home run On October 1, 1961, New York Yankees outfielder Roger Maris hit his 61st home run of the season off of Stallard, breaking Babe Ruth's single season record of 60. The contest between the Red Sox and the Yankees was the final game of the season. Stallard, then 2–6, faced off against Yankees right-hander Bill Stafford (12–9). In the first duel between Maris and Stallard in the first inning, Stallard threw a changeup to Maris that ended up being a soft fly to left field. In the fourth inning, Stallard fell behind 2–0 to Maris. Up to that point, Stallard had said that he was probably having the best game he had ever pitched. Stallard threw a fastball, and Maris hit it over the wall for his 61st home run. It was Maris's only hit off Stallard in seven lifetime at bats. Stallard felt no shame over the ordeal, saying, "I'm glad he did it off me. Otherwise, I would never have been thought of again. That was about all I did, and I've had a good time with it." There has been speculation that Stallard grooved the pitch in an attempt to help Maris hit the home run, claims which he denied. Stallard struck out five and gave up five hits and just the one earned run in seven innings on the outing, but the Red Sox failed to score in a 1–0 loss, dropping him to a final record of 2–7 for the season. Stallard appeared in only one game for the Red Sox in 1962, spending the rest of the season with the minor league Class AAA Seattle Rainiers, where he threw for a 7–6 record and a 3.49 ERA. New York Mets Stallard resumed full-time major league pitching duty with the young New York Mets in 1963. Boston had shipped him along with Pumpsie Green and Al Moran to the Mets for Felix Mantilla on December 11, 1962. Stallard again started in the relief role for his first 13 games, but was finally given the opportunity to start on June 2. The game against the Pittsburgh Pirates was his first start since the day Roger Maris hit his 61st home run of the season. Stallard responded to the promotion by notching up a 2.28 ERA with 27 strikeouts in innings for the entire month of June. Afterwards, though, Stallard's season fell apart. He ended with