On Oct. 1, 1961, Roger Maris rocked the baseball world by passing the legendary Babe Ruth with his 61st home run on the last day of the regular season.

In newspapers across the country, Maris faced both praise and criticism for breaking the Babe’s 60-home run mark.

With Aaron Judge tying Maris’ single-season American League home run record, it's worth taking a look back to see how the papers reacted to that historic day. Here are the excerpts.

"With Roger Maris, Victory Dinner" -- New York Post

The Post spared no detail when it came to Maris' historic home run, beginning its front-page coverage with an exclusive from Milton Gross about what Maris ate after hitting No. 61. In case you've always been wondering, it was a shrimp cocktail, a steak, a baked potato, two glasses of wine and a "sliver" of cheesecake, followed by two cups of coffee and three cigarettes. 

On the inside pages, Leonard Shecter covered the homer from the perspective of the pitcher who gave it up, Tracy Stallard. 

"'Listen,' Stallard boomed. 'I'm not a control pitcher. I just throw the ball. I put my stuff against his stuff and he hit my stuff. It was my best pitch. A fast ball.'"

“Pressures on Maris Were Terrific” – Miami Herald

Maris faced immense pressure while he challenged an icon in the Great Bambino.

With some fans feeling he wasn’t worthy of breaking Ruth’s record, Maris received hate mail and death threats throughout the season, and the introverted outfielder dealt with such stress during the chase that his hair began to fall out.

“... He had overcome the throat-clutching pressure of a season-long drive on the greatest record and the greatest legend in all baseball history,” read the coverage in The Herald. “In his long, lonely ordeal he had pursued a mark that had come down through the years as a monument to the immortal Ruth’s greatness and a record which millions of baseball fans never expected to see topped.”

“Ruth Still Champ” – Cincinnati Enquirer

Maris’ home run chase wasn’t without controversy. In July of 1961, baseball’s commissioner Ford Frick declared that for a player to officially tie or break Ruth's 60-home run mark, he would have to do it in 154 games. The American League lengthened its season from 154 to 162 games that year. And sure enough, it took Maris until the very last day of the season.

“Despite his unprecedented No. 61, Maris did not break Ruth’s record due to a ruling by commissioner Ford Frick,” a wire service report in the Enquirer read. “Ruth’s 60 stands as a mark for a 154-game season, while Maris is the holder of the 162-game season inaugurated by the expanded American League this season.”

In 1991, 30 years after hitting 61 homers, Maris received recognition as the official holder of baseball's single-season home run record.

“Maris Smashes 61st; Breaks Ruth Mark in Final Game” – Boston Globe

It wasn’t all debate and criticism. Maris’ 61 home runs were without a doubt impressive, and some writers didn’t hold back their praise ... even in Boston.

“High and far went Maris’ drive, which looked as if it would go into the upper deck in right field,” wrote the Globe's Bob Holbrook. “Lu Clinton pursued it, then stopped to watch Maris become the greatest home run producer the majors ever saw in one season with 61.”

“Generous Fan Stirs Maris” – Chicago Tribune

As with any historic home run, the story also had to include who caught the ball. Nineteen-year-old Sal Durante came away with Maris’ 61st, and a wholesome story ensued. Here's how it was reported in the Chicago Tribune:

“The youngster who impressed Maris so much was Sal Durante of Coney Island, who came to the game with his girl and caught Maris’ 61st homer in the right-field stands.

“A ‘reward’ of $5,000 was placed on the ball by a Sacramento, Cal., restauranteur, who intends to return it to Maris as part of a special ceremony.

“Maris smashed his 61st homer in the fourth inning, but he was so moved by Durante’s impulsive offer to give him the ball that he had to tell Russ Nixon, Boston catcher, about it when he came up to bat again in the eighth.”

"Maris hits 61st in final game" — The New York Times

Legendary New York sports writer John Drebinger wrote the lead story for (one of) Maris’ premier hometown newspapers: The New York Times, which wrote the definitive feature on the historic event.

“Roger Maris yesterday became the first major league player in history to hit more than 60 home runs in a season.

“The 27-year-old outfielder hit his sixty-first at the Stadium before a roaring crowd of 23,154 in the Bombers’ final game of the regular campaign.”