New York Yankees outfielder Roger Maris (9) waits on deck against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium in 1962. David Boss-USA TODAY Sports

Man who caught Roger Maris' 61st home run baseball dies

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 12/2/22

The man who caught the 61st home run that New York Yankees legend Roger Maris hit during the 1961 MLB season has died.

"Sal Durante the guy who caught my dad’s 61st home run died last night," Roger Maris Jr. confirmed Friday morning via Twitter, as shared by Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post. "Sal was such a gentleman and loved his Yankees. Sal and my dad will always be connected to each other because of that historic day on October 1, 1961. Condolences to the Durante family from the Maris Family."

Sal Durante the guy who caught my dad’s 61st home run died last night. Sal was such a gentleman and loved his Yankees. Sal and my dad will always be connected to each other because of that historic day on October 1, 1961. Condolences to the Durante family from the Maris Family pic.twitter.com/1UfbZwVfUX
— Roger Maris Jr (@RogerMarisJr) December 2, 2022

Durante was 80 years old.

Maris famously passed Babe Ruth in October 1961 to set a then-MLB single-season home-run record that stood until the famous chase of 1998 involving Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. McGwire defeated Sosa by reaching 70 round-trippers but had his mark beaten by Barry Bonds when Bonds hit 73 homers in 2001.

Maris still held the American League record for single-season home runs until Yankees All-Star and reigning AL Most Valuable Player Aaron Judge went yard 62 times this year.

According to Glasspiegel, Durante met Maris in the Yankees' clubhouse shortly after the slugger surpassed Ruth and offered to return the baseball to the man who sent it into the seats. Maris advised Durante to sell it because "somebody will pay you a lot," and Durante ultimately earned roughly $50,000 in 2022 U.S. money from a restaurateur.

To compare, it was reported last month that Cory Youmans, the man who caught Judge's AL record-setting 62nd home run baseball, declined a $3 million offer for that piece of sports history and instead put it up for auction via the Goldin Auctions house. That auction runs through the night of Dec. 17.

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