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{{Short description|Baseball player duo Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
[[File:M&M Boys 1961.png|thumb|200px|[[Roger Maris]] ''(left)'' and [[Mickey Mantle]] ''(right)'' in 1961]]

The "'''M&M Boys'''" were the duo of [[New York Yankees]] [[baseball]] players [[Mickey Mantle]] and [[Roger Maris]], who were teammates from 1960 to 1966.{{#tag:ref|These years marked Maris' tenure with the New York Yankees.<ref name="marisref"/>  On the other hand, Mantle played his entire career with the Yankees.<ref name="mantleref"/>|group=lower-alpha}} They gained prominence during the [[1961 New York Yankees season|1961 season]], when Maris and Mantle, batting third and [[Cleanup hitter|cleanup]] (fourth) in the Yankee lineup respectively, both challenged [[Babe Ruth]]'s 34-year-old single-season record of 60 [[home run]]s.  The home run lead would change hands between the two teammates numerous times throughout the summer and fueled intense scrutiny of the players by the press. Maris eventually broke the record when he hit his 61st home run on the final day of the season, while Mantle hit 54 before he was forced to pull out of the lineup in September because of an abscessed hip.

Maris' record stood for 37 years until it was broken in {{mlby|1998}} by [[Mark McGwire]], who later admitted to taking performance enhancing drugs during much of his career.<ref name="NYTimes">{{Cite web |last=Kepner |first=Tyler |date=January 11, 2010 |title=McGwire Admits That He Used Steroids |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/sports/baseball/12mcgwire.html?pagewanted=all |access-date=7 May 2024 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Maris and Mantle still hold the single-season record for combined home runs by a pair of teammates, with 115.<ref name="HOF">{{cite web|title=A Short History of the Single-Season Home Run Record|url=http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/ss_home_run/maris.htm|access-date=July 4, 2012|publisher=National Baseball Hall of Fame|quote=[Maris] and Mantle...broke the record for most single-season home runs by a pair of teammates.}}</ref><ref name="MLB">{{cite web|title=Plenty of duos have look of M&M Boys|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110824&content_id=23669168&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb|date=August 24, 2011|access-date=July 30, 2012|first=Tom|last=Singer|work=MLB.com}}</ref>

==Beginnings==
Mickey Mantle joined the Yankees in 1951.<ref name=NY500mantle>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5188288 |title=New York 500 Home Run Club Mickey Mantle&nbsp;– Yankees |work=ESPN New York |publisher=[[ESPN.com]] |date=June 2, 2010 |access-date=October 14, 2011}}</ref> Roger Maris joined the Yankees, becoming Mickey Mantle's teammate in {{mlby|1960}}, when the [[Kansas City Athletics]] traded Maris with [[Kent Hadley]] and [[Joe DeMaestri]] in exchange for [[Marv Throneberry]], [[Norm Siebern]], [[Hank Bauer]], and [[Don Larsen]].<ref name="ESPN"/><ref>{{cite news|title=As Trade Roger Maris To Yankees|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XAkrAAAAIBAJ&pg=6634,5384511&dq=roger-maris&hl=en|date=December 12, 1959|page=10|access-date=July 30, 2012|newspaper=Reading Eagle|agency=AP}}</ref>  Mantle played [[Center fielder|center field]], while Maris played [[right field]].

During the 1960 season, Mantle led the [[American League]] (AL) with 40 [[home run]]s, while Maris finished with 39.<ref name="ESPN"/>  Maris led the AL with 112 [[runs batted in]] (RBI) and a .581 [[slugging percentage]]. He also had a .283 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]], the highest of his career, and won a [[Gold Glove Award]].<ref name="ESPN"/> Maris won the 1960 [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award]]<ref name="MVP">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/mvp_cya.shtml|title=Most Valuable Player MVP Awards & Cy Young Awards Winners|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref> with 72% of the vote, while Mantle finished runner-up in the vote, placing just behind Maris with 71%.<ref name="baseball-reference1961">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1961.shtml#ALmvp|title=Baseball Awards Voting for 1961|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref>

