Over the year's, I don't fancy myself a baseball blogger. Hell, I don't fancy myself as a blogger in general. Just a guy in his head about a lot of thoughts related to workout routine's, Tiger Woods and Tom Brady (but he's got enough issues going on right now, that's for a later time). But I'd be remiss not to comment on Aaron Judge's 62nd home run in the 2022 Major League Baseball season.
Come to think of it, this didn't hold half the excitement of when it happened back in 1998. But real quick, just look at this fucking guy below. Nah, nothing sketchy about that at all.
Look, there's been a lot written about different "eras" of the MLB. Even more baffling is the realization of the majority of baseball fans today likely not even knowing what happened in the summer of 1998 since they weren't even fucking born yet. Yet, had they been alive during the greatest and most exciting time in professional baseball, I'm sure they'd understand where I'm coming from. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Babe Ruth, Roger Maris. Literally, the only four names you heard for three straight months during the given season. It was the greatest fucking thing in sports. When Ken Griffey Jr, arguably the most liked player in MLB history hit an absurdly quiet 56 home runs, you knew something different was happening here. Look at the stats from 1998. Sammy Sosa had 66 home runs and ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT RBI'S. I'm literally laughing writing this. Obviously Big Mac finished as (and still is) the king with 70 dingers and 147 RBI's (childs play), but you cannot look at these numbers and keep a straight face at this day and age.
So let's recall the excitement here. This happened probably 11 hours ago when the Yankees were in Texas playing the Rangers. Granted, this was an away game and you knew if it were in the Bronx the place would fucking burn down. But look at the footage from 1998. Joe Buck is on the call, which already feels like a monumental and important moment (and it was). Hell, Fox even cut away from another game to broadcast this event. Fox obviously wasn't competing with the likes of Apple TV, Amazon, Hulu, whatever in 1998. It was cable TV, and it was all anyone could watch. The grainy footage even adds to the lore. But what was so insane about Big Mac hitting number 62 was the way he hit the frigin ball. The speed at which the ball left his bad had to be in the thousands, and it was simply so hilarious that the lowest line drive for a home run ever hit was number 62. It wasn't a towering, game deciding blast (nor was Judge's), but the Cardinals were already out of the race and there was nothing left but to bask in the roided up glow of the home run race of 1998.
As McGwire rounds the bases, literally skipping first base mind you, fireworks exploded. Teammates gathered at home plate (led by his son), there was a 10-minute game stoppage, and finally the hilarious exchange between McGwire and Sosa. Oh shit, I forgot to mention. The Cardinals were playing the fucking Cubs that game! There is simply zero debate on which home run was more exciting.
McGwire's home run simply felt bigger, more entertaining and now, more nostalgic to generations past. Today, we're inundated with social media and idiot Yankee fans shoving Aaron Judge down our throats that you aren't able to think about the chase, watch it, enjoy it and eventually remember it. In closing, thank God for no social media back in 1998. But imagine thinking this was all natural athletic ability where nobody questioned anything? I'd like to go back to that time.
"Folks it couldn't happen to a better man. And you'll always remember where you were at 8:18pm central time September 8th, 1998." Nice touch there Joe.
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