70*

Congrats to Barry Bonds on #70. But some will claim that the real number is 71. In a late-season game in the land of Beer and Brats in 1998 Mark McGwire appeared to slug out home run #66. But the umpire ruled that a fan had interfered with the ball and sent McGwire to second. I was sitting in the bleachers one section over from where the ball landed. What did I see? A ball coming towards us in a low arc, and then a bunch of much taller people in front of me. I was screened by the crowd when the ball landed. I later talked to fans in the area to see what eyewitnesses thought about the homer/double.

Most people felt that the ball was in fact headed towards the bleachers, and that McGwire had been robbed. Many were quite upset. On the other hand, most of these people had also been drinking all afternoon, and as they were drawn to the game by McGwire himself, probably weren't the least-biased witnesses. I did talk to an usher who was right where the ball had landed. Here was a sober individual who had seen many close fly balls either clear the fence or land in play. He felt that the umpire made the correct decision.

From the replays I've seen I think that McGwire got jobbed. He should probably have 71. But I'm not certain enough to bet my life on it. When and if Barry knocks out #71 I'll tip my hat to him and recognize him as the king.

p.s. Poor Rickey, always being upstaged.