Roger Maris: The Home Run King Without a Crown

On this September day in 1998, the Cardinals are down 2-0 to the Cubs and no one cares. In one of sports most electrifying moments, Mark McGwire hits a line drive off a Steve Trachsel pitch that just clears the left field fence at Busch Stadium and the sports world stops to watch.  

It seems like 60,000 camera flashes are going off at the same time—McGwire starts to round the bases forgetting to touch first, then goes back to touch it. Each Cubs infielder shakes his hand, his Cardinal teammates meet him at home plate swarming him with congratulations. His son, in a Cardinal uniform jumps in his arms sharing the special moment.

Then in act of graciousness that touches every American watching, McGwire takes the time to greet the Roger Maris family, his sons have tears in their eyes while they hug the new single season HR king. 

Sammy Sosa, who chased the record step for step with Mark McGwire runs in from right field, jumps into McGwire's arms slapping him on the back to congratulate him. This is an act of sportsmanship long since gone from sports; the type we remember from our childhood; and wish was still around in every sport.

Mark McGwire has claimed one of sports most heralded records—breaking Roger Maris' single season home run record of 61 that has stood 37 years, longer than Babe Ruth held it.

McGwire would go on to continue hitting the long ball at a blistering pace—finishing with 70 home runs for the new single season record. 

Sammy Sosa—the smiling hard hitting Cubs RF that Chicago fans can't get enough of as he sprints to his position each inning from the dugout; would also break the magical 61 home run plateau in 1998 finishing with an astounding 66.

Baseball's new long ball era was here and it was bringing fans back to baseball stadiums in droves.

Three years later, the nation is once again captivated, as Barry Bonds closes in on McGwire's record. His blast into McCovey cove sends the baseball world into a tizzy —fireworks erupt over San Francisco celebrating the new single season home run king.

Fast forward to Washington DC in March 2005 before a congressional sub-committee, a very different, subdued, almost shrunken Mark McGwire acknowledged "there has been a problem with steriod use in America" but would not answer directly whether he used them. "I'm not here to talk about the past" is one of the infamous phrases from that day.

On June 16, 2009 the New York Times reported Sammy Sosa was on a list of 103 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003.

Barry Bonds, the all-time single season home run king with 73 and the games' overall home run king with 762, is under federal indictment for his role in the BALCO steroid investigation. 

Bonds, who hit 40 home runs only once in his career before the age 35, hit over 40 home runs five times after the age of 35 including the record setting year of 2001 with 73.

Three of the greatest home run hitters - the only three ever to hit more than Roger Maris' 61 home runs in a single season are tied to the steriod era forever.

So what about Roger Maris? The quiet hero of the game who was cheated of the single season record in 1961 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick with the infamous asterick; only to pass away before the asterisk was removed. 

Now, a second time, this from illegal performance enhancing drugs—Roger Maris has been cheated of the record he should still own.

There are no fireworks or hugs celebrating the quiet man, Roger Maris; nor are there asterisks next to McGuire, Bonds, and Sosa.