73*
by Mark Ortega

        It was 1961, and two New York Yankees were chasing the same ghost. What was at stake was the single season home run record of 60, set by Babe Ruth in 1927. In that epic season, he hit more home runs than any of the seven other American League teams, breaking his own previous record of 54. Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, two completely different types of personalities, were put into the national spotlight. Only one of them would come out of the 1961 season the new record holder. 

        Back in Ruth’s day, seasons were 154 games long and 1962 would be the first year in which the schedule would by expanded by eight games to a 162-game schedule. Ford C. Frick, commissioner of baseball at the time, decided there would be two separate records, one based on the 154-game season, and another on the modern 162-game season. If the record was broken after the 154th game, an asterisk would be placed next to it, making the record less important. After Mantle dropped out due to injury at 54 home runs, the weight was shifted onto Maris’ shoulders. Maris left game 154 one shy of Ruth’s record, meaning an asterisk would be used if the record was broken later. In the final day of the season, Maris hit 61*. The two separate records stood until 1991, when commissioner Fay Vincent combined the records, giving Maris the true home run crown. Maris had died a few years before and would never know he was the rightful home run king.
        In 1998, two sluggers would once again take on the record. When it was all said and done, Mark McGwire was the new home run champion with a mark of 70 home runs. Sammy Sosa ended the year with 66, placing him second on the all-time single season home run list. In 2001, only three years after the McGwire-Sosa run, Barry Bonds would hit 73 home runs. The record had lost meaning, 60 home runs didn’t seem as impossible as it used to. In fact, Sosa had bested the number four times from 1998 on. Fans were still enthralled by Bonds’ assault on the record. Even though people were hitting 50 or more home runs regularly, people were excited. But what caused the dramatic change in the number of home runs being hit? Not until recently would the question be answered. It was later found out McGwire took andro, a steroid which is now illegal, Sosa was caught with a corked bat, and Bonds has been found to “unknowingly” use illegal steroids.
        Soon after Bonds’ record breaking season, a place known as BALCO was put under investigation for the use sale of illegal substances, and Bonds was at the center of the controversy. Bonds had adamantly denied the use of steroids, but on December 3rd, his grand jury testimnoy was revealed and he said he unknowingly used steroids although the court provided copious amounts of documents that proves otherwise.
        Over that period of time, more and more evidence has been brought to life. James Valente, vice president of BALCO, has said that they did in fact supply Bonds with illegal steroids, making it nearly impossible to deny the allegations.

        What effect will this have on America’s pastime? Why shouldn’t Bonds’ record be diminished? If the asterisk were to make a comeback, it would get old pretty quickly. Along with his 73 home runs, Bonds sits third on the all-time home run list, and is on pace to pass Hank Aaron for first all time in the next few years. He holds seven Most Valuable Player Awards, won the batting title twice, and has carried the Giants offense for nearly a decade.
        Surprisingly, there isn’t as much of an uproar concerning the steroid allegations as compared to the reaction Maris and Mantle got when they chased Ruth’s record. Allegations of cheating were made at Bonds, while Maris and Mantle had no choice in how many games they played. I used to respect Barry Bonds. I’ve never liked him much as a person, but I recognize he has done some of the most amazing things to ever happen on a baseball diamond. Bonds represents everything that’s wrong with baseball. If he would have never used steroids, his numbers would be good enough to get into the Hall of Fame. In his early days, he was still playing All-Star caliber baseball. But Bonds got greedy and had to separate himself from the rest, and the only way to do that was through steroids.
        We may never know for sure if Bonds used steroids knowingly unless his old trainer and BALCO executives rat him out, even though more and more evidence is being released. We’ll have to wait and see what happens, who knows, maybe Billy Crystal will be making 73* the movie in a couple years.