From home run king to beer emperor: Story of MLB legend Roger Maris who won $50,000,000 lawsuit against nation's largest brewer

Until the 2022 season, Roger Maris' 61 home runs that he hit for the 1961 New York Yankees was regarded as the single-season home run record.

While other players like Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire surpassed the figure in the late 1990s, subsequent PED revelations have led many to disregard their milestones.

In October, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees swatted his 62nd home run of the 2022 season out of Globe Life Field in Texas. Roger Maris Jr., who was in attendance, embraced Judge's parents as the 6-foot-7 record holder rounded the bases.

After Judge's histroic performance, Maris' name resurfaced in the media. It also caused many to re-visit the massive lawsuit that his family won against America's largest brewer.

"Roger Maris takes one deep, 1961." - Baseball in Pics

His 1961 season saw him log a league-best 61 home runs and 141 RBIs to win the AL MVP. The year before, the Minnesota-born outfielder had won the same award. That year, Maris 112 RBIs led MLB, as did his .581 slugging percentage.

After playing his last MLB season for the 1968 St. Louis Cardinals, Maris and his brother opened up Maris Distribruting in Florida. Gussy Busch, the owner of both the Cardinals and Anheuser-Busch, America's largest brewery, got the Maris brothers set up in the industry.

Although Maris passed away in 1985, his family continued to run the beer distribution business. However, in 1997, Anheuser-Busch ended their supply contract, claiming that Maris Distributing was selling bootleg and out-of-date beer.

"OTD in 2001, The Anheuser-Busch Company was ordered to pay the family of the late New York @Yankees Legend Roger Maris $50 million for improperly taking away a beer distributorship." - Yankees Cowboys

Maris' progeny decided to take the brewing giant to court and were awarded $50 million in compensation after a 2001 jury trial. In 2005, a court ruled that the brewery had to pay $120 million to the family and business of the deceased New York Yankees star.

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Roger Maris' retirement was cut far too short

Unfortunately for Maris, he was unable to see any of the money, having passed away in 1985 after a battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. His wife, who he had met at a basketball game in tenth grade, as well as his children had to fight the battle themselves.

While Aaron Judge now holds the record, you would be hard pressed to find a baseball fan who thinks that Roger Maris is anything less than one of the most important Yankees ever.