I think comparing Mazeroski and Maris is comparing apples to oranges. You wouldn't compare Ozzie Smith to Eddie Murray simply because what is expected out of their respective positions in offense and defense are very different things. Having said that, Mazeroski's defensively was arguably the greatest ever seen at second base. The numbers of double plays he turned with several different shortstops has not been approached. As a hitter however, he was not great shakes even for the 50's and 60's. In my personal Hall of Fame I'm not sure he makes the cut just because of his defense although being arguably the best fielder at that position gives him some support. I think if you had a draft in 1963 of all the outfielders in baseball Maris would have finished behind multiple outfielders including the one(Mantle) on his own team. From that season on it was pretty much all downhill with Maris, not withstanding a good World Series performance in 1967. I think if Maris had hit 55 HRs in 1961, we wouldn't even be having this discussion. So it really boils down to the 61 in 1961. And truthfully neither of us is wrong. I really wish the George Kelly's, Freddie Lindstrom's, Chick Hafey's and Ray Schalk's of the 1920's for example had never been elected by cronyism on the part of the electing body. My Hall of Fame would have a very high standard where we never say just because so and so is in then my guy should be in also.