Baseball, stats and the dreaded asterix.

[Harry Lime]

I'm a baseball buff as are many of my friends. A discussion we've had face-to-face might be interesting to post here. A mental conundrum. The question:

When Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth's record for the most home runs in a major league season an asterix was placed next to his name in the official record books because he did it in a season that lasted eight games longer. Some thought it fair, some thought it a sham to protect the beloved Babe Ruth over the not-hugely-popular Maris.

Lately it's been suggested that certain other records should be asterixed, such as the home run record, because of steroid use, etc. The Asterix Debate comes up a lot. So, the question itself...

The records are supposed to be about who did the best in the major leagues. The major leagues are supposed to be composed of the best players. Should all records pre-Jackie Robinson be asterixed because baseball was a closed game? If blacks, Hispanics and Asians weren't allowed to play was it really a major league? Would Babe Ruth have hit as many homers off Satchell Paige and other greats? Would white pitchers with great numbers have as good of numbers if they faced Josh Gibson et al? If the league wasn't truly the best-of-the-best should any records stand until it was fully integrated?

Or was the fact that closure was "just a part of the game" at the time and the records should stand unblemished? Should steroid-induced records stand unblemished as well? Is the "just part of the game" argument valid or tripe?

Batter up.

Harry Lime

 

[MudInYerEye]

The asterix was a mistake on the commissioner's (was it Frick then?, can't remember...) part. Once you begin to examine and asterix things there is really no end to it, which is probably why it hasn't been done since.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I've had the same argument with other brits regarding how many goals a soccer player scored in a season. With league expansion etc. people score more in each year. The ball has changed significantly in construction (moves - bends - more in the air, and is faster) making it very much an attackers game. So we get more goals. And the ball no longer soaks up water when it gets wet. It used to be that if it was raining it was like kicking (and heading) a medicine ball around by the end of 90 minutes - making it harder to play.

There isn't really any answer. People will choose a side of the argument and defend it to the death. I think we can all see the logic of using asterisks (Asterix is a comic book charater ) but whether we agree or not ... Maybe the answer is not to keep records (other than who won what game, and by how much). Who really cares who scored how many runs? It's about the team, right? Maybe just abolish organised sport?

bk