The ball used to have more "pop". Steroids weren't even illegal during part of my lifetime. The fact that someone hasn't been caught doesn't give them a higher moral character than one who reeks of cheat, but the uncaught get in on false merits all the time. The "greenies", the hardware, the mound height, some new concoction that isn't YET illegal. I agree that all the records really ought to have some sort of asterisk. Shorter seasons, pitching on more or less rest, the weather a team happens to follow during its season. Nothing is pure about baseball stats. A team with a short porch at home will lead to better home run numbers, it would stand to reason, with more than 80 games at home. Maybe McGuire cheated to get there, but it doesn't change the fact that he was a staple name of baseball in my youth. And he broke records. Unless you can prove that everyone is free from sin, journalists really shouldn't throw stones.