On this day in 1998 Mark McGwire hit a pitch thrown by the Cubs Steve Trachsel over the left field fence at old Busch Stadium-his 62nd of the season breaking the record for home runs in a single season set by Roger Maris of the New York Yankees in 1961. McGwire would end up with 70 that season. Sammy Sosa would have 66. Barry Bonds would break that record in 2001 when he hit 73.

At that time there was a lot of publicity over the home run chase between McGwire and Sosa. Baseball had that strike in 1994 in which the World Series was cancelled for the first time in 100 years. Baseball had issues, the fans were still ticked off. The chase for the home run record was something that filled the ballparks. Of course everyone knew those guys were on the juice but everyone from Commissioner Allan “Bud” Selig to the owners on down turned their heads.

I myself still recognize Roger Maris as the single season home run champ and I know of others that feel the same way. {and I also look at Henry Aaron as the all-time home run king not the fraud Barry Bonds}

Having said all that I think sometime in the future-say ten years from now they should put the players like Bonds, McGwire, Clemens into the Hall of Fame. Put as asterisk on their plaques and explain about the juicing and how these guys were great players but cheats. Let Pete Rose in and do the same. I am kind of tired of the discussions on all this. Maybe even give them their own wing in the Hall of Fame. Let Joe Jackson in too. But explain about the issues with all of these players.