==1961 season==
Near the beginning of the season, New York Yankees manager [[Ralph Houk]] decided to switch Mantle and Maris around in the [[Batting order (baseball)|batting order]], having Maris bat third and Mantle cleanup instead of vice versa.<ref name="Mickey Mantle">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T2Lkp73Q7aAC&q=m%26m+boys&pg=PA82|title=Mickey Mantle|publisher=Twenty-First Century Books|date=August 1, 2004|last=Marlin|first=John|pages=81–82|isbn=9780822517962|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref>  This is cited as an advantage for Maris, as opposition pitchers were reluctant to [[Glossary of baseball (P)#pitch around|pitch around]] him, as this would result in Mantle coming up to the plate to bat.<ref name="Mickey Mantle"/>  As a result, pitchers gave Maris better pitches to hit for fear of walking him.<ref name="Mickey Mantle"/>  At first, the batting order switch appeared to have little effect on Maris, who hit only one home run in April.<ref name="ESPN"/>  However, he gained momentum in the home run race in May and June, slugging 11 and 15 home runs, respectively.<ref name="ESPN"/>  On the other hand, Mantle started off the season strong, hitting 14 home runs by the end of May and 11 homers in June.<ref name="Home Run">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_69wBas7CsoC&q=1961+home+run+race&pg=PA110|title=Home Run: The Definitive History of Baseball's Ultimate Weapon|publisher=Potomac Books, Inc.|date=March 31, 2007|last1=Vincent|first1=David|last2=Stark|first2=Jayson|pages=110–111|isbn=9781597976572|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref>  At the end of June, it became clear that both M&M Boys were on pace to challenge Babe Ruth's 1927 single-season home run record.<ref name="Home Run"/>  However, their chances of breaking Ruth's record were dealt a heavy blow on July 17, when [[Ford Frick]], the [[Commissioner of Baseball]], ruled that a player would have to hit more than 60 home runs in 154 games{{#tag:ref|The 1927 season consisted of 154 games.  With the addition of the [[Los Angeles Angels]] and the [[Washington Senators (1961–71)|Washington Senators]] into the American League in 1961,<ref name="misunderstood"/> the number of games in a season was expanded to 162 games in order to maintain a balanced schedule.<ref name="Home Run"/>|group=lower-alpha}} in order to break Ruth's record.<ref name="Mickey Mantle"/><ref name="Home Run"/><ref name="misunderstood"/>  Frick, who was a good friend of Ruth and served as his [[ghostwriter]],<ref name="Mickey Mantle"/><ref name="Home Run"/> added that a "distinctive mark" would have to be added should the record be broken after 154 games.<ref name="Home Run"/><ref name="misunderstood"/>

With the pressure intensifying over the newfound need to break the record within the time limit,<ref name="Mickey Mantle"/> Maris passed Mantle on August 15 for the final time that year and led the home run race for the rest of the season.<ref name="Home Run"/>  Maris then became the first player in history to join the [[50 home run club]] by the end of August.<ref name="ESPN"/>  At the start of September, the race for the single-season record was still extremely close, with Maris having hit 56 home runs to Mantle's 53.<ref name="Mickey Mantle"/>  However, Mantle was forced to pull out of the race after succumbing to an abscess in his hip joint<ref name="misunderstood"/> caused from an injection that was supposed to cure him of a flu.<ref name="Mickey Mantle"/>  Though most fans supported Mantle<ref name="misunderstood"/> and vociferously rooted against Maris,<ref>{{cite web|title=Mantle was first in fans' hearts|url=https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00016135.html|access-date=July 30, 2012|first=Larry|last=Schwartz|work=ESPN.com|quote=Fans rooted against Roger Maris, and they urged Mantle on.  But Maris broke the record with 61, while injury and illness halted Mantle's pursuit.  He had to settle for 54, a career best and the most ever for a switch-hitter.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=61 Home Runs by Roger Maris|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats12b.shtml|access-date=July 30, 2012|work=Baseball-Almanac.com|publisher=Baseball Almanac|quote=Maris was hated, booed, cussed, and generally abused by the press and fans...}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/sports/baseball/for-50th-anniversary-of-mariss-61-no-asterisk-is-required.html?_r=2&ref=rogermaris&pagewanted=all|title=50 Years Later, Maris's 61-Homer Season Looks Even Better|last=Vecsey|first=George|date=August 20, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=July 30, 2012|quote=[A] wave of sadness remains from 1961, when Maris realized the baseball establishment was rooting for Ruth to hold on to his record or for his friend Mickey Mantle to be the one to break it.}}</ref> it was the latter player who was now left to break Ruth's record alone.

