In the storied history of Major League Baseball, few individual pursuits carry as much weight as a Yankee chasing a legend. In late September 2022, Aaron Judge found himself at the epicenter of the sports world, standing on the precipice of history as he pursued Roger Maris’ single-season American League home run record of 61. As the New York Yankees welcomed their arch-rivals, the Boston Red Sox, to the Bronx for a crucial late-season series, every pitch felt like a potential milestone and every swing carried the hope of 47,000 screaming fans.
At this stage of the season, Judge had already reached the monumental 60-home run mark, a feat achieved by only a handful of players in the history of the game. He had joined the ranks of Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa. However, for many baseball purists, the 61-homer mark set by Maris in 1961 remains the “clean” gold standard—the American League record and the highest total achieved outside of the “Steroid Era.”
The atmosphere at Yankee Stadium during the Red Sox series was nothing short of electric. Whenever Judge stepped into the batter’s box, the stadium fell into a temporary, expectant hush, followed by a roar that accompanied every ball he put into play. The pressure was immense, not just from the fans but from the historical significance of the moment. The Maris family was even in attendance, sitting in the stands night after night, waiting for the moment Judge would equal, and eventually surpass, their father’s legacy.
Despite the frenzy, the Red Sox pitching staff refused to simply hand Judge the record. Throughout the series, pitchers like Nick Pivetta and Brayan Bello challenged him with high-velocity fastballs and biting sliders. In one notable game, Judge came tantalizingly close to 61, launching a high fly ball that sent the crowd into a delirium, only for the ball to die at the warning track in center field. It was a cruel reminder of how difficult the feat actually is; even for a man of Judge’s stature and power, a few inches of launch angle or a slight gust of wind can be the difference between a record-breaking home run and a routine out.
Interestingly, while the world focused on his individual stats, Judge himself remained remarkably poised and team-oriented. Throughout the “61 Watch,” he consistently redirected questions about the record back to the Yankees’ pursuit of the American League East division title. He maintained that winning games was his primary focus, a sentiment echoed by his manager, Aaron Boone. Boone noted that Judge’s ability to remain “the same guy” in the clubhouse despite the media circus was what allowed him to thrive under such scrutiny.
Ultimately, history would have to wait just a little longer. Judge did not hit number 61 during the home series against Boston. The final game of the series was cut short by a torrential downpour, ending in a rain-shortened victory for the Yankees. As the lightning flashed over 161st Street, it became clear that Judge would have to take his chase on the road to Toronto. While the Bronx faithful didn’t get to see the historic blast in person that weekend, they witnessed a masterclass in poise and a player who, even while chasing immortality, never lost sight of his team. Judge eventually hit his 61st home run in Toronto and his record-breaking 62nd in Texas, cementing his 2022 campaign as one of the greatest individual seasons in the history of the sport.
