and center field, hasn't hit a lot of home runs, but isn't worried about it (00:06:40 to 00:09:39)
Track 6 - Spending the off-season in the suburbs of Kansas City, in Independence, MO; he plays golf after the season is over, doesn't shoot that well, but enjoys playing; goes hunting with friends; doesn't see Mantle in the wintertime because he lives in Dallas; on not being sure what he will do after his playing days are over; would like to be in business for himself, something he would enjoy (00:09:39 to 00:11:38)
Track 7 - On being a firm believer in education, either between seasons, or getting an education before starting pro baseball, he didn't get his education, and he wished he had, a good thing to keep up with your education before going into pro baseball (00:11:38 to 00:13:17)
Object numberBL-2001-00092-001
Artist, Creator, or Manufacturer
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
Artist, Creator, or Manufacturer
Maris, Roger, 1934-1985
Subject
Maris, Roger, 1934-1985
Classificationsaudio/visual materials
Collection NumberBA RMA 003 St. Louis Cardinals oral history collection
Dimensions9.22453703703704E-03
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Object number: BL-2001-00092-004
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
1967 or 1968
Object number: BL-2001-00092-011
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
1967 or 1968
Object number: BL-2001-00092-015
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
circa 1968
Object number: BL-2001-00092-008
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
circa 1968
Object number: BL-2001-00092-017
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
1968 February 08