SIXTY-ONE* {61*} (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television docudrama details Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle's 1961 pursuit of Babe Ruth's home run record. This program begins in 1998 with actual footage of Mark McGwire's 60th homerun of the season, before shifting back to 1961 and opening day of another season at Yankee Stadium. Reporters clamor for interviews with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris while pondering if Mantle will ever live up to their lofty expectations and whether Maris will prove that his 1960 MVP season was not a fluke. Mantle is depicted as part superman -- able to hit mammoth home runs with seemingly little effort -- and a hard partying man -- hard-drinking, crass, and womanizing, with the early death of his father always looming over him. Maris, on the other, is seen as dull, labeled by sportswriters as the "MVP: Most Vacant Personality." Though the media would like to portray a feud between the two longballers, behind the scenes a friendship forms. Mantle eventually moves from his ritzy Manhattan hotel into a two-bedroom Queens apartment with Maris and Bob Cerv to combat his wild ways. As the chase to break Ruth's record heats up, with both "M & M boys" on pace, sportswriters anoint Mantle as the worthy replacement, while continuing to pick on the "un-New York" Maris. Baseball commissioner Ford Frick realizes the high likelihood of his friend Babe Ruth's record being challenged. Due to the new 162 game season, he implements a rule that any record not accomplished in the 154 games it took Ruth to do it will not be recognized. Down the stretch, with Maris and Mantle still neck-and-neck with each other and Ruth, Mantle suffers a series of injuries while Maris feels the stress. Maris's hair begins to fall out in clumps and he smokes several packs of cigarettes a day. He also receives death threats and is taunted by Yankee fans who compare him unfavorably to Babe Ruth and even Mantle. As game 154 approaches, Mantle's injuries are too great and he must sit out the rest of the season, but Maris trudges on; with Mantle laid up in the hospital, Maris has the pursuit of the record all to himself. Maris enters game 154 two homers shy of Babe Ruth. He only hits one though, and thus cannot be "officially" recognized as the record holder. Several days later, Maris finally hits home run 61, a new record, but with an asterisk. The tape ends in 1998, with actual footage of Mark McGwire topping Maris by hitting 62 homers.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: April 28, 2001 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:09:26
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:64570
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; Sports; Baseball - History
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 2001
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ross Greenburg … Executive Producer
- Billy Crystal … Executive Producer, Director
- Robert F. Colesberry … Producer
- Charles J. Lindsay … Co-Producer
- Joe Seldner … Co-Producer
- Nellie Nugiel … Co-Producer
- Samantha Sprecher … Co-Producer
- Hank Steinberg … Writer
- Marc Shaiman … Music by
- Joe Buck … Cast, McGwire 60th & 62nd Home Run Announcer
- Dane Northcutt … Cast, Randy Maris ('98)
- Chip Esten … Cast, Kevin Maris ('98)
- Scott Connell … Cast, Roger Maris, Jr. ('98)
- Rebecca Klinger … Cast, Susan Maris ('98)
- Pat Crowley … Cast, Pat Maris ('98)
- Jon Miller … Cast, McGwire 61st Home Run Announcer
- Barry Pepper … Cast, Roger Maris
- Christ Bauer … Cast, Bob Cerv
- Christopher McDonald … Cast, Mel Allen
- Joe Grifasi … Cast, Phil Rizzuto
- Bruce McGill … Cast, Ralph Houk
- Paul Borghese … Cast, Yogi Berra
- Bobby Hosea … Cast, Elston Howard
- Anthony Michael Hall … Cast, Whitey Ford
- Dominic Lombardozi … Cast, Moose Skowron
- Thomas Jane … Cast, Mickey Mantle
- Seymour Cassel … Cast, Sam Simon
- Bob Gunton … Cast, Dan Topping
- Robert Joy … Cast, Bob Fitschel
- Richard Masur … Cast, Milt Kahn
- Peter Jacobson … Cast, Artie Green
- Cameryn McNabb … Cast, Susan Maris ('61)
- Brynne McNabb … Cast, Susan Maris ('61)
- Jennifer Crystal Foley … Cast, Pat Maris ('61)
- Richard Brown … Cast, Yankee Bat Boy
- Bob Sheppard … Cast, Yankee Stadium Announcer
- Donal Moffat … Cast, Ford Frick
- Renee Taylor … Cast, Claire Ruth
- Shannah Laumeister … Cast, Pretty Young Woman
- Randall Godwin … Cast, Fan #1, Courtney, David, Cast, Tiger Stadium Announcer
- Shiva Rose … Cast, Toot's Girl
- Mitchell Edmonds … Cast, Hotel Manager
- Scott Waara … Cast, Gus Mauch
- Michael Nouri … Cast, Joe DiMaggio
- Robert Hunter … Cast, Angry Fan
- Valentin Olteanu … Cast, Yelling Senator's Fan
- David Whalen … Cast, Anchorman
- Jerry Coleman … Cast, Angels Stadium Announcer
- Dell Yount … Cast, Writer #1
- Connor Trinneer … Cast, Writer #2
- Matthew Kaminsky … Cast, Raytown Reporter #1
- Kevin Kendrick … Cast, Raytown Reporter #2
- Kevin Kelly … Cast, Raytown Reporter #3
- J.D. Cullum … Cast, Gabe Pressman
- Sean Marquette … Cast, Young Boy
- Maile Flanagan … Cast, Housewife
- David Dionisio … Cast, Reporter #2
- Donald Elson … Cast, Older Man
- Juliet Naulin … Cast, School Girl
- J.R. Remick … Cast, Ball Hound
- Reuben Yabuku … Cast, Roger Heckler
- Robert Constanzo … Cast, Toots Shor
- K.J. Steinberg … Cast, Picture Girl
- Jerome Zieminski … Cast, Umpire
- Tim Hammer … Cast, Angry Umpire
- E.E. Bell … Cast, "The Babe"
- Jeffrey Herman … Cast, Chair Umpire
- Brooke Haynes … Cast, Detroit Bartender
- Scott Williamson … Cast, TV Reporter
- Michael Gallagher … Cast, Ford Frick's Assistant
- Conor O'Farrell … Cast, Luman Harris
- Dick Stilwell … Cast, TV Station Manager
- Mike Carlucci … Cast, Memorial Stadium Announcer
- Al Kaplon … Cast, Memorial Stadium Umpire
- Tom Candiotti … Cast, Hoyt Wilhelm
- Andy Strassberg … Cast, 61st Home Run Fan
- James Intveld … Cast, Sal Durante
- Danny Mantel … Cast, Father
- Will Mantle … Cast, Son
- Tiger Stadium … Cast, Yankee Stadium
- Mark McGuire
- Babe Ruth