Playing against the Boston Red Sox in the regular-season finale on October 1, 1961, at Yankee Stadium, Roger Maris of the New York Yankees hit his 61st homer of the year to surpass Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 (set in 1927).

Sal Durante. A 19-year-old fan from Brooklyn, he grabbed Maris' home-run ball 15 rows up in the right-field stands. In exchange for the ball, Durante received $5,000 and two trips to the West Coast.

Russ Nixon. Boston's catcher when Maris homered. Bill Stafford. With relief help from Hal Reniff and Luis Arroyo, he was the winning pitcher in the Yankees' 1-0 victory. Tracy Stallard. Boston pitcher off whom Maris homered. Carl Yastrzemski. Boston's left fielder (he went 1-for-4) who was still an active major leaguer in 1982.

Fred Lynn of the Boston Red Sox enjoyed one of the best days in big-league history on June 18, 1975, hitting three home runs and driving in 10 runs as the Red Sox pounded Detroit, 15-1, at Tiger Stadium.

Lynn, who knocked in eight runs with his homers, also had a two-run triple and infield single in going 5-for-6. Joe Coleman. Detroit pitcher off whom Lynn hit a two-run homer in the first inning and a three-run homer in the second. Tom Walker. Detroit pitcher off whom Lynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning.

Playing against the Philadelphia Athletics on May 24, 1936, at Shibe Park, Tony Lazzeri of the New York Yankees became the first major leaguer to hit two bases-loaded homers in one game.

The homers helped Lazzeri drive in an American League-record 11 runs in the Yankees' 25-2 victory. Lazzeri also tripled in five official at-bats.

George Turbeville. A's pitcher off whom Lazzeri hit abases-loaded homer in the second inning. Red Bullock. A's pitcher off whom Lazzeri hit abases-loaded homer in the fifth inning.

Reggie Jackson of the New York Yankees walloped three home runs in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series, becoming only the second player in Series history to accomplish the feat (Babe Ruth did it twice, in 1926 and 1928).

Jackson's homers on October 18 at Yankee Stadium led the Yankees to a Series-clinching 8-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Each homer was a first-pitch smash.

Burt Hooton. Dodgers' pitcher off whom Jackson hit a two-run homer into the right-field stands in the fourth inning. Charlie Hough. Pitcher off whom Jackson hit a leadoff homer into the center-field bleachers in the eighth inning. Elias Sosa. Pitcher off whom Jackson hit atwo-run homer into the right-field stands in the fifth inning.

Rickey Henderson of the Oakland A's broke Lou Brock's modern stolen-base record in 1982, recording his record-breaking 119th steal on August 27 against the Milwaukee Brewers at County Stadium. Henderson finished with 130 steals.

Wayne Gross. A's batter when Henderson broke Brock's record of 118 (set in 1974) with athird-inning steal of second base. Doc Medich. Brewers' pitcher when Henderson stole second. Ted Simmons. Brewers' catcher when Henderson set the record.

Manager Gabby Hartnett's two-out home run in the ninth inning - as darkness was descending over Wrigley Field on September 28, 1938 - lifted the Chicago Cubs to a 6-5 victory over Pittsburgh and a half-game lead on the Pirates in the National League pennant race.

Until Hartnett connected, the Pirates had led the N.L. since July 12. The Cubs kept the league lead, winning the pennant by two games. Mace Brown. Pirates' pitcher off whom Hartnett homered on a two-strike pitch. Billy Herman. Cubs' player whose eighth-inning single tied the score, 5-5.

Tony Lazzeri. Cubs' pinch-hitter whose eighth-inning double cut the Pirates' lead to 5-4. Charlie Root. Cubs' winning pitcher, having worked the top of the ninth.