Aaron Judge hit his 50th home run last night for the Yankees. They have 33 games left and he's on pace to hit 63.
Until 2001, Roger Maris held the record for home runs in a season with 61 in 1961. That went untouched for nearly 40 years. The closest until 1998 was George Foster's 52 in 1977 and Ken Griffey Jr.'s 56 in 1997.
Then came the effects of the Steroid Era. From 1998-2001, it was broken six times. Bonds hit 73 in 2001, McGwire hit 70 and 65, and Sosa hit 66, 64 and 63, all of them statistical oddities. You would have to have your head buried in the sand not to believe they had some chemical help in getting some of those balls that might have landed on the warning track to go 12 rows deep.
Until 2001, Roger Maris held the record for home runs in a season with 61 in 1961. That went untouched for nearly 40 years. The closest until 1998 was George Foster's 52 in 1977 and Ken Griffey Jr.'s 56 in 1997.
Then came the effects of the Steroid Era. From 1998-2001, it was broken six times. Bonds hit 73 in 2001, McGwire hit 70 and 65, and Sosa hit 66, 64 and 63, all of them statistical oddities. You would have to have your head buried in the sand not to believe they had some chemical help in getting some of those balls that might have landed on the warning track to go 12 rows deep.
