61*

In 1961, the New York Yankees fielded two sluggers chasing Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs. Mickey Mantle was outgoing and adored by the crowds, while Roger Maris was reserved and drew jeers from fans and criticism from sportswriters. As both men closed in on the mark, the pressure of the chase fell unevenly on them, testing their friendship and their standing with the public. Baseball's leadership ruled that the record would only count if it fell within 154 games, adding another layer of strain to the season.

Billy Crystal directed the film, his second feature after Forget Paris, working from a screenplay by Hank Steinberg. Barry Pepper plays Maris and Thomas Jane plays Mantle, with Anthony Michael Hall, Richard Masur, Bruce McGill and Chris Bauer among the supporting cast, part of a credited cast of 32. The production covers the drama and history genres and runs 129 minutes.

Released in April 2001, the film drew a 7.7 rating on IMDb from around 19,000 votes, while on TMDB it holds a 7 from roughly 152 votes. The larger and more sustained response on IMDb suggests the film has found a durable audience, particularly among viewers drawn to its baseball subject matter, while the smaller TMDB sample points to a more limited international footprint.