Listen to John Sterling’s radio call of Aaron Judge’s 61st home run (Video)
By Josh Hill
Aaron Judge hits 61 home runs, passing Babe Ruth and tying Roger Maris’ AL record — and Yankees icon John Sterling was on the call.
We weren’t sure after watching New York Yankees fans rise 60 times to watch Aaron Judge round the bases after a home run if there would be a 61st.
Judge seemed to be in prime position to crown himself the best single-season home run hitter in American League history, racing to Babe Ruth’s record of 60 with weeks to go in the season.
As we waited on history, a cold streak blew in. What once seemed inevitable was slowly starting to seem as though it wouldn’t happen. Judge had reached the precipice but froze on the brink.
Judge broke out of that deep freeze on Wednesday night, launching his 61st home run of the season, passing Ruth and tying Roger Maris for the most all-time home runs in American League history.
Aaron Judge hits 61: Listen to John Sterling’s radio call
Phil Rizzuto and Red Barber were on the call when Maris broke Ruth’s record, and John Sterling was on the call for Judge tying the epic record.
NUMBER 61! HE TIES ROOOOOOGER MARIS for the American League single-season record with 61 home runs!
— John Sterling Calls (@JSterlingCalls) September 29, 2022
It's a two-run JUDGIAN blast! Here Comes the Judge! pic.twitter.com/e44pNHcXXf
For those curious, here’s what Red Barber’s call of Maris’ home run sounded like:
And here’s Phil Rizzuto’s call of Maris breaking Ruth’s record:
Maris’ record has been passed before, but many were wondering if anyone would actually challenge that high mark again. Only 12 players have finished with 50 or more home runs in a season since Mark McGwire broke the record in 1998 (McGwire and Sammy Sosa both broke Maris’ record again in 1999). Giancarlos Stanton fell two home runs shy of Maris back in 2017 and Ryan Howard finished with 58 home runs back in 2006.
That’s the closest anyone has come to reaching Maris’ mark, and with each passing year it seems that the long ball is harder and harder to come by.
The official record for most home runs in a single season is owned Barry Bonds, who hit 74 home runs back in 2002. Beyond Bonds, Sosa, and McGwire, no player had hit more than 60 home runs in a single season since Maris did it back in 1961.
Aaron Judge now joins that illustrious list.
Judge also becomes just the third American League player to ever hit more than 60 homers, which means the top three American Leaguers on the all-time list all got there wearing a Yankees uniform.