DECEMBER 8, 1966 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK • On this date in 1966 Roger Maris, the man who broke Babe Ruth‘s single season home run record less than five years earlier, was traded from the New York Yankees to the St. Louis Cardinals for light-hitting infielder Charley Smith. The Yankees had just endured its first last place finish in 42 years
1966 American League Standings
W L
Baltimore 97 63
Minnesota 89 73
Detroit 88 74
Chicago 83 79
Cleveland 81 81
California 80 82
Kansas City 74 86
Washington 71 88
Boston 72 90
New York 70 89
General Manager Lee MacPhail was determined to shake things up. He traded starting third-baseman Clete Boyer to the Atlanta Braves ten days earlier.
Roger Maris didn’t tear up the National League for the Cardinals in ’67 (.261, 9 HR’s, 55 RBI), but the team won the World Series with him as its regular right fielder. Maris was a part-time right fielder in ’68 when the Cardinals again got to the World Series, losing to the Detroit Tigers 4 games to 3. Maris retired after the ’68 season.
The Yankees didn’t get to the post-season for ten more years, making the playoffs in 1976, winning the World Series in 1977.
CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
The New York Times, New York, NY, December 9, 1966
Roger Maris stats
