The Chicago Bulls documentary, "The Last Dance", is breaking viewing records.  Not too hard to imagine during the COVID_19 global pandemic.  ESPN will be rolling out early releases of 3 new "30 for 30" documentaries--

Obviously, they most important one to our area will be the documentary about the Summer of 1998.

ESPN's "Long Gone Summer," a documentary focused on the 1998 record-breaking home run race between McGwire and Sosa, will begin airing June 14.

From ESPN PR department:

In ESPN’s new 30 for 30 film “Long Gone Summer,” director AJ Schnack takes viewers back to the landmark 1998 baseball season — its tremendous highlights, massive impact, and undeniable complications. Featuring in-depth interviews with both McGwire and Sosa, talking at length for the first time in over two decades, the intimate portrait carries viewers through every twist and turn of the sluggers’ historic chase of Roger Maris’s iconic record of 61 home runs in a single season.

In 1998, the idea of "chicks did the long ball" is what is considered to save baseball.  While Bud Selig was bathing in the water that he cleared Major League Baseball from it's cocaine problem, he turned a blind ey to the steroid abuse that was happening.

I can only imagine that how much MLB will be paying attention to fan reaction to this documentary.  Social media reaction will be an interesting measurement about how much baseball fans want to crucify these tow men and those used PEDs to boost their careers and legacy.

I will be looking forward to the many debates about putting athletes that took steroids into the baseball Hall of Fame.

Also, the talk of how this sparked Barry Bonds to become the home run king will be fun.

It's going to get be interesting.

 

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