1961 was a magical baseball year, especially for the New York Yankees. The regular season was filled with the drama of both Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle challenging Babe Ruth's single season record for homers at 60. Even though Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick, who was formerly both a friend of Babe Ruth and his frequent ghostwriter, decreed that anyone breaking Ruth's record after 154 games had been played (the number of scheduled games when Ruth played) would have an asterisk placed after the total, the asterisk never actually happened. Roger Maris did hit 61 home runs. Then, the Yankees won the World Series, 4-1 in games, over the Cincinnati Reds. The offered Official American League ball (Frick) has 26 signatures. Signing on the sweet spot are Yogi Berra (HOF) and a clubhouse Mickey Mantle (HOF). Also signing; Wally Moses (coach) Billy Gardner, Joe DeMaestri, Tex Clevenger, Frank Crosetti (coach), John Blanchard, Hal Reniff, Bud Daley, Clete Boyer, Jim Hegan, Luis Arroyo, Roland Sheldon, Bill Stafford, Hector Lopez, Johnny Sain (coach), Ralph Terry, Ralph Houk (manager), Tony Kubek, Jim Coates, Bill Skowron, Elston Howard (the Yankees' first African American player), Bobby Richardson, Whitey Ford (HOF), and Roger Maris. Included is a letter from coach Wally Moses stating that this OAL Cronin ball "...was signed in the locker room following the game when we won the 1961 World Series."