O Holy Cow! The Poetry of Phil Rizzuto - "Poem No. 61"

Here comes Roger Maris
They're standing up.
Waiting to see if Roger
Is going to hit
Number sixty-one.
Here's the windup.
The pitch to Roger.
Way outside.
Ball one.

The fans are starting to boo.
Low...
Ball two.
That one was in the dirt.
And the boos get louder. Two balls no strikes
On Roger Maris...

Here's the windup.
Fastball
HIT DEEP TO RIGHT-
THIS COULD BE IT.
WAY BACK THERE.
HOLY COW.

HE DID IT.
SIXTY-ONE HOME RUNS.

They're fighting for the ball out there.



October 1, 1961, WPIX-TV
Boston at New York
Roger Maris batting against Tracy Stallard
Fourth inning, no score, bases empty
Final: Yankees 1, Red Sox 0

Cosmic Baseball