Let's start one!

I watched "61*" the other night, which is an OK movie for anyone who hasn't seen it. *Spoiler Alert* Roger Maris hits 61 HRs. Mickey Mantle doesn't.

Anyway, the upshot of the movie is that despite Maris's major accomplishment, people regarded it as a mere curiosity and not the historical event it should have been, and the ultimate disrespect for the season was the use of the asterisk after the record.

But here's the thing: Babe Ruth did hit those HRs in fewer games. That's just simply a fact. The retrofitting of Maris's season and the later insistance that the record is as fully legitimate as Ruth's seems like a bit of latter-day feel goodery to me. It always seemed a bit illegitimate that they acted like the Maris season and the Ruth season are comparable. They're not.

Sorry, I had to vent that, and now I feel like an old man.

Thanks for sharing.

The World Series was once a best of 9. Should we strip the titles of all those who won a best of 7? Baseball was once played only during the daytime. Should we take away all the lights at all the stadia? Times change, rules change. Regardless, both Maris and Ruth are now way down the list in 'most HRs in a single season' anyway.

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This whole subject is a stupid historical debate. Barry Bonds is the record holder. Bottom line.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Things like the WS are direct competitions between teams, and so the playing field is the same. It doesn't work the same way.

Every single one of the people who have hit over 61 homeruns were roided out of their gourds. A lot of people regard each of those citizens as illegitimate. Just saying.

yeah and Babe Ruth didnt play against black people. He was facing roided out pitchers like Clemens also. The whole thing is a stupid debate and a waste of words.

Edit:I guess it sounds like Im coming off as a Bonds apologist. Its not really that, I just know he has more HR's in one season than anyone else, for whatever reasons, and I dont think the debate is worth having.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

This is indeed an excellent film. It is a complete and utter joke that Billy Crystal did not reap major awards from creating it. This masterpiece, along with "The Bronx is Burning," should be required viewing by any so called fans of the puny, insignificant so called franchises in baseball other than the glorious 26 time World Series Champion New York Yankees.

Obviously, Mickey Charles Mantle was injured that year. Otherwise, it is agreed by virtually all sane scholars that he would have hit 75 home runs.

When will you measly munchkins finally realize the greatness of this man? Isn't it obvious that the Good Lord, in His infinite wisdom, created a magical monument to baseball greatness when He allowed him to be born in Spavinaw, Oklahoma on October 20, 1931? Doesn't it strike you as fitting that there was no greater stage for God's perfect baseball player than the Bronx?

Every time Mickey Charles Mantle stepped up to home plate, there was a chorus of Angels that sang his praises. Just because you troglodytes were incapable of hearing their sweet song does not mean it wasn't there.

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Were the Angels in LA, Anaheim, overall California in 61? Anyway, that chorus of Angels now have another drunk to trip over a sprinkler head in center for their amusement.

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You cannot make me care about the WNBA.

Swung on and belted!

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

but you really have no clue what wouldve happened if he didnt get hurt. it would be like saying that if pedro martinez wasnt hurt all the time hed have 300 wins already.

Mmick didn't help himself either by drinking his face off every night.

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Dear Mr. Buckeye Jake:

Perhaps you are unaware that you are addressing one of the very few people in the world who accurately predicted that the legendary New York Football Giants would defeat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Perhaps you are further unaware that in a post ON THIS VERY MESSAGE BOARD PRIOR TO THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS, I accurately predicted the result of EVERY SINGLE AFC AND NFC PLAYOFF GAME (with the exception of Washington-Seattle).

When I first read your comments in response to my post, I briefly considered adding you to my list of enemies, upon which you would have joined scoundrels and mongrels like Nancy Pelosi, Hootmon, Regular Reader and various Attorneys of no consequence to this discussion, including, but not limited to, Pigman. Upon further review, however, I have decided to explain my genius to you, and graciously allow you the opportunity to apologize for your transgression.

Please allow this to serve, therefore, as notice that I accept your apology in advance for the above referenced insult. I will chalk same up to your ignorance of my great genius.

Trust me, nobody loves God’s Perfect Baseball Player, Mickey Charles Mantle, more than I do. I would inform you that I have, therefore, performed exhaustive studies concerning the 1961 season. Based upon a scientific analysis of 846 extremely relevant variables, I have determined that the numbers indicate that Mickey Charles Mantle would have struck a mighty 67.46 home runs had he not been injured in this season. Based upon the greatness of Mickey Charles Mantle, I have rounded this figure up to 75, utilizing a mathematical practice and protocol commonly accepted in certain Eastern Bloc countries and Indonesia (excluding Banda Aceh). You should also be advised that I have extensively briefed my 4 year old son on the results of my research, and he is in perfect agreement with my reasoning and conclusions. Were I a Graduate Student in Mathematics/Statistics/Baseball Studies, I am 95 percent certain that this Thesis would be acclaimed as the greatest thesis ever.

I would also hope that you realize that the purpose of this post is not to bring further shame upon you. I am certain that you have suffered enough. God knows this is true, especially if you are a somewhat regular reader of the stark raving mad Socialists who presently constitute a majority on this board. Therefore, I remain;

Your friend in the greatness and glory of Mickey Charles Mantle and the 2008 World Champion New York Yankees, SR86.

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Ruth didn't have to play against black athletes like Favre Fan said. That negates the fewer games in witch he hit his 60 HRs. Who knows? Maybe a black athlete would have hit 60 or more before Ruth. Maybe a black player would have broke Ruth's record after Ruth retired before MLB was integrated in the late 40's.

had babe ruth continued playing, and not retired when he had, and had he also somehow discovered the fountain of youth along the way, and had somehow bargained with the devil for eternal life, and had he discovered the joys of using HGH and steroids, and yet not been caught up in shame and scandal, and had stayed away from jose canseco's ill-fated party in miami and somehow stayed out of the mitchell report, and cut his hot dog consumption in half along the way to keep his weight manageable, and using a magic formula that takes into account a) changes in ballpark design, b) racial integration, c) variances in the quality of pitching and d) the introduction of the designated hitter, it has been determined that babe ruth would be the all-time home run king with a staggering 5,702 HR's and 17,704 RBI, dwarfing Mickey Mantles career, and making Barry Bonds look like just another hack with a huge hat.

i love stupid historical debates.

How in God's name did you get access to my research?

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i have spent many hours pouring over the statistical analysis to reach my hypothesis. the cost has been high on a social level, but i think it was worth it.

Man of Few Opinions:

You must explain how a man of such greatness when it comes to his selection of the legendary New York Football Giants as his franchise of choice can display a Chicago Cubs logo as his avatar.

I must confess to being crushed. When we previously discussed the mighty Giants, I had thought I was communicating with a fellow former resident of the East Coast.

For God's sake, I would even have accepted that you were a fan of the Mets. But the Cubs? God save your soul.

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i am indeed a transfer from the east coast, having grown up in new jersey, as a new york yankees fan. upon my arrival in the chicago area, the cubs won me over with their rich tradition of winning, what can i say?

i have a soft spot for the yankees, particularly for the late 70's early 80's teams, the teams i grew up with. i wish i could go to the stadium one more time before it gets demolished. i will be out there several times this summer, i might try to take my boy to a game there. he has never been to a game, and that is where i saw my first game, would be kind of cool.

i was aware. because i was on your side when you said this.

and i do offer my apologies for my outragious quandry.