Is it just me, or has there been an inordinate amount of fan-purchased billboards popping up lately, voicing some complaint that a particular team’s fanbase might have? It’s getting to be an epidemic of sorts. Eventually all communication will be done via billboard, if this trend keeps up.
Which is how we end up in Fargo, North Dakota–site of the latest sports-related billboard announcement.
A billboard company in North Dakota has erected not one, but two signs, proclaiming Fargo’s own Roger Maris as the “legitimate” home run king, for the 61 dingers he hit way back in 1961. Company exec Russ Newman decided to erect the billboards in the wake of Mark McGwire’s public admission of steroid use.
Newman hopes the billboards will kickstart the campaign to get Maris elected to the Hall of Fame. A noble gesture–misguided, but noble. Unfortunately for Newman, and all the other Maris supporters, having the “legitimate” single-season home run record isn’t enough to get you admission to Cooperstown, not with Maris’ career numbers anyway.
Still, it is a nice reminder of Maris’ magical 1961 season. Not too mention a nice “f–k you” to Mark “I came clean to get a job in baseball” McGwire and Barry Bonds.
What’s the next billboard we’re going to see? “Mike Greenwell–The “Legitimate” 1988 American League MVP?”