Maris had a total of 58 home runs when the Yankees' played their 154th game of the season against the [[Baltimore Orioles]].<ref name="Mickey Mantle"/>  He homered just once in the game, falling two short of setting a new and recognized single-season home run record.  Ironically, Maris hit his 60th home run in fewer [[plate appearance]]s (684) than Babe Ruth (689).<ref name="Home Run"/><ref name="misunderstood"/>  This made Frick's ruling nonsensical, since games played "matter less" than the number of opportunities presented to a batter.<ref name="Home Run"/>  On October 1, the final day of the season, only 23,154 people were in attendance at [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]] to see Maris hit his 61st home run of the season against [[Tracy Stallard]] of the [[Boston Red Sox]].<ref name="ESPN"/>  Frick's ruling back in July, coupled with the Yankees' reluctance to highlight the event, are cited as reasons for the surprisingly low attendance.<ref name="ESPN"/>

==Aftermath==
{{multiple image
| footer    = [[Roger Maris]] is honored with a plaque ''(left)'' in [[Monument Park (Yankee Stadium)|Monument Park]], while [[Mickey Mantle]]'s plaque was mounted onto a monument ''(right)'' upon his death in 1995.
| image1    = Roger Maris Plaque.jpg
| width1    = 214
| image2    = MantleMonument.jpg
| width2    = 125
}}

Sal Durante, the man who caught Maris' 61st home run ball, offered to return it to Maris.<ref name="ESPN"/>  Maris politely declined and even encouraged Durante to sell the memorabilia in order to earn some money.<ref name="ESPN"/> Durante sold the ball for $5,000 to a restaurateur, who gave the ball to Maris. Maris donated the ball to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]] in 1973.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=6113612|title=Decades later, Durante has rich memories of Maris&nbsp;– MLB&nbsp;– ESPN|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=February 11, 2011|access-date=August 8, 2012}}</ref>

Mantle returned from injury later that season, thus enabling both M&M Boys to participate in the [[1961 World Series]].  Though Maris and Mantle's batting averages throughout the series were a mere .105<ref name="ESPN"/> and .167,<ref name="1961 WS">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1961_WS.shtml|title=1961 World Series (4–1): New York Yankees (109–53) over Cincinnati Reds (93–61)|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref>  the Yankees were able to defeat the [[Cincinnati Reds]],<ref name="ESPN"/> 4 games to 1.<ref name="1961 WS"/>  At the end of the season, Maris won the AL MVP Award for the second consecutive year.  The voting points and percentage of votes for the M&M Boys were exactly the same as in 1960, with Maris garnering 202 points to Mantle's 198 points.<ref name="baseball-reference1961"/>

Mantle was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1974 on his first ballot appearance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof_1974.shtml|title=1974 Hall of Fame Voting|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref>  On the other hand, Maris never met the 75% threshold required for induction into the Hall and was eliminated from future BBWAA voting in 1988, his 15th and final time on the ballot, where he garnered 43.1% of the vote (the highest vote percentage he received).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof_1988.shtml|title=1988 Hall of Fame Voting|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Maris family hoping for Hall call|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/ben_reiter/01/14/reiter.maris.mcgwire/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117030233/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/ben_reiter/01/14/reiter.maris.mcgwire/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 17, 2010|date=January 14, 2010|access-date=August 9, 2012|first=Ben|last=Reiter|work=Sports Illustrated}}</ref>  Nevertheless, the Yankees honored both Mantle and Maris by retiring their numbers and presenting them with plaques that hang in [[Monument Park (Yankee Stadium)|Monument Park]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=clNaAAAAIBAJ&pg=4719,2581429|title=The Man Who Beat The Babe|newspaper=Waycross Journal-Herald|page=6|date=July 24, 1984|access-date=April 18, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/06/09/archives/61157-hearts-here-throb-for-mantle-as-no-7-joins-3-4-and-5-in.html|title=61,157 Hearts Here Throb for Mantle as No. 7 Joins 3, 4 and 5 in Retirement|first=George|last=Vecsey|page=61|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 9, 1969|access-date=April 18, 2012}} {{subscription required|date=April 2012}}</ref>

In 1991, thirty years after Maris hit 61 home runs, commissioner [[Fay Vincent]] ruled that there be only one single-season home run record and that any notation beside Maris' record (denoting that he hit 61 home runs in a 162-game season) be eliminated.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/05/sports/baseball-maris-s-feat-finally-recognized-30-years-after-hitting-61-homers.html|title=Baseball; Maris's Feat Finally Recognized 30 Years After Hitting 61 Homers|last=Chass|first=Murray|date=September 5, 1991|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref>  Maris died six years earlier in 1985.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0910.html|title=Roger Maris is Dead at 51, Set Record Home Runs|last=Durso|first=Joseph|date=December 15, 1985|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref>  Thus, he never knew the record was his.

