Roger Maris Jr. Reveals How He Wants MLB to List Home Run Records
Former baseball player Roger Maris Jr. has expressed his views on how MLB should list home run records. The former Yankee has suggested a separate record for home runs achieved with the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Maris broke Babe Ruth’s home run record in 1961, which included 162 regular-season games. The commissioner of baseball, Ford Frick, also put an asterisk on his 61st home run in 1961.
Roger Maris Jr.’s 61st home run
Whether you are a fan of baseball or not, you’ve probably heard about Roger Maris Jr., the American right fielder who hit 61 home runs for the Yankees on Oct. 1, 1961. While his mark has been surpassed by many other MLB players, some consider his record tainted by steroids. In 1998, Mark McGwire surpassed Maris’ mark with 71 home runs, while Barry Bonds broke it in 2001 with seventy-one home runs. The record has stood since then, but it was rewritten in 2003 when Barry Bonds hit 74. In the same year, Sammy Sosa hit 63 home runs in four seasons with the Chicago Cubs.
Maris is still a baseball legend even though he’s not in the Hall of Fame, but his influence is timeless and will never go out of style. In fact, his son has moved to Gainesville, Florida, where he lives with his wife, Brie. The couple is now launching a clothing line called 61 Outfitters, specializing in hunting and fishing caps.
Aaron Judge’s 61st home run
Aaron Judge’s 61st homer tied Roger Maris’ record for single-season home runs in the American League on Wednesday night. Judge’s epic hit nearly got away from the fan who was trying to catch it. It flew over the railing and into the Blue Jays bullpen.
Judge’s 61st home run tied Roger Maris’ 1961 record of 60. The home run came in the Yankees’ 155th game, tied with Maris’ record for most in one season. The Yankees ace hit his record blast in the seventh inning against Tim Mayza. He has now hit 61 home runs in his career.
Barry Bonds’ 73-home run record
Barry Bonds’ 73 home runs in 2001 are the highest total for a single season in major league baseball. With the record-setting hit, Bonds broke the previous record held by Mark McGwire, which he set three years earlier. Some consider Bonds’ 73-home run season to be the greatest in baseball history. Others disagree.
There are many factors that contribute to Bonds’ record-breaking season. One is his steroid use. Some argue that he used performance-enhancing drugs in order to get an edge over other players. In addition to his steroid use, his 73 home runs were not earned through the natural process of attributing a home run. But that doesn’t mean Bonds didn’t earn his record; the record stands.
Sammy Sosa’s 73-home run record
Barry Bonds currently holds the record for most home runs in a single season with 73. Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire each hit over sixty home runs in 2001, and Sosa finished second to McGwire in both 2000 and 1999. While Sosa won the MVP award in 1999 and 2000, he failed to win the home run title in either of those years. This makes him the only player to ever reach the 60-home run plateau without leading the league in either of those years.
While McGwire admitted to using steroids, Sosa argues that he never took them. While McGwire admitted to using steroids, Sosa says he was never tested for them. He was also named in the Mitchell Report, along with 104 other players. Sosa also is the only player in MLB history to hit at least 60 home runs in three consecutive seasons and never lead the league in any of those seasons.
Babe Ruth’s last game
Despite the asterisk, a 61st home run still stands as the most by any player since Babe Ruth. In 1961, when Maris was 61, he became the first player to surpass Ruth’s record in the major leagues. A small crowd of just 23,000 showed up to witness the moment. The young Brooklyn fan pleaded with Maris to give the ball back, but he insisted on keeping it. It was not until later that he understood the magnitude of his achievement.
Babe Ruth’s career has been one of controversy. Despite his great abilities, he was also subject to a lot of public and media attention. He became a notorious womanizer and was also a serial drinker. He was also denied the chance to manage a major league team. Despite this, Ruth made numerous public appearances during his final years. He died of nasopharyngeal cancer, a year after his retirement. His birthplace is now a museum.