Maris, Twice Valuable

In “Three Sluggers in Bittersweet Doubleheader” (April 27), Howard Rosenberg wrote, “But Maris was truly great only once, when he and Mantle spent much of 1961 launching home runs. . . .” I won’t argue that Roger Maris was great in 1961. He even won the most prestigious award for performance an individual can win, the most valuable player award. But he also won the MVP in 1960! I submit that if he was “truly great” in 1961, then he was great the previous year.

I get so tired of Maris being regarded as a one-year-wonder or a flash-in-the-pan. He won back-to-back most valuable player awards! Both victories came from voters who saw Mickey Mantle playing the same games on the same team as Maris. ARTHUR KIMES

Los Angeles