==Group achievements==
During their record-breaking season of 1961, the M&M Boys became the only teammates to join the 50 home run club in the same season, hitting a combined 115 home runs to break the single-season record for home runs by a pair of teammates.<ref name="HOF"/><ref name="MLB"/>  This record was previously held by Yankee sluggers [[Babe Ruth]] and [[Lou Gehrig]], who hit 60 and 47 home runs, respectively, in {{mlby|1927}}.<ref name="MLB"/>  In addition, Mantle and Maris combined to record 269 RBI.<ref name="MLB"/>

==Relationship off the field==
Contrary to popular belief, the M&M Boys were actually close friends and no hostility existed between the two of them.<ref name="ESPN">{{cite web|title=Maris battled Mantle, media and Babe's legacy|url=https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/maris_roger.html|access-date=July 30, 2012|first=Nick|last=Acocella|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|work=ESPN Classic}}</ref><ref name="misunderstood">{{cite news|title=Roger Maris's Misunderstood Quest to Break the Home Run Record|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/07/roger-mariss-misunderstood-quest-to-break-the-home-run-record/242586/|date=July 27, 2011|access-date=July 30, 2012|first=Allen|last=Barra|magazine=The Atlantic}}</ref><ref name="myths">{{cite news|title=Chasing Babe Ruth: 6 Myths About 1961's Home Run Race|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/07/chasing-babe-ruth-6-myths-about-1961s-home-run-race/242578/|date=July 27, 2011|access-date=July 30, 2012|first=Eleanor|last=Barkhorn|magazine=The Atlantic}}</ref>  The two shared an apartment in [[Queens]] with fellow outfielder [[Bob Cerv]] during the 1961 season<ref name="ESPN"/> and when Mantle suffered an  injury towards the end of the season, he openly rooted for Maris from his hospital bed in the latter's quest to break Ruth's single-season home run record.<ref name="misunderstood"/><ref name="myths"/>  The stories of a feud developing between the M&M Boys during the 1961 season were inspired due to the media hype surrounding their quest to break Ruth's record.<ref name="ESPN"/>

Mantle and Maris engaged in a business partnership. The two endorsed Mantle–Maris wear, a line of clothing apparel for men and boys.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VdUzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YekFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3383,4942610&dq=roger-maris+mickey-mantle&hl=en The Miami News&nbsp;– Google News Archive Search<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> They appeared in ''[[Safe at Home!]]'', a movie released in April 1962.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/481899212.html?dids=481899212:481899212&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+29%2C+1962&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Mantle+and+Maris+Bat+Out+a+Movie&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104111145/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/481899212.html?dids=481899212:481899212&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+29,+1962&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Mantle+and+Maris+Bat+Out+a+Movie&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 4, 2013|title=Mantle and Maris Bat Out a Movie|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=April 29, 1962|access-date=August 8, 2012}} {{subscription required|date=August 2012}}</ref>

==Legacy==
The M&M Boys are viewed as one of the greatest offensive pair of teammates in the history of the game.<ref name="MLB"/>  Furthermore, the combined 115 home runs between the two during the 1961 season is considered a "bona fide untouchable" record.<ref name="MLB"/>  This is due to the fact that the likelihood of two teammates performing exceptionally well in a season is "surprisingly rare."<ref name="MLB"/>

==1961 statistics==
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
! 
! [[Roger Maris]]<ref name="marisref">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/marisro01.shtml|title=Roger Maris Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 29, 2012}}</ref>
! [[Mickey Mantle]]<ref name="mantleref">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mantlmi01.shtml|title=Mickey Mantle Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 29, 2012}}</ref>
! Leader
|-
|Position
| [[Right fielder]] 
| [[Center fielder]]
|
|-
|Position in the lineup
| 3
| 4
| Maris up first
|-
| Games played
| 161
| 153
| Maris
|-
|[[At-bat]]s 
| 590
| 514
| Maris
|-
|[[Hit (baseball)|Hits]]
| 159
| 163
| Mantle 
|-
|[[Home run]]s
|61
|54
| Maris
|-
|[[Runs batted in]] 
| style="background:#fc0;"|141
|128
| style="background:#fc0;"| Maris, NYY record  
|-
|[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]] 
|.269
|.317
| Mantle 
|-
|[[On-base percentage]]
|.372
| style="background:#fc0;"|.448
| style="background:#fc0;"| Mantle, NYY record
|-
|[[Slugging percentage]]
|.620
| style="background:#fc0;"|.687
| style="background:#fc0;"| Mantle, NYY record
|-
| [[National Baseball Hall of Fame|Baseball Hall of Fame]]
| Not elected
| style="background:#ffb;"| Elected
| style="background:#ffb;"| Mantle
|}

