Stanton’s HR chase ‘real’ to Maris clan
ROGER Maris Jr. is watching closely. This time, if Giancarlo Stanton breaks his father’s single-season home run mark, he will consider that achievement the real deal.
Stanton is sitting on 55 home runs with 12 games remaining. Roger Maris blasted 61 home runs for the Yankees in 1961, breaking Babe Ruth’s longtime record.
For 37 MLB seasons Maris’ record stood. Then came the Steroid Era.
Maris’ 61 home runs currently rank seventh all-time with Barry Bonds’ 73 in 2001 being the most home runs in a single season. Mark McGwire reached 70 in 1998 in his battle with Sammy Sosa in the Great Home Run Chase, which the Maris family witnessed.
Turns out it wasn’t so great.
McGwire and Sosa make up the rest of the list with their suspect home run totals. Yes, they all hit more home runs than Maris did in ’61, but give them all asterisks.
Roger Maris Jr. is a Stanton fan, and if Stanton breaks his father’s record, so be it, but make no mistake, the Maris family would love to see the “real record’’ stay in the family .
Stanton’s tremendous season really shines a new light on Maris’ incredible accomplishment and his two-time MVP career.
“We are following Stanton and marveling at everything he has accomplished,’’ Roger Jr. told The Post from his home in Florida. “He is just an amazing talent and he is fun to watch. When you see the guy get up to bat, it’s exciting and you don’t know what he is going to do.’’
Stanton slugged his 55th homer in the Marlins’ 13-1 win over the Mets on Monday at Marlins Park. Can Stanton make it to 61? “That number is amazing and it seems it has withstood the test of time,’’ Roger Jr. said.
Roger Maris died Dec. 14, 1985, at the age of 51. Sept. 10 marked 83 years since his birth in Hibbing, Minn.
“The way I look at it, and the way my dad would look at it, it’s just like with McGwire when he hit his 62nd home run, we want to see people do great things and achieve greatness,’’ Roger Jr. said. “If they can achieve it, more power to them and at the end of the day you give them a pat on the back and say, ‘Job well done.’ If he has the skill and the talent to hit 62, hats off to him.
“You just have to be happy for the guy, there is no animosity, we’re hoping he does well. You don’t want to see dad’s record get broken by any means, but I’m not going to root against the guy.’’
That is a class move, something Maris and his family have always been known for when it comes to the mark.
“I was actually going to see Stanton play in Atlanta, prior to the hurricane,’’ Roger Jr. said. Irma changed his travel plans. “If he was sitting there on 61 it would be fun to see what he is capable of doing,’’ he added. Roger Jr. offered this about the record. “The Steroid Era was what it was and now times have changed and the court of public opinion out there and the majority of the people feel that 61 is the record,’’ he said. “The Steroid Era has their mark and the court of public opinion have their mark.’’
Put the Maris family down in the court of public opinion.
“People still come up to me and say, ‘Your dad never seems to fade away.’ There are two marks you can choose,’’ Roger Jr. said. “Whatever you believe, you believe and life goes on.’’