Senior Citizen Softball Players take part in the 2016 Bristal All-Star Game

72-yearold Patricia Klammer, of North Merrick, became the first woman to play in the annual Bristal All-Star Game. Klammer is a member of the Long Island Softball Hall of Fame and played professional fast-pitch softball.

The Bristal All-Stars, softball players in their 70’s and 80’s who play two doubleheaders a week in the Long Island Senior Softball League gathered at Baldwin Park, to recognize the 55th anniversary of Roger Maris breaking Babe Ruth’s single season home run mark. One team wore uniforms with the number 7 on it, in honor of Mickey Mantle, the other team number 9 in honor of Maris. The Maris squad won the game 5-2.

72-yearold Patricia Klammer, of North Merrick, became the first woman to play in the annual Bristal All-Star Game. Klammer is a member of the Long Island Softball Hall of Fame and played professional fast-pitch softball.

The Game also marked the end of Oceanside resident Joe Friedman's ten year rein as commissioner of Division 5 of the Long Island Senior Softball Association.

Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony D'Espositio threw out the first pitch.

Maris batting third and Mantle batting cleanup in the Yankee lineup, both challenged Babe Ruth's 34-year-old single-season record of 60 home runs. The home run lead would change hands between the two teammates numerous times throughout the summer and fueled intense scrutiny of the players by fans and the press. Maris eventually broke the record when he hit his 61st home run on the final day of the season off of Tracy Stallard, while Mantle hit 54 homeruns before he was forced to pull out of the lineup in September because of an abscessed hip.

Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick, a close friend of Babe Ruth ruled that since the 1961 season was seven games longer than the 1927 season when Rut hit 60- homeruns, Maris’ record would be recorded with an asterisk.

Only 23,154 fans were in the stands on October 1, 1961 to see history made.