==Popular culture==
The movie ''[[61*]]'' was directed by avid Yankees fan [[Billy Crystal]] and released in 2001, the 40th anniversary of Maris' record-breaking season.  It recounts both Mantle (portrayed by [[Thomas Jane]]) and Maris' (depicted by [[Barry Pepper]]) journey during the 1961 season in their quest to break Babe Ruth's single-season home run record of 60.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/25/sports/tv-sports-when-mantle-and-maris-chased-babe-ruth-s-ghost.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|title=TV Sports; When Mantle and Maris Chased Babe Ruth's Ghost|last=Sandomir|first=Richard|date=April 25, 2001|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref>

==Modern usage==
[[Kevin McReynolds]] and [[Carmelo Martínez]], starting outfielders for the [[1984 San Diego Padres season|1984 San Diego Padres]], were dubbed the "M&M Boys" after the Yankees duo.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chandler|first=Bob|last2=Swank|first2=Bill|last3=Swank|first3=William G.|title=Bob Chandler's Tales from the San Diego Padres|year=2006|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8NgXMYfIfBoC&q=M%26M%20mcreynolds%20martinez&pg=PA91|page=91|isbn=9781596700246|access-date=September 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Wulf |first=Steve |title=The Beast Team In Baseball |date=April 16, 1984 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=The+menagerie+known+as+the+San+Diego+Zoo+has+been+-+04.16.84+-+SI+Vault&urlID=431580407&action=cpt&partnerID=289881&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2Fvault%2Farticle%2Fmagazine%2FMAG1121961%2F2%2Findex.htm }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Naiman|first=Joe|last2=Porter|first2=David|title=The San Diego Padres Encyclopedia|year=2003|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|page=86|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rcilc7h_2oMC&q=M%26M%20mcreynolds%20martinez&pg=PA86|access-date=September 25, 2012|isbn=9781582610580|ref=naiman_porter2003}}</ref> The Padres that season reached the World Series for the first time in the franchise's history, with McReynolds sharing the team lead with 20 home runs and Martinez adding 66 RBIs.<ref>[[#naiman_porter2003|Naiman, Porter 2003]], pp.90, 92, 98.</ref>

The usage of the nickname has resurfaced and has been utilized by broadcasters, analysts, and the print media to refer to the [[Minnesota Twins]] 3 and 4 hitting tandem of [[Joe Mauer]] and [[Justin Morneau]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Mauer continues to display why Minnesota needs him long term|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_lemire/05/18/mauer.morneau/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024211111/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_lemire/05/18/mauer.morneau/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 24, 2012|date=May 18, 2009|access-date=July 30, 2012|first=Joe|last=Lemire|work=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> who won the American League MVP Award in 2009 and 2006, respectively.<ref name="MVP"/>  Mauer's batting prowess (uncharacteristic of a [[catcher]]) earned him three batting championships (2006, 2008 and 2009)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/batting_avg_leagues.shtml|title=Yearly League Leaders & Records for Batting Average|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref> and four [[List of Silver Slugger Award winners at catcher|Silver Slugger Awards]] (2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/silver_slugger_al.shtml|title=Silver Slugger Award Winners&nbsp;– American League|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref> while his stellar defense enabled him to win three consecutive [[List of Gold Glove Award winners at catcher|Gold Glove Awards]] from 2008 to 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/gold_glove_al.shtml|title=American League Gold Glove Award Winners|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref>  This has been complemented with the power of Morneau, which has earned him a spot at the [[2008 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby|2008 Home Run Derby]] (which he subsequently won)<ref>{{cite news|title=Hamilton sets record with 28 HRs in first round of Derby; Morneau wins it all|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|work=ESPN|agency=Associated Press|date=July 15, 2008|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/allstar08/news/story?id=3487640|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref> and runner-up in the 2008 American League MVP voting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_2008.shtml#ALmvp|title=Baseball Awards Voting for 2008|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref>  The success of both Mauer and Morneau has begun to garner comparisons for the two teammates to the old Yankees tandem.  However, Morneau has expressed some minor disdain for the term, feeling the comparison is being applied too soon.<ref name="quo">[http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/baseball/archive/2005/05/the_reluctant_m.shtml MPR: The Bleacher Bums: The reluctant "M"<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

[[Víctor Martínez (baseball)|Victor Martinez]] and [[J. D. Martinez]] starting for the [[2014 Detroit Tigers season|2014 Detroit Tigers]] were dubbed the "M&M Boys" by Tigers broadcaster [[Rod Allen]].{{citation needed|date=December 2016}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Baseball}}
*[[Murderers' Row]]
*[[Core Four]]
*[[Bash Brothers]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{New York Yankees}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:MandM Boys}}
[[Category:New York Yankees players]]
[[Category:Nicknamed groups of baseball players]]
[[Category:Sports duos]]