Illness and Death
Maris was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1983. In response to that, Maris organized the annual Roger Maris Celebrity Golf Tournament to raise money for cancer research and treatment.
Maris died on December 14, 1985 at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas. A Roman Catholic, he was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Fargo, North Dakota. Fellow major league player Ken Hunt was interred several feet away from Maris in 1997.
Maris remains a hero in his hometown of Fargo and was a recipient of the State of North Dakota's Roughrider Award. Tributes include Roger Maris Drive, The Roger Maris Cancer Center, the fund raising beneficiary of the annual golf tournament, and the 61 for 61 Home Walk & Run, which is held in conjunction with the 61 for 61 radiothon on 107.9 The Fox. There is also a movement towards getting Maris inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Read more about this topic: Roger Maris
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