Home Run Record

So, Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's all-time home record last night and most people are discussing how this is tainted through steroids, an asterix should be affixed next to it in the record book, etc...

I have to say, I disagree. While performance enhancing drugs were illegal throughout this time, Baseball did not actively test players while having at least some tacit knowledge of their use. Unless they are prepared to revisit all aspects of the record book throughout that time, including batting titles, pitching wins, world series titles, etc..., the record should stand without qualifiers. Selectively applying this filter to only Barry Bonds and his home runs is hypocritical at best. This is not to say that people should not mention these issues when discussing this record, but they should not lay all of this at Barry Bonds' feet nor should they neglect the role of other players who likely behaved in a similar manner or owners/league officials who were not proactive in weeding this out of the sport.

One other point, people want to engage in the hypothetical * if he did not take these dugs, he would not have this record* But, hypotheticals should cut both ways. He missed almost the entire 2005 season. Had that not occurred, would he have hit the *extra* home runs he got through his supposed steroid use?

I think we are all guilty of looking for the easy target often and do not fully apply the same standards to all parties. This seems to be an example of that type of *selective morality*.