Posted on: Tuesday, April 5, 2005

Getting pumped up for Maris

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

Steroids, as they like to say in North Dakota, savoring the irony, are making favorite son Roger Maris bigger and stronger than ever.

"Big ... real big," said Jim McLaughlin, curator of the Maris Museum in Fargo, N.D.

But before Congress attempts to slap a subpoena on the one-time holder of baseball's single-season home run record, it should be remembered that we're talking stature here, not syringe-assisted Incredible Hulk bulk.

There is a difference. Maris, who died 20 years ago, was a lean 6 feet, 200 pounds in his 1961 fence-clearing heyday, hardly the power-though-pharmaceutical prototype Congress wants to summon now or the fans have taken to taunting with chants of "BALCO! ... BALCO!"

Steroids were barely an East German dream in a test tube when then-baseball commissioner Ford Frick curiously planted an asterisk next to Maris' name in the record book for 61 homers in a 162-game season. But with every passing revelation and accusation — and already punch-and-judy hitting Alex Sanchez and 38 minor leaguers have been accused of steroid use just two days into the 2005 season — Maris is, indeed, getting bigger in a lot of eyes.

Maris' legend grows even as the questions mount and the pretenders shrink in popular opinion. While Barry Bonds sits out, Jason Giambi is under scrutiny and Mark McGwire has embarrassed himself in front of Congress, Maris has never looked so good.

The man who suffered in teammate Mickey Mantle's shadow with the New York Yankees in the 1960s, not to mention that of Babe Ruth, whose record he toppled, Maris is rightfully enjoying a renaissance and enhanced respect. After being largely forgotten until the McGwire-Sammy Sosa home run derby of 1998, Maris is back in the consciousness enjoying a regard that eluded him for too many seasons. This time as a titan above reproach. And, other than Hank Aaron, how many modern-day home run-record holders can say that right now?

It has gotten so bad, the North Dakota Senate, with a unanimous resolution, wants baseball commissioner Bud Selig to reinstate Maris' 61 as the major league single-season standard.

"In North Dakota when we think something has been wrong, we try to make it right," Sen. Joel Heitkamp, who sponsored the resolution, told The Associated Press. "And, when it comes to Roger Maris, and when it comes to steroids, and when it comes to how people have taken his record away ... that's not right."

Not likely to happen, of course. But you can see where they are coming from.

For now, at least, it will have to be enough that their homegrown hero, Maris, grows in public perception while those who have been accused of injecting help to overtake him are fading under the light of scrutiny. And, oh the irony if baseball brought back the asterisk.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.