Who is the rightful single season MLB Home Run Champ?

[vintagerookies51]

What about other? Josh Gibson would've broken it if he was allowed in the major leagues. There were also other African-Americans that would have a shot in the 50+ years they weren't allowed in the big leagues. For the options shown, however, I chose Ruth.

[Piratedogcardshows]

Originally Posted by vintagerookies51

What about other? Josh Gibson would've broken it if he was allowed in the major leagues. There were also other African-Americans that would have a shot in the 50+ years they weren't allowed in the big leagues. For the options shown, however, I chose Ruth.

I honestly thought about adding him as the 5th choice due to that big season but decided to keep it as a record done against strictly MLB talent.He can be a write in for those so inclined!

[irishdenny]

Maris!

Gibson's Story breaks my heart... His passing at such a young age only makes me want to give him my vote... Sorry Roger

(edited due to me being half asleep (& not on steriods), thought we were discussing the full Season King.

***I consider the Negro League as the Majors(MLB)! Heck, the Negro League All Stars whooped them when they played, why not consider their Numbers...

Josh Gibson fir sure!!!

[novakjr]

Sorry, some of you might not like this, but it's Bonds, plain and simple. He has the record. Every person on this list who has held the single season's record has some sort of flaw to it. Maris' feat was the least flawed though. Ruth, clearly wasn't playing against the best possible talent. Maris, took more games than Ruth, but was playing against a little more rounded of a field of competition. McGwire and Bonds obviously have their ties to steroids, but so does their competition, on top of being against pretty much the best of the best from around the world.. Now, if you wanna count out Mcgwire and Bonds, then Sosa needs to be included in this list...Because, while he never held the single season record, he would have had it not been for McGwire and his steroids. Now while I know that Sosa's been tied to steroids, I don't think there's been any definitive proof against him either(at least during that season)...So his name at least belongs in the mix.

[Big Ben]

Marris without a doubt. I also enshrine Marris into the HOF based on his merits and a slap in the face to all the steroid boys of the recent eras.

[Piratedogcardshows]

First to 100 is the Majority Net54 Single Season Home Run Champ and that opinion is good enough for me.

[Vol]

Originally Posted by Big Ben

Marris without a doubt. I also enshrine Marris into the HOF based on his merits and a slap in the face to all the steroid boys of the recent eras.

Amen.

[rhettyeakley]

Originally Posted by novakjr

Ruth, clearly wasn't playing against the best possible talent.

This is NOT clear to me and many others, what are you referring to here? 16 total MLB teams with 5 man rotations= 80 total MLB starting pitching spots available at the major league level at a time when ALL kids played baseball in the US. Compare that to todays watered down league post expansion and many great athletes never really playing baseball as they specialize in a number of other sports from an early age.

[oldjudge]

Babe Ruth. Throw out Bonds and Mac, they were cheating jucers. Maris only beat Ruth because the season was expanded by eight games. If Ruth had played in a 162 game season in 1927 he probably would have hit more than 61.

[mark evans]

I agree with those who believe the "shine is off the record." In reality we need three different records:

Most homers in 154-game season (Ruth), most homers in 162-game season w/out use of PED (Maris), most homers in 162-game season w/ use of PED (Bonds).

Not so clean and neat as the old days.

[Rob L]

It has to be Bonds, unfortunately!! Sentimentally, it's Raja.

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by rhettyeakley

This is NOT clear to me and many others, what are you referring to here? 16 total MLB teams with 5 man rotations= 80 total MLB starting pitching spots available at the major league level at a time when ALL kids played baseball in the US. Compare that to todays watered down league post expansion and many great athletes never really playing baseball as they specialize in a number of other sports from an early age.

At the time, there were definitely some better latino and black players than many of the guys that were allowed to play at the time. But I do understand where you're coming from in regards to the number of teams and number of total starting pitchers. If anything, expansion has equalized the overall talent level in comparison to when the game was segregated.

[hunterdutchess]

Great post, I had to go with Maris on this one and I believe Aaron is still the all time champ. My reasons are selfish because it keeps me more interested in hoping I will see 62 or 756 by a player some day. I have no hate for what Bonds did and it is hard hard for us "mortals" to understand why you need a edge when you have that type of talent to begin with but it obviously made a difference when you see the HR numbers in today's game. Also Bonds paying the college tuition for the children of the man who got beat within a inch of his life was a very noble jester.

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by vintagerookies51

What about other? Josh Gibson would've broken it if he was allowed in the major leagues. There were also other African-Americans that would have a shot in the 50+ years they weren't allowed in the big leagues. For the options shown, however, I chose Ruth.

He could have? So could a lot of people. With all due respect to Josh Gibson, he didn't play in the major leagues so he certainly doesn't hold the MLB homerun record. If baseball was around in 1,200 BCE I'm sure we would have someone who hit more than seventy-three homeruns. Maybe there was some ancient man who had all the skills of a great homerun hitter, but since baseball didn't exist he couldn't play in the major leagues. Is he the rightful single season MLB homerun champ? Of course not. We can always make these little excuses about why someone should/shouldn't hold the record. In my mind, look at who has the most homeruns in a single season- Barry Bonds with 73. I don't care how he did it as long as he hit 73 homers. All other information is immaterial.

[vintagerookies51]

Bonds may hold the record, but the topic is the RIGHTFUL home run king. I don't know why you went all middle ages on me, but professional baseball was around when Josh Gibson played. I didn't say he could have broken the record. I said he did. I just stated my opinion, which is what the topic states. By the way, are you the "Brendan" from FCB as well? The one who got kicked off multiple boards?

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by vintagerookies51

Bonds may hold the record, but the topic is the RIGHTFUL home run king. I don't know why you went all middle ages on me, but professional baseball was around when Josh Gibson played. I didn't say he could have broken the record. I said he did. I just stated my opinion, which is what the topic states. By the way, are you the "Brendan" from FCB as well? The one who got kicked off multiple boards?

Did he break the major league baseball single season homerun record while playing in major league baseball? We can state our opinions all we want. That's the point of a forum. In my mind the rightful MLB single season homerun champ is whoever has the most homeruns in a single MLB season and everything else doesn't really matter. I don't believe I'm the Brendan you're talking about.

[Fred]

Ruth hit 60 in a 154 game schedule, Maris hit 61 in a 162 game schedule.

McGwire and Bonds did it in a 162 game schedule, but with a little help. I selected Maris but Bonds still hit 73 in a 162 game schedule. He actually only appeared in 153 games that season. I'm not sure how/why McGwire gets acknowledged in this poll.

I think the next poll should be:

Which of the following players do you think will be elected to the HOF?

Barry Bonds
Mark McGwire
Raphael Palmiero
Sammy Sosa
Roger Clemens
Pete Rose

I'd pick Charlie Hustle over any of the other guys listed. Yes, we could list a few other A-list PED users for the poll. Sad part is Bonds would have hit 500HRs even if he didn't use PEDs.

[sando69]

hmmm... i suspect that numerous net54 members have achieved the same goal without the assistance of steroids!

[barrysloate]

Maris has the most in a season among noncheaters, and is still the AL king. But I picked Bonds because until and unless his records are expunged, 73 in a season is still the record, as distasteful as it may be.

[thekingofclout]

Originally Posted by sando69

hmmm... i suspect that numerous net54 members have achieved the same goal without the assistance of steroids!

Now that is funny Mark.