As Sam Sees It

A recent column that I read on line gave me some food for thought. The premise of the columnist was that Major League Baseball should throw out the home run records produced in the steroid infested era of primarily the 1990s and early 2000s and restore the 61 home runs hit by Roger Maris in 1961 as the Major League record. The idea is not without merit.

Maris and Willie Mays were the only players of the decade of the 60's to hit 50 or more home runs. Mays hit 52 in 1965. Only George Foster of the Cincinnati Reds hit more than 50 home runs (52) in the entire decade of the 1970's.

By contrast, there have already been five league leaders hit 50 or more home runs in a season in the past five years. Unlike almost all previous decades, the two decades (1990's and 2000's) have seen more than just the league leader eclipse the 50 home run mark. Remember the "homer duels" between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in the 1990's. They filled the stadiums with fans and the record books with steroid blemished records.

Until Babe Ruth burst onto the scene, the most home runs hit in a season was a now measly 24 by Gravvy Cravath of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1915, Ruth hit 29 for the Boston Red Sox in 1919 to win outright a title he had tied for with 11 home runs in 1918. The next year, he was in New York as a result of a deal that haunts Boston to this day. He hit 54 home runs in 1920, by far the most ever and enough to shatter all previous marks.

Ruth set the standard many thought would stand forever in 1927 when he clubbed 60 home runs. He hit more than 50 three other times in the decade with 59 in 1921, and 54 in 1928 to go with his 54 in 1920 in his first year as a Yankee. The most any other player hit in the decade of the 1920's was 43 by Chuck Klein of the Phillies in 1929.

Three players led their leagues with more than 50 home runs in the decade of the 1930's. Jimmie Fox of the Philadelphia Athletics hit 58 homers in 1932 and Hank Greenberg of the Detroit Tigers hit 58 in 1938. Hank Wilson of the Chicago Cubs hit 56 in 1930.

Ralph Kiner of the Pirates hit 54 homers in 1949 and 51 in 1947. Johnny Mize of the New York Giants also hit 51 in 1947. Those were the only leaders to hit more than 50 home runs in that decade.

Only two leaders hit 50 or more homers in the decade of the 1950's. Mickey Mantle of the Yankees hit 52 in 1956 and Willie Mays of the New York Giants hit 51 in 1955.

Maris set the last non-steroid era record with 61 homers in 1961. Mays was the only other leader to club more than 50 homers with 52 in 1965.

There was some awfully good baseball played in the 1970'2, but only George Foster of the Cincinnati Reds hit more than 50 homers with 52 in 1977.

Not a single player hit 50 home runs in the decade of the 1980's, but the steroid era was just around the corner.

The 1990's saw seven players lead their leagues with more than 50 home runs. Those included Mark McGwire of the Cardinals with 70 in 1998, and 65 in 1999, Cecil Fielder of Cleveland with 51 in 1990, Albert Belle of the Indians with 50 in 1995, McGwire with 52 while with the Athletics in 1996 and Ken Griffey, Jr. with the Seattle Mariners with 56 in both 1997 and 1998. In addition, Sammy Sosa of the Cubs hit 66 homers in 1998 and 60 in 1999 and did not lead his league.

Already in the five years of the current decade there have been five players lead their leagues with 50 or more homers. Alex Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers led the league with 52 homers in 2001 and with 57 in 2002. Sammy Sosa of the Cubs hit 50 homers in 2000. Barry Bonds of the Giants established a new homer record with 73 in 2000. Andruw Jones of the Atlanta Braves hit 51 homers in 2005.

As Major League Baseball has begun to enforce a drug policy that discourages steroids and other performance enhancing substances, the home run totals have begun to recede. The question that remains is whether the records set during the steroid era should stand or be treated as the aberration they are. What do you think